Comparisons

Got in a little tiff with a Facebook friend over her status this morning comparing pregnancy to the swine flu. Being a pregnant lady, I found it offensive. Never once did I ever joke about pregnancy as a disease while all my friends were having babies. Yes, I was that girl that always has wanted to have babies, but even when I knew I wasn't ready, I never made such jokes.

Pregnancy is a miracle. It's a joy and blessing. Not a disease. It's not contagious either. Being that I've had friends act like I'm going to kill them with the plague since I shared my big news, I especially find it offensive.

I tried to explain this to her and I said that someday she'd understand. When she's pregnant and so in love with the little life growing inside her she will also be offended by comments comparing the little life inside her to a deadly disease.

She disagreed. Which is her right. But for all the friends she claims she has that are pregnant, me included, you'd think she'd be more careful about comparing peoples children to the swine flu.  She says when she is pregnant and people make these comments she'd joke back and harass her friends. I'm telling you right now she won't. She'll take offense at anyone comparing her baby to a disease. Just like each and every pregnant woman in history will punch you in the face for saying she's fat. You just don't say those types of things to an expecting mother.

Somehow I knew this long before I became pregnant. When C was pregnant our final year of college we were all thrilled for her. We threw a shower and no one ever made any crude jokes. Not one of us back then (we were a big group of friends) were ready ourselves to have babies and C wasn't quite either, that being unexpected and unplanned. But we would never have even dreamed about making jokes comparing her little one to a disease or threatened to get the Lysol.

Am I taking this all too personally? Honestly, I don't think so. I think jokes and comparisons like that are in poor taste. Especially for any mother reading who might have had to go above and beyond to have her baby. Not every mom gets pregnant easily. Some have to fight for it. Some want to have a baby so bad but never get the chance at all and I'm sure they would take the most offense. And maybe it's just me being a hormonal pregnant lady that is already an angry momma bear, ready to defend the little life inside me. How dare anyone speak about my baby, any baby, like that!? That's my job though. And someday this FB friend will understand. Not every woman understands until it's happening to them. I always got it, even as a kid. Some have to wait until it's happening to them, then the light bulb turns on. And for those people, I cannot wait until they do get it.