Pregnancy Etiquette

Being pregnant again I realize how awkward some people are around pregnant women. I will have to say that most bend over backwards, but some people just do not think about what they say or do. Women seem to feel differently about the canvas your growing belly becomes. Some women don't mind anyone touching their belly, while others don't want anyone. I am somewhat in the middle. I don't mind if friends and family want to feel the baby, but I do think it is very strange when someone I barely know or don't even know at all will linger at my belly with their hands all over it. ( I have had that happen, even with men) One woman I knew as an acquaintance came up to congratulate me and said, "oh don't worry I don't touch bellies, I just. . ." she then proceeded to get eye level with my belly and talk baby talk to it. Yeah, that was much less uncomfortable. I would have rather her just touched my belly. I have talked about writing a book about pregnancy etiquette, just as a funny read. Although, some things people say are not so funny at the time. I have talked to many women about how people say the most awful things, like: "If you keep eating like that your whole pregnancy you'll gain 80 pounds," or "Are you going to stay fat like that after you have the baby?"  Again, I will have to say that most people are very complimentary and as Eddie, says, you can pretty much get whatever you want be it stopped traffic on a crosswalk, free food, or a special request. All you have to do is preface it with "I'm pregnant and. . ."