How can you NOT KNOW you are pregnant?

How I hate that phrase 'second hand goods'. I had forgotten all about it but what a terrible way to categorise women. There was such a lot going on in those days designed to keep women in their place.

And of course the huge majority of women in many countries are still without rights or a voice.

glitabo there were many fathers like that in our generation, it's how men in general thought of women. It's still, sadly, how some cultures think of women today. Happily times are changing and perhaps that will be true of all cultures eventually.

Interesting that there is no male version of the concept of a 'whore', rather men are/were regarded as 'Jack the Lad' - a completely different set of values.

The men were not left "holding the baby". They could move on to the next conquest. The women were conquered - and devalued. Another area where history was written by the victors.

It takes two to tango.

I worked with a girl who had very irratic periods and did 'spot' sometimes. She then realised something seemed different, went to her GP and found out she was 6 months pregnant. Apparently the baby didn't move much and the odd flutter she put down to what my MIL used to call 'a wandering fart'.

I had two children, was determined not to have any more but when second was two and a half went to doc and said I thought I was pregnant but not sure as different to others. Told I was not! after test etc. went back couple of weeks later and said "are you sure?" yes!. Eventually I insisted on a scan but it was still a very different pregnancy. Ended up being berated by a very loud doctor who informed the whole clinic that this woman who had had two other children did not know she was pregnant and how stupid was she? I was 5 months gone by then so had little time to get used to the idea but was very unhappy about it as second child was a very difficult toddler and we ran our own business. That baby is now thirty years old and a delight as all three are but I still feel aggrieved about that rude doctor and how embarrassed I felt at the time.

My daughter only found out she was preganant a week before the baby was born - it was not her first, she already had a 2 year old. During the pregnancy she had 'periods', didn't have any changes in her breasts and actually lost a stone in weight. My grandaughter weighed 71/2lbs at birth and is now a bright, bubbly 6year old.

glitabo, -I can imagine how things were for you. How very different things were then. Young girls now, just have no idea what it was like. When I was expecting my baby I wasn't allowed out anywhere at all, after I left school, and this was all through the summer. I was allowed into the garden, as far as the cabbages (after the cabbages, I could be seen from the neighbours' windows...)!

Cabbage patch, how very apt Marelli

I know, baubles! If it had been the lilac tree, I wouldn't have minded so much....but the cabbage patch wasn't nearly so nice!