Do you let people touch your bump?

[Tigger87]

Luckily, most people ask me if they can. And I'm a grumpy cow and say no!!! It feels too much to have people touch it, so I only let my husband, my sister (given that she's been stroking it squealing with excitement about there being something there since I was 7 weeks, it was a difficult one to stop anyway!!) and my mum.

Why do people do it? If i say it's kicking, then ok maybe, but just "hi, how are you? Can I touch your bump?", why!!!!

One person in work does it without asking, it makes me feel so uncomfortable!!!

 

[Haylian]

I don't let people touch either. Luckily I wrk with a lot of men who avoid the conversation as much as they can lol, but my sister is exactly the same, never leaves my belly alone and hasn't done since the beginning xx

 

[nbrintz]

I don't like it either makes me feel uneasy the only one that does is oh I've been the same with all of my pregnancys don't know what it is but just don't like it x

 

[mummywanabe]

Dobt mind family and friends doing it but iv had strangers walk up to me and rub my tummy which is a little weird, I think people just get excited, I remember when my friend was pregnant I just wanted to to touch her bump cos I wanted to know what one felt like

 

[Gemsy]

As long as I know them I have no problem with it at all. Pregnant bellies are fascinating for some reason! Luckily most people ask! I did have one of my locals touch my bump the other day, and he is the last person I would expect to do it, he doesn't even like giving/receiving hugs when appropriate....for some reason people just can't resist a bump.

 

[becaquest]

My Husband is away with the armed forces and hasn't seen 'the bump' and isn't due home until 2 weeks before i am due, so i really feel a bit guilty about anyone else touching it and i do try to avoid people touching it as much as i can!!!

 

[carli91]

I don't mind people touching my bump aslong as they ask. A woman I work with who is in her 60's doesn't ask she just walks up to me and says 'wow your getting big now' then places both hands on my bump and pokes and prodes and she's moving her hands all over my belly which I just think is really strange and I find it really annoying x

 

[Vickimo]

Nobody has asked or attempted to touch my bump yet so I feel a tad offended now

 

[briggerz]

I really don't mind people touching my bump. People just come up to me and start rubbing it lol!!

I understand how some people may not like it though, but for me its no big deal xx

 

[BevG]

no, i dont like beign touched, let alone by strangers. noone has tried this time yet, im fairly tall and scary apparently lol so its not often ppl try to touch me anyway and i carry pretty well so its hard to tell im preg sometimes

 

[Pippa1703]

As a heavily tattooed lady, I come across people who think they can touch me everyday. Im often telling them its a tattoo, not fecking braille! Its rude. Same as bumps, people have no right to touch you without permission.

 

[mummywanabe]

I work with a lot of nurses from the Philippines and they just loooooooooooove to rub my tummy lol I thought it was a bit strange at first but after a while I thought it was very sweet they used to rub my tummy and say if was good luck and theyve all predicted im having a girl. I dont really mind it, but if it was a total stranger id be thinking get your hands off me

 

[Rachel80]

No strangers have tried to touch me, but I don't mind people I know doing it. They all do it in a well meaning & affectionate way so why not? It's not as if they are poking me! x

 

[Linzie2012]

Nope, they never touched me before so not letting them touch me now it also weirds me out that people want to touch my tummy.

Only OH allowed and he don't really do it anyway. Twice because I forced him to feel the changes in shape of tummy

 

[Ella1979]

Last time I was pregnant, most people asked first, although one work friend didn't and I just felt it was a bit intrusive. People don't randomly touch you when you're not pregnant!!! Only really allowed hubby and my mum or sis if the baby was kicking. It'll be the same this time (the work friend will probably do what she did last time!).

 

[Bethi]

I have no problem with it at all. It always surprises me on threads such as this, to see how many people are angry/offended by it. I never realised it was an issue before I started reading about it on forums (or is it fora?).
As someone else posted, it is done with affection and excitement, rather than indecent assault. It wouldn't enter my head to be annoyed if a friend of colleague placed their hand there while asking how baby is doing.
I can see why people are uncomfortable with random strangers doing it though - I find it a bit odd that they would do it - it's not something I've encountered with either pregnancy, luckily.

I appreciate we all have different comfort zones and personal space, etc. People are drawn to pregnant bellies I guess. Not sure why, as personally I don't like pregnant bellies (I know, I am mad!).

Would taking a sidestep or backstep work for the ladies who don't like it?

 

[bbee]

I hate it when people ask, but I feel I have to say yes!! So I let them xxx

 

[Jess.]

I'd be a bit weirded out if a stranger asked to touch it but generally I don't mind girls from work having a feel. They always ask. X

 

[Juice]

I don't like it at all. I don't mind if my husband does it because we touch each other all the time. But if I wasn't pregnant no one would touch me except for a greeting or goodbye hug, so why do people think it's okay to touch me now I'm pregnant?

Since being pregnant I've got really particular about physical contact in general and I don't like people touching me at all. And if a stranger thought it was okay to come over and touch me, I'd be more than happy to tell them where to go!!

 

[DiddlePlumbs]

I feel completely fine when my OH does it but I feel slightly awkward when it's any other family or friends. I still let them though (though there's some that don't give me much choice! lol) But I don't think I'd cope with a random stranger doing it, it's like an invasion of privacy in a way. Maybe if a random asks me I'll say "Yes, but only if I can rub your tummy first" and see what they think about that