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July 23, 2008

Digital Epidural, Volume 10

By Michelle Boudreau at 10:52 PM| Permalink | Comments (4)

Not everyone I work with knows that I'm pregnant yet. I have told my boss and a select few others have been carefully selected and been granted access to this not-so-secret secret. However, it is not a generally known fact.

It's a little weird for me to share the news with some of the people I work with. It always feels a little forced and unnatural to bring up. When I do tell people, it's always greeted quite positively. It's just getting to that moment that feels a little awkward sometimes.

The other night I was at a business dinner with some of the people in my group. We were at the less-than-impressive Tex-Mex restaurant known as Uncle Julio's in Grapevine. Everyone was enjoying some tasty margaritas and ice cold cervesas. Everyone, that is, except me.

One of my co-workers, seeing the glass of water in front of me, asked me why I wasn't doing one of my world-famous, girls-gone-wild keg-stands. Actually, he simply asked why I wasn't partaking in the drinking portion of the evening. So, I just told him about the bun in the oven -- seemed much more natural than just plopping it on someone as you pass in the hallway. He was very excited and it sparked much discussion as to how far along I was, who knew/didn't know, whether we were going to find out the sex (we're not), who the father is (just kidding), etc.

In order to fully understand this story, you need a little background information. My boss and I head down to the little coffee place in our building every morning. She gets a latte and I get hot tea. I have not put caffeine on the altar of pregnancy sacrifice. I have given up drinking, playing soccer, doing abdominal exercises, and (to a certain extent) sleeping on my back. I can no longer eat Mexican food and enjoy it because my stomach has waged a full-scale revolution against it. Chicken, one of my former favorite foods, now repulses me (unless, of course, it is contained in a Baker Brother's sandwich smothered in cheddar cheese and spicy mayo). In order to remain a person that anyone can tolerate being around, I am still consuming caffeine -- not obscene or unsafe amounts -- but daily doses of caffeine nonetheless. Now you know.

So, back to my story. . . after discussing a myriad of other things about my pregnancy, my co-worker (Ron) and I had the following conversation:

Ron:
"Well I guess your morning lattes will have to stop."

Me:
"Oh, I don't drink coffee. I always get hot tea which has much less caffeine."

Ron:
"But you shouldn't drink any caffeine while pregnant."

Me:
"Actually you can still have caffeine. You just have to make sure you don't have too much."

Ron:
"Oh no! You should stop drinking caffeine all together. Better safe than sorry! Dr. Ron is telling you no more morning coffee runs."

Seriously? "Dr. Ron" says so? Why do people think they can tell you how to run your life just because you're pregnant? Honestly, I'm not too shy to ask for advice from trusted loved ones. But outside of that, I really don't want your unsolicited advice on how to better care for my unborn child. I think I'm doing just fine thank you and if I wanted to know how you felt, I would ask you.

This is in no way means that I resent encouragement that people (especially people who read this blog) have given me. But, I don't understand why people feel the need to micro-manage other people's lives. Don't they have enough going on in their own lives to deal with?

Newsflash to all the Ron's of the world. You're not a doctor, let alone my doctor.