First, a rant: I have a love/hate relationship with Old Navy, and it’s quickly becoming more of a hate relationship. First of all, Old Navy in Canada just plain sucks. Their selection sucks, their prices suck, and their hours suck. But within the last year or so, American Old Navy stores started phasing our plus sizes, and the only way you can get Old Navy plus sizes is by ordering them online without trying them on first, and if they don’t fit you have to pay to ship them back because the stores no longer accept plus size returns. That pissed me off, because they’re basically sending a message to fat women that says “We want your money, but we don’t want to see you in our stores.” However, I was still able to fit into some of their stuff, considering that their “regular” Women’s sizes go up to a 20 on bottom and XXL on top.

Old Navy Online sells Maternity clothes up to an XXL, and since they don’t technically have plus sizes in Maternity, I figured they would carry up to an XXL in their stores’ Maternity sections. After all, the “regular” Women’s section goes up to an XXL, right? The largest size that Old Navy had in their Maternity section was an XL. I was so livid, and thankfully my loving husband listened to me bitch and moan and agreed that their policies are bullshit. Either carry the sizes or don’t. None of this online-only crap. If you’re going to offer online-only for fat girls, don’t charge them to ship the stuff back because you won’t let them return the clothes to the stores when they don’t fit.

There is such little selection for plus-size women as it is, and the selection for plus-size PREGNANT women is even more dismal. I’m relegated to two racks at Motherhood, where they charge $40 for a pair of jean capris, but it’s the only place where I can actually try clothes on. No department stores carry plus size maternity. I have very little choice but to order clothes online, try them on at home, and then return the items that don’t fit and eat the shipping costs. None of the sizing is consistent, either. I’m a 1X at one place, a 2X at another, an XXL at another and an XL at yet another. AAAAAAAARGH sorry, done ranting now.

I’m noticing interesting reactions from people about my pregnancy. It is still not obvious to strangers that I am pregnant, which I am enjoying because I don’t like the attention. But the people who DO know I am pregnant are acting weird. My MIL keeps asking me if I’ve gained any weight, because I think she’s just concerned that I am not showing at all. Then on Saturday our neighbor Keith walked down to our yard sale to say hi, and this is how our conversation went:

Keith: Hi Melissa! How are you feeling? [looks at my belly]
Me: [feels self-conscious] I’m feeling pretty good these days! I’ve had some issues unrelated to my pregnancy, but otherwise I’m doing well, thanks!
Keith: How far along are you? [looks at my belly again]
Me: Almost 23 weeks, so ummm. . . 5 ½ months?
Keith: [look of concern and shock comes over his face, looks at my belly again] REALLY. Wow. You’re doing good then!
Me: [blushing] Yeah, I guess. I’m not showing much yet, I know . . .

People keep reacting that way!! LOL. It’s almost like they think I’m starving my baby or something, and I want to look at them and say, “Does it look like I’m hurting for food?” My sister didn’t start showing until she was 7 months along, and I have a feeling I’ll be the same way. Jake and I have noticed that my belly is poking out a bit more, only because we both know my belly pretty well, but most other people aren’t noticing it.