Pregnancy does not remove the stigma of being the largest person in the room
Last night I was introduced to a girl...in front of a large group of other women,,,and was told (put lots of enthusiasm in your voice) "and she's already 5 months pregnant!" This comment being vital because she is stick thin with almost no tummy to speak of. Still wearing pre-pregnancy clothes too. This is said to me, "a whale standing around in what effectivly could be refered to as a mumu". thanks for the self esteem boost there.
It's amazing how fast the cute round pregnant tummy and the fluttery summer dress can degrade into a tub of lard covered by a sheet.
I just comfort myself by saying. I'm 6 months. Of course I look bigger. And this is probably her first child.
No. It just gets better. I find out later (in a smaller group...thank goodness) that she is actually closer to 6 months. Oh wait. She is due a week before me! Oh fun. that shoots down the first excuse. Then I find out that this is her 3rd child. Sigh.
So she tells me when she notices my quiet shock as I realize I'm just a fat chick masquerading as a expectant mother, " Well, it's okay, I just like to work out a lot" Note: she says this with a brownie in one hand. i'm thinking very loudly... "I work out 8 times a week because I teach Pilates and Aerobics....i"m not just lazy." I think. Oh well....genetics must play into this somewhere.
Fortunately she is very sweet and I'm not filled with overwhelming rage at her personnaly, yet somehow I can't seem to break past the feeling of inadaquacy and frustration with myself. I thought that being pregnant again would somehow make me feel exempt from the stupid comparisions about who has the smallest thighs. It was stressful enough NOT being pregnant and dealing with anorexic dancers for 9 months, but now I think I may develop a complex."