During pregnancy, moms are supposed to experience as little stress and anxiety as possible. If they have any questions or feel uncomfortable, medical professionals and loved ones are there to help them. Yet 45% of pregnant women say they’re afraid of asking questions and sharing concerns.
Talking about pregnancy shouldn’t be taboo, but when you have a husband who thinks the things your pregnant body does are ‘gross,’ you might become embarrassed. When this husband thought his wife was giving his sister pregnancy TMI, he didn’t hesitate to call it “disgusting.” What he didn’t think of was that the wife would retaliate and decide to exclude him from the birth.
A woman was sharing pregnancy details with her SIL when her husband suddenly called her “disgusting”
Image credits: Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Since he hadn’t apologized, she didn’t tell him when the labor started, prompting him to miss the delivery
Image credits: GSR-PhotoStudio / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Ok-Profit-3291
Pregnant women already feel shame about their bodies
Women generally experience a lot of shame related to their bodies. Take menstruation, for example: 42% of women in the U.S. say they have experienced shaming about it from their male friends and family members. Many internalize that shame, as 58% of women admitted they feel ashamed when they menstruate.
When a woman is pregnant, her partner’s reactions to her and her body matter a lot. Research shows that women welcome and want support from their partners during pregnancy. However, if they feel like their partner is coming from a place of judgment or offering unwanted support, they’re less likely to accept it.
Women in general deal with a lot of body issues. But with pregnancy, they may become even more exacerbated. A 2023 study revealed that pregnant women have mostly negative feelings toward their body changes.
So, when your husband tells you that your pregnant body is “disgusting,” all these insecurities and worries are only made worse. At the end of the day, isn’t one of the marriage vows “In sickness and in health?”
There are other things partners should avoid saying to their pregnant wives
Referring to your wife’s body as “disgusting” might be one of the worst things to say. But there are other topics that spouses should refrain from while their partner is pregnant if they do not want to insult or hurt them. These are the main ones, according to obstetrician and gynecologist Robert Stewart, M.D.:
“Why are you even with this loser?” commenters asked, siding with the wife
One person even shared a similar story
Others, however, thought the mom was being too petty: “You went way too far”
A few days passed, but the husband hadn’t apologized, so, the mom packed her and the baby’s things and went to her brother’s
Image credits: Ok-Profit-3291
“I don’t think counseling will fix whatever’s wrong with him,” the commenters reacted
Follow Us
