Etiquette Check

Just say no to unwanted comments and belly pats.

By Koren Wetmore

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I can’t hear you …
While pregnant with her daughter, Apryl Thomas was shaken by the pregnancy horror stories other women seemed compelled to share. “They told me my hair would fall out, my body would fall apart, labor would be long and painful, and other things I just didn’t want to hear,” says the 31-year-old Atlanta-based writer. “It scared me.”
     When people start to share personal stories you’d rather not hear, politely turn the focus back on them. Say, “Sounds like you had a difficult pregnancy,” Gabriel suggests. Try to remember that most storytellers don’t mean to scare you. “Usually they’ve just gotten carried away by the vivid memory of their own experience,” Spencer says. “If you’ve heard enough, though, feel free to change the subject.”

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