The World's Most Pregnant Med Student
I am now 38 and a half weeks pregnant. I have had a near dream pregnancy but I am now starting to feel the affects of hauling an extra 35 lbs around the hospital. Fortunately I am on a much less demanding rotation than my last one (neuro consult vs ICU). Unfortunately I am now in a much busier, more crowded hospital. I have had more strangers come up and touch my belly in the last week than all the rest of the my pregnancy.
Aside from the regular excitement over a new life, people, especially other health professionals, are fascinated by my reproductive state while in medical school. I will never get used to people I have never met asking me what my future career plans are while riding in the elevator.
"How can you manage?" "Are you going to take time off?"
I can understand why people are curious. I am a bit of a curiosity. (Step behind the curtain to see the World's Most Pregnant Med Student. Watch while she writes consults on her shelf of an abdomen. Beware the massive swinging belly.) But I am starting to wonder why they all ask me about it. It is interesting how introducing a baby into the picture gives people permission to cross regular lines of privacy.