maternity shopping ugh.

Yesterday I decided to go to the city to go to a store that was a combo Pea In The Pod, Motherhood Maternity and Mimi Maternity. I got there and it was 2 levels. Downstairs was Pea In The Pod which was SUPER expensive stuff. I mean it was ok, but really - am I going to spend $250 on a maternity shirt? I don't think so. They had some cute sale stuff, but I wasn't feeling it so I went upstairs to the other 2 places. As soon as I made it up, a saleswoman asked if I had ever been there before and explained the store to me. She told me her name. Fine. Thanks. I started looking around and managed to do so without too much hullabaloo. I was there mainly for a dress for a wedding I'm going to next week and a maternity bra and I guess to see what it's like in a maternity store.

I got to the changing room and they put my stuff in a room and asked me my name and stuck it on a post it outside the curtain. This was done by Joanna, who then brought me more dresses, which was fine. Then I left my stuff in there and went to look at bras and 2 other women helped me which was fine. Anyways - the bras didn't seem any sturdier than the ones I could have bought anywhere else, and all the dresses were empire waist, so pretty much anyone would have looked pregnant in them. My friend Stacy showed up to help me and she found me one that's nice, yet casual enough for this outdoor wedding. It was on sale and that was great.

I guess my problem with this store was that pretty much from the second I walked in it was obvious to me that these people were on commission, everyone clearly stating their names, and that is something I can't stand. It's a horrible way to shop. I want to be left alone and if I need help I will ask. Also, about 3 people came up to me at 3 different times while I was near their wall of maternity beauty products and tried to talk me into buying different stretch mark lotion which was proven not to work just last week!

Among the 40 people that seemed to be working there, the real annoyance and only generally unhappy person I came across, was the one taking my money at checkout. Despite the fact that she had a stick up her ass, she clearly had a spiel that she had to give everyone. First she asked for my zip code (I lied), my due date (I lied) and then my address. I don't like giving out my address, especially this way since she never said "do you want to be on our mailing list" to which I would have said "no thanks". She just asked for it. When I said "I don't want to be added to the mailing list", she said in a snarky tone "So you don't want money-saving coupons for Gerber and Similac and blah and blah and blah????" I said "no". I didn't end there. She asked me to fill out a form to get 2 free copies of Parenting magazine to which I said "no thanks" again. I think there were more things, but It was such a pressure filled shopping experience that I was just soured. I'm sure some people love shopping when you have commission salespeople, but not me. I am starting to feel similarly to when I got married. The rule is sell sell sell! Next time I'm going to Macy's, H&M and Target or online when I need something. This place was ANNOYING!

PS> I'm 17 weeks