When I was pregnant, the last place I expected to find myself was on Tinder.
Diving back into dating
Honestly, I still wanted to be desired by the opposite sex and have that feeling of wondering what a date might lead to—a hookup, a holiday romance, dating love affair—rather than letting my pregnancy turn me into someone who was OK with feeling overlooked. Plus, my posse of girlfriends was neatly divided between dating who were shacked up with long-term partners and those who were still hitting the playing field hard.
What I wanted was to enjoy digital dating before my days were filled with changing nappies and taking naps.
Otherwise, it was probably none of their business. So at eight weeks' pregnant, I started swiping. First, I hit it off with an actor who I met for iced coffee one sticky summer afternoon. The dress I wore was way too tight for my weeks'-pregnant body, and I spent two hours self-consciously trying to cover my curves with an array of accessories—my handbag, a napkin, I even wedged myself behind a woman plant while he paid go here bill.
I let my woman wander for a moment, my hormones and my head clearly at war. Sure, I wanted to be touched and kissed, but something felt wrong at the same time. I declined, telling myself that my now-bloated figure was not in the mood for writhing around with a stranger. It seemed not only irresponsible but also disrespectful to my unborn child.
I decided locking lips was about as much casual fun I could handle. Date four came in under the wire, just as my bedtime was edging toward sundown the further into my pregnancy I pregnant. I met the guy at a dugout bar over a few drinks nonalcoholic for meand when he walked me home, what I thought might be a quick kiss goodnight turned into a lengthy makeout session.
I was so curious to know what he actually thought. Was he annoyed? When the pregnancy hormones really kicked in, I was definitely craving intimacy of the dating kind, but by that stage my little bump had inflated to eye-catching proportions. Since I could no longer have the carefree time I craved without automatically revealing my pregnancy, I started embracing my blossoming belly.
In fact, the second guy, who had the confidence to approach me on a busy sidewalk, was clearly mortified and swiftly turned and ran in the other direction when I pointed at my belly. Still, it pregnant flattering and made me appreciate that pregnant glow.
But dating woman the last thing on my mind since I now spend every day with the love of my life.
Here's What Happened When I Tried Dating While Pregnant
Most Popular. By Stephanie McNeal. By Glamour. By Jake Henry Smith. Topics pregnant pregnancy questions dating advice online dating tinder mission. Misty Copeland's Beauty Hacks. Glamour Women of the Year. By Kathleen Walsh. By Ariana Yaptangco. Celebrity Style. By Emily Tannenbaum. By Elizabeth Logan. By Malia Griggs. By Sam Reed.