Can't touch this

Maybe I should consider getting a t-shirt like this one printed...

I recently had an experience, which up until now, I thought would be horrendously invasive and an assault on my personal space.

A stranger touched my pregnant belly without my permission.

Let me paint a picture for you.

On my hunt for something to eat for lunch, I went to a little local kebab shop where I knew the owner made amazing felafel kebabs. She is Indian-Australian and is about four foot tall with a broken accent and she is very sweet.

“Hi, I’d like to get a felafel kebab please,” I asked her. “With lettuce, tomato, a little bit of onion and barbecue sauce thanks.”

When the lady was finished taking my order, she looked up at me and then down at my belly. Quick as a flash she was then softly stroking my abdomen while saying “You’re pregnant – how far along are you?” to which I stuttered “About 24 weeks – we’re not finding out the sex.” She simply smiled and said “Good girl. Now go and sit down and I will bring your lunch out to you.”

Now I always thought that when I got pregnant, that I wouldn’t allow complete strangers to come up and touch me – I am funny about people I don’t know being in my personal space. 

But this lady had such a kind demeanour that even thought her actions took me by surprise, I didn’t react in the negative way I thought I would. I guess it depends on the person and the situation.

My belly has been growing, but it has become such a part of me now that I don’t really notice that I am getting bigger. I find myself going out to check the mail or do the grocery shopping and catch people looking me up and down or staring at me. My first thought is to go “What the hell are you looking at?” before I remember that I am pregnant and they are probably looking at my little protruding belly.

One checkout chick even offered to lift my bags of groceries into my trolley. I stupidly thought “Why?” and then realised that she was smiling at me saying I shouldn’t lift anything heavy in my state. Duh she can see you’re pregnant Ashleigh!  

So I guess I just have to get over people reacting to my pregnancy. Whether I like it or not, people are going to comment and want to touch me, which kind of creeps me out but I do understand that they are just being sweet. But I’d appreciate a little bit of notice before you try and put your hands on me because it's still my body, not yours.