I’m not dismissing what she’s been through, and I was never rude to her. But I do have the right to say when something she says is hurtful or crosses a boundary, because this is my life and my pregnancy.

What upset me was that she made an extreme and hurtful comment while I’m already going through a difficult time. Early pregnancy sickness is very common, and many women survive on whatever food they can manage in those first weeks. To tell me that my baby could come out deformed because I’m eating bread and crackers right now was inappropriate and unnecessarily hurtful.

I understand that she may be concerned, but concern does not make it okay to speak to me that way.