29-year-old Eliana Rodriguez recently welcomed her second child, Sebastian, and found herself inundated with comments about her larger-than-average pregnancy bump. Despite comments like “You are gigantic” and “You seem to be expecting twins,” Rodriguez confidently asserted that both she and her baby are healthy, adding, “I had large pregnancies; both of my children were born weighing 8.3 pounds.”

Rodriguez’s doctors attributed her prominent belly to her petite stature and the amount of amniotic fluid she was carrying. Importantly, she wasn’t diagnosed with polyhydramnios, a condition characterized by an excessive amount of amniotic fluid, which occurs in only 1%-2% of pregnancies. Rodriguez explained that her baby’s size and the quantity of fluids were consistently monitored by medical professionals.

While it’s relatively easy to dismiss online comments, Rodriguez emphasized that people tend to be more intrusive in person. She has always responded with grace, stating, “Yes, I am huge, and it’s been challenging.”

In response to these experiences, Rodriguez is calling on people to exercise sensitivity and refrain from making body-shaming comments, particularly since some women may be grappling with prenatal or postpartum depression. She acknowledges that not everyone may possess the same level of empathy, but she urges for kindness and understanding in all interactions.