Handling comments about appearance

How does everyone handle comments about their appearance while they are pregnant?  It seems to me that people take the fact you are pregnant as an open  book to comment on things that I feel they have no place to comment on.

I am 9 weeks with my first child and definitely not showing.  People at work keep commenting on the size of my "pooch."  One of the ladies even came over and rubbed on it.  She looked offended when I asked her to remove her hands.  I finally said, "That isn't the baby, I have always had a little fat on my belly and I would appreciate if you would stop talking about it.  It is making me uncomfortable."  One of my coworkers answered back, "You are just gonna have to learn to deal with it.  You're pregnant." I know I will show in due time, but I am in no hurry to do so. 

What the hell?  Just because I'm pregnant doesn't give you the right to overstep your boundaries.  I can't believe the person argued back when I told them I was uncomfortable.  Later on she started asking me about my boobs and had the same reaction when I told her it wasn't her place.  These people are my coworkers, not my friends. 

I definitely see that there are two schools of thought on the whole subject.  Some people enjoy the comments and others don't.  I can only assume that those who make the comments are the ones who enjoyed it.  As a person who had to go through fertility treatment, i understand that some people may never be able to get pregnant.  At one point, I thought I was never going to experience pregnancy.  I think this is almost why I feel so personal about mine.  It was a long hard journey to get to where I am and I want to feel comfortable with it.  I don't want peope pointing out that my butt looks bigger or my boobs are growing.  I would rather be told I have a healthy glow and leave it at that.  When I have a belly the size of an ball, I will be more accepting of the comments. 

This is why my "Expecting.... To KICK YOUR ASS if you touch my bump." shirt was my best friend most of my pregnancy. I only had one person touch me without my permission, thank god. Of course, it doesn't stop... Now when I take my son out and he starts crying, complete strangers feel it's ok to come up and rub his back without even looking at me, never mind asking permission. I'm nearly thankful for the flu since it gives me a good reason to make them stop touching him since he's to young for shots.

Most people were pretty good while I was pregnant, it was actually my grandma that hurt the worst... I lost 20 pounds in the first half of my pregnancy and when my grandma saw me at 5 months she wouldn't stop talking about how huge I was even though I was still a good ten pounds under my starting weight. I've chalked it up to the fact that I'm bigger than she or my mother were at 9 months even with that lost 20 lbs, and when she was pregnant it was still old school "Only gain 10 lbs while pregnant". Still didn't help all that much.

My biggest problem as of late is the co-worker who won't stop talking about my boobs.  I get it, like all pregnant women, my breasts have gotten larger.  You don't have to announce it to everyone, "Oh my God, have you seen her boobs!"  Everyone turns and stares.  She did it for what is think is the final time on Friday.  I kinda lost  it on her.  In a fairly loud voice, I told her that I have made it clear to her on several occasions that I find her commentary to be quite embarrassing, yet she still seems to do it.  I then asked her how she would feel if i kept commenting on the size of her butt.  She turned kind of red and apologized and tried to say that it is an office full of women, blah blah blah.  I interrupted her and told her i don't care, but that I expect her to stop.  I find it sad that I had to stoop to her level to get her to understand. 

Congrats!! That is fantastic and she more than deserved to be told off!! A lot of people just can't see things from someone's else shoes. I hope she keeps her mouth shut from now on.