More Tact, Please

Dear Birth Professionals,

In case you were not already aware, it is inadvisable to enter a room with a pregnant woman and utter the phrase, "Wow, you must be getting pretty close, huh?" Because at least some of the time, you will get something along the lines of, "Um...no...I have eleven weeks left." And when you do get that response? It is even more inadvisable to say, "Well, I wish I could tell you that it would go by fast, but I'd be lying."

See the thing you're holding in your hand? The folder looking thing that has lots of papers in it? Yeah, that would be my chart. And on the very first page of my chart, on the very top line, is listed my DUE DATE. Which is in July. The very last day in July, even. So maybe, just maybe, you could've taken a quick glance at that piece of paper before coming in and making me feel like I'm carrying The Biggest Baby Ever.

(Because surely, someone who sees pregnant women all day, every day, should have a pretty good gauge of how far along you are, right? And if a person like this thinks you look like you're "getting pretty close," and you actually have two-and-a-half months left, that's not good news, is it?)

((It also does not help when you're told later in that same appointment that perhaps you should cut down on your carb intake. And that your 29-week belly is measuring like a 32-week belly should. And that your baby feels freakishly long. Really, none of this is reassuring to someone who's looking at a very long 11 weeks of carrying what is potentially The Biggest Baby Ever.))