Lifestyle guru and former Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills star Lauren Conrad is offering up some tips for expecting mothers. Conrad and her husband, William Tell, announced on Jan. 1 via Instagram that they are expecting their first child. As part of navigating the road to parenthood, Conrad outlined some rules for how best to address moms-to-be, according to Us Weekly.
Conrad, who has “always been a proponent of exercising manners and good etiquette” lays out four ground rules for how to act around expecting mothers. She wrote that she’s “noticed quite a few etiquette missteps” from people talking to pregnant women, so she’s setting the record straight.
Conrad’s first rule begins even before a pregnancy announcement: “Do not ask a married couple when they are expecting to have kids.” She said this is an “extremely personal” question and can often make the couple “uncomfortable.” She believes people can ask about pregnancy only once “a friend, family member, or public figure opens up to you about this decision first.”
Next, she advises people “never to ask when someone is due unless you are 100 percent certain they are expecting.” Conrad explains that everyone’s body is different — any woman could carry weight in her belly or have a postpartum “bump.” She said, “There’s no bigger blow to someone’s self-confidence and body image than asking them if they are pregnant when they are not.”
Conrad’s last two rules focus on the baby bump itself. She urges people not to touch without asking — and to refrain from commenting on its size. Women “carry their pregnancy in all different ways,” and commenting on the size of a baby bump or touching someone’s belly can cause her to feel self-conscious.
Read more about Conrad’s pregnancy etiquette tips here.
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