A Reminder To Anyone Who Has Ever Been Pregnant That Your Body Is Beautiful

F*ck 'em, dude.

When you're pregnant, the whole world thinks they get to talk about your body.

sari_dennise / Via Flickr: sarihuella

"Wow you're huge! What do you mean you're only three months? Are you sure there aren't twins in there?"

Sean McGrath / Via Flickr: mcgraths

A total stranger once called over the entire staff of a fro-yo shop to ogle the size of my belly. Mysteriously, I did not knock her out.

Alternately, they might not think you're big enough, and try to force feed you sandwiches.

Fox Searchlight

People seem to lose all sense of boundaries when it comes to a pregnant body, which is lame when it's your pregnant body, because suddenly strangers are guessing your weight and massaging your lower abdomen on the street.

But there's something I want you to know.

Frank de Kleine / Via Flickr: frankdekleine

No matter what shape you are? No matter how much you've gained, or lost, or stagnated, or caught up to your mother, or doubled down from your last baby?

You're f*cking gorgeous, mama.

Francesco Binini / Via Flickr: spaceodissey

That beautiful body you're rocking is making a baby.

Jacob Bøtter / Via Flickr: jakecaptive

You don't owe belly access to anyone. You're not Santa Claus.

MTV

Maybe you love when people fawn over your growing bump.

Reddit / Via giphy.com

Good for you girl, it is glorious.

But maybe you don't. That's okay too. You'll have a lot of boundaries to set as a parent, this is just the beginning.

Bonbon / Via Flickr: justbecause

Next time someone rubs your belly, try rubbing theirs back. Or just tell them you don't like it. Either one should work.

Maybe you revel in it when folks tell you you're glowing.

Jonny Hunter / Via Flickr: jonnyhunter

And you are glowing. Soak it up.

But maybe you just wish people would stop calling it out every time you start to sweat.

Jack Zhang / Via Flickr: bokelicious

It's hard carrying a human around inside your body. Sweat pools places you never knew about.

So I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate you, pregnant women of earth.

Roberto Carlos Pecino / Via Flickr: robertopecino

You put up with a lot of bullshit.

Grazia Mele / Via Flickr: graziamele

But you are SLAYING. Go ahead. Set some boundaries if you want to. Start a hashtag. #BACKOFFTHEBELLY.

#BelliesAreBeautiful

MIKI Yoshihito / Via Flickr: mujitra

Your body is doing something amazing right now. The rest is just noise.

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