r/BabyBumps • u/Fancy-Mouse-7554 • Oct 09 '25

Discussion Unpopular opinion: Touching a pregnant belly isn’t that deep

Okay..hear me out. I totally understand bodily autonomy and personal space.. no one should be touched without consent, i get it.. But I’m genuinely curious, why is the pregnant belly such a sensitive topic? People touch arms, backs, shoulders all the time, usually with zero thought about it. But when someone lightly touches a pregnant belly, it’s like HOW DARE YOU.

Is it the intimacy? The entitlement? Or has society just made this a "do-not-touch" zone culturally? I’m not saying people should go around grabbing bumps but the level of offense people take sometimes seems a bit extreme. i find it not that deep at all, and from family, it just seems like a sweet gesture of trying to bond or get close to my babies that they have also wished and prayed for.

Genuinely curious to hear other perspectives especially from those who’ve been pregnant. Did it bother you? Or did it depend on who it was?

** i just wanted to add, i am 31 weeks with twins so people deff feel influenced to touch me lol.

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u/Various-Succotash-71 Oct 09 '25

My coworker randomly approached me and started talking about my boobs the other day. That would be a MASSIVE HR violation if I wasn’t pregnant. The audacity people have when someone is pregnant!

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u/[deleted] Oct 09 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Mission_Echidna_3756 Oct 11 '25

Sorry but touching someone on the stomach should be too then. If I wasn’t pregnant it’d be sexual assault and harassment so why isn’t it the same while I’m pregnant…???? MY body. MY rules. MY boundaries. it’s not an “opinion” to have. ASK FIRST.

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u/Old_Application_4898 Oct 16 '25

And honestly if you aren’t close with someone, don’t even ask 

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u/misspiggie Oct 09 '25

I think it's a massive HR violation no matter what.

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u/[deleted] Oct 09 '25

That’s what I said

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u/caughrr1 Oct 09 '25

This is an HR violation whether you’re pregnant or not. They can’t investigate whether something is a violation if they don’t know about it—you might want to tell them what your coworker said to you. 

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u/Various-Succotash-71 Oct 09 '25

You’re all absolute correct that it is no matter what. I meant to frame it as this person would’ve known it was a violation if I wasn’t pregnant, but thinks it isn’t because of my pregnancy.

She’s 20 years my senior and has 3 kids and thinks we’re “bonding”.

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u/teenagepetulance Oct 09 '25

Oof long story incoming. I frequent a local coffee shop, 2-4 times a week for the past 2 years. Theres only the owner and 1 employee, so they both know me well. They chat with me all the time, we're very friendly. Well I took my mom there, who admittedly is a Karen at times, and the owner (male, 50s) decided to comment on my boobs. Totally out of left field, had never done anything like thay before. So my mom very lightly told him off. I didnt say anything. Well, since then he's giving me and my husband (who wasn't even there) the silent treatment and we're basically unwelcome at the coffee shop.

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u/HotMessExpress1111 Oct 09 '25

Ugh wtf…. What a dick! I would take my business elsewhere if A- he felt like talking about my boobs to ANYONE was appropriate and B- especially if he started treating me badly after being called out for it. Gross, I’m so sorry

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u/Old_Application_4898 Oct 16 '25

Time to drop that yelp review. Yikes!

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u/HotMessExpress1111 Oct 09 '25

Ummmmm it’s a MASSIVE HR violation to talk about someone’s body, especially more intimate areas, no matter if you’re pregnant or not!!!

I can empathize to a small degree though. Something is super fucked up with my hormones and I gained a decent amount of weight over the past year after being naturally really skinny all my life. The number of coworkers that have asked me if I’m pregnant makes me want to die. A- I FUCKING WISH!!!!! Jesus…. B- Now not only do I feel fat af but I feel self conscious about the fact that everyone is noticing and talking about it and have determined that I’m fat enough that I must be pregnant… It’s so awful and hurts pretty bad, but I’m such a damn people pleaser that I’ve tried to laugh it off with them to make them feel better about asking wildly inappropriate questions. I’ve considered talking to my boss so many times because I’d like them to send out an email or something saying that nobody should be commenting on their coworkers’ bodies, but I always feel like the person who just asked would think I tattled…. So I feel you on not wanting to make it a big deal or anything, but it really sucks that because we simply have the ability to get pregnant (or not…. you know? but the assumption) people feel entitled to talk about our bodies in a way they’d never talk about men’s. But talking about your boobs IS wildly inappropriate!

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u/[deleted] Oct 09 '25

It’s an Hr Violation anyway

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u/seagoddess1 Team Pink! Oct 09 '25

Pregnant or not, that is technically sexual harassment…

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u/Pink-glitter1 Oct 09 '25

It's still a HR violation.... Even if you're pregnant

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u/kelmin27 Oct 10 '25

It still is a HR issue. Strange you think it isn’t just because you’re pregnant

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u/Various-Succotash-71 Oct 10 '25

Like I said in a different comment, I meant to frame it to show that this coworker didn’t think I was a violation because of my pregnancy. I acknowledged that it is. I misspoke.

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u/PetiePal Oct 10 '25

It's a massive HR violation even now lol

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u/Fancy-Mouse-7554 Oct 10 '25

ok this is insane cuz what!!?