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Dealing with People Touching Your Pregnant Belly

Is there a polite way to tell folks to stop touching my belly?

Some women don't mind the extra attention from co-workers, friends and even strangers in public—especially in your second trimester, when being bumpy is still fun. But it can tiring and, in my opinion, by the third trimester the belly touching has gotta go!

By the end of your third trimester, especially if your due date has come and gone, the look on your face usually scares the belly touchers away. When dealing with strangers you have much more leeway to be rude or shocking. You can say, "Ouch!" or "Do you realize you just poked my uterus?" That usually teaches the grabbers to think twice.

The only surefire way to prevent touching before it starts is to tell people straight out, "Please, don't touch me."

Answered by Susan Magee, M.F.A.
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9/9/2009 - 4:06PM
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I wqas so worried about this with my first, I have a bubble and everyone knows it lol. Turned out I never really looked pregnant, just a bit fatter lol. So I was ok, don't know about this time. uh oh :)
7/10/2009 - 9:15PM
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I'm a touchy-feely type person, so I'm ok with people I know touching my belly. I honestly don't know what I would do if someone I don't know reached for it because its never happened to me; I was not working when I was pregnant before and now I converse with hundreds of people every day.
6/22/2009 - 12:19AM
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Even before I got pregnant, my boyfriend would touch my stomach and joke about it. It droves me nuts. Now that I am pregnant, I know I'll have a fun time trying to get him to stop. I don't like people touching me at all. This will be interesting..
4/30/2009 - 10:17AM
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At first it was OK even though I didn't show until 20 weeks, now it's just annoying..I agree my belly is not public property
4/30/2009 - 10:14AM
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it drives me nuts when people do it i dont even look pregnant and al of my friends are all over my belly but after i got angry about it most of them have backed off
1/25/2009 - 1:03PM
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I've not had all that yet i've got a teeny bump that people don't really notice but i'm not a touchy feely person and even when my nana has put her hand on my belly I don't like it! I think I won't mind too much about family doing it later on to feel the baby move but strangers and co-workers I don't think they'll be anywhere near me.
1/25/2009 - 12:56PM
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the next time someone reaches out and touches your belly you reach out and rub their back. it will get your point across. just because you are pregnant doesnt mean you are public property.


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