I feel like a fraud...

[MrsAttard]

I think the awkwardness has to do with ppl knowing that you're going to have sex. I mean, you don't see anyone on the street and think about whether they do or not, but when buying sex related items you just feel like they are suddenly visualizing you having sex!

 

[TTCinBC]

About 3 weeks ago, I had gone into our locally dollar store to pick up some of their pregnancy tests, and saw that they have the opk ones as well, sooo I figured, they're all so cheap, why not grab a few of both. So I bought 7 of the opk's and like 5 hpt's. Anyways, my poor DH, he looked under the sink one night, and all he said to me was, don't you think that's a little too many? lol He thought they were ALLL HPT's LOL

 

[Jess137]

I don't really have a problem buying the tests anymore, but one time I got up the the counter and a pregnant girl was the cashier. When she picked up the HPT, she said "Oh, these ones are good! That's what I used!". I was thinking, what, is it the HPT that makes you pregnant? If so I'm gonna buy a whole lot more!

 

[TTCinBC]

At first I was awkward about buying the tests, but I realized I had no reason to be. My DH and I are actively trying, and there is nothing wrong with that. I know some women who are not trying are sometimes scared or maybe even ashamed when buying them, not that there is any reason to be. I think it's just a society stigma; 'If your buying a pregnancy test, you must be a _____' . And I think that stigma is horrible.

 

[Miss_Kate]

I feel awkward when buying tests too, I agree that it's the stigma that makes us feel so funny about buying them. I need to get more OPK's speaking of which.. *blush*

 

[BabyMaybe917]

The internet is your friend! And also a ridiculous amount cheaper! If you're UK based I can recommend what I bought

Totally know what you mean though, I have felt unreasonably stupid buying condoms and pregnancy tests before!! Almost like it's shameful or something. I feel like they'll look at the condoms and look at me and think "hopeful much?"

Have to share a condom purchase story... We went to WalMart one night to pick up a few things and condoms happened to be on the list. Again we only had a few items, it was late at night (just happened to be the time were able to get there, not an emergency need for them ). Anyways, the cashier looks at us when scanning the condoms and says "I bet somebody's excited to get home"... Had I not been mortified I would have loved to have made some comments but I couldn't think at the time.

BUT then, as I laid my items on the counter and clerk started to ring me up, she held up the pregnancy test and said, "So are we hoping or not hoping?"

She REALLY had no business asking you that and I may have had to use this as a Teaching moment on what customer service means and some sensitivity training. What the heck?

Huh! You think that's bad!? A few years ago when I wasn't TTC but was worried I might be pregnant (back when I thought one accidental unprotected incident would end up in pregnancy!) I went into a local shop and tried to buy a test discreetly hidden among my other household items I was buying. The bloody woman at the till tried to scan it but couldn't find a code thing so she pressed a button that made a loud sound and made the till light up so another shop worker could see who needed assistance then she held up the box of tests in the air and yelled can you get me a code for this??!! I was absolutely mortified and felt like everyone in the whole shop was looking at me!!!

Oh my!!! This is like the scene in movies where the girl's buying tampons and is mortified at the price check!!! I didn't think it happened in real life.

I also completely agree with the sensitivity training! It makes me want to make a comment like... "If I am pregnant the baby will be wanted, loved, and planned so if I take 50 tests it's because I'm excited to know!!!"

 

[Mellymommy]

I feel embarrassed to buy them especially when my OH is with me!

 

[themarshas]

A few months ago we had a "scare" (which ended up being the reason that we're ttc now! YAY!) when AF was a week late which nevvverrr happens. At the time, I was working as a manager of a pharmacy so although it was convenient it was extremely awkward when I picked up a test and had to be rung out by the Pharmacist. I literally smuggled it to the back of the store where the pharmacy area was and tried to act as calm as possible when being rung out by one of my employees... I could tell that there were questions running through his head the whole time haha

 

[manduh726]

I feel the same way. Like I am about to buy a dirty magazine. I think its because one time I bought one from the dollar store and the guy congratulated me. I was so embarrassed. Plus it turns out I wasn't.

 

[jaydee79]

aww bless ya hunni lol not atall dont feel guilty theres nothing to feel guilty for i went out n brought 2 preggy tests when i just finished my last AF and thought whilst iv got the money i will buy them so there there in my underwear draw atmo hiding agmonst my undies My OH never said a word to me he knows iv been stocking up so ya nothing to be ashamed about at all this is totally normal sometimes ya do kinda feel YES!!! is anyone watching you?? but iv had the same feeling also i bet lots thousands tones of wemen have also felt the exact feelings of prehaps being watched b4 they get to the counter hoping they dont go bright red iv had that feeling b4 its perferectly normal lol iv about to order 200 opks off interent and when i go to postoffice i darent even use my local one because they know me and min they see the name i write down on a postal order they are going to know exactly all my buisness so i am getting my OH to take me to a diffrent post office out of sight where they dont know me so thats my sneaky little confession there im sure your OH wont say much yano,, your only prepareing yaself and stocking up and what you need i guess its what you can call being organized i guess and thats nothing to be ashamed or guilty of lots of to you and your partner and everyone else GOOD luck!!!!

 

[Kellysmom]

At first I was awkward about buying the tests, but I realized I had no reason to be. My DH and I are actively trying, and there is nothing wrong with that. I know some women who are not trying are sometimes scared or maybe even ashamed when buying them, not that there is any reason to be. I think it's just a society stigma; 'If your buying a pregnancy test, you must be a _____' . And I think that stigma is horrible.

I agree!! This actually made me think about a conversation that my husband and I have all the time about buying tampons. He told me NEVER to ask him because he would be so embarrassed. So I asked him why.... it's not like the cashier would think YOU'RE on the rag, I mean, it's pretty obvious you're not buying them for yourself.... on the otherhand, when I go to the counter with a load of feminine products, there isn't any doubt who I'm buying them for and WHY!!!!! It's still ridiculous to me that women have to hide behind the things that make them beautiful creatures because other people have a problem with it!

 

[jaydee79]

i tell you what was funny other day i got my daughter with me and it was about august time when i was surpose to be looking for OH birthday prezzie i popped into superdrug instead looking at preggy tests and opks hoping my daughter wouldnt really understand what they mean i asked for a shop assistant to help me n quietly whispered what im kinda curious looking for and my daughter comes out with it and says WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BIRTHDAY PREZZIE FOR DADDY and the assistant said ohh so it will be a nice surpirse for daddy then, HONEST TO GOD I NEVER FELT SO EMBARRASSED IN ALL MY LIFE!!!!! i went bright red

 

[U347464]

I am still mortified at the cashier who rang the buzzer and waved the test in the air. That is just HILARIOUS!!!

The rest made me cringe too. Wow! Just wow!

This thread has me in splits and giggles!!! So many horrible encounters. As far as the embarassent of buying them, my embarassment isnt anything to do with the fact that they will visualize sex. I would feel that way if I were buying condoms. My embarassment is that they can read into my deepest emotions that if I am buying a test, then I want a baby. I want to be pregnant. So I am buying that test to find out if I am pregnant.

 

[Ash0619]

I went to the store for Opks a week or 2 ago. It was the only thing I had purchased and they had 4 check-out lines going at CVS. I picked the slowest line possible. Getting bored, I started looking around and I noticed a lady in the line next to me had a smug little smile on her face. It seemed odd, and when I started paying more attention I started noticing that she was glancing at my box Opks! I also realized, by the way I was holding the box, it was hard to tell that they were Opks, and she probably assumed they were Hpts.

Most people seem surprised when I tell them I'm married because I'm still pretty young, and she probably thought I was some young girl, accidentally knocked up. It seemed that way to me, anyway! I wanted to tell her, "I wish!!"

 

[pinkchucks]

My grocery store keeps them LOCKED UP! :O

I stopped going to the stores that lock them up. Ha ha!
I go to Target now.

 

[RosesOfTin]

oooooh my goodness. I think I just about died reading this whole thread. I know I'm stalking and creeping around as I'm technically WTT til December, but I remember going to get HPTs when we had success NTNP 3 years ago (sadly that ended in an MC)

DH has no problem marching in, finding the aisle, and scientifically picking one. He likes the digital ones. Actually... He LOVES the digital ones. Very strange, but then again he's a complete gamer and a geek and the commercials for them are VERY male oriented with the whole "the most complicated piece of technology you'll ever pee on" quote. (his retort to that is always "Oh Jesus, I'd sincerely hope you wouldn't pee on something more technologically advanced then a HPT!") I, however, get anxious and hide in my hoodie and shuffle my feet and get shifty eyes and kind of twitchy until they're paid for and I'm out of the damn store hoping no one recognized me etc.

I still don't know why I can't PROUDLY walk in, snatch it, and say "ring me up, bitch! I wanna know if I was successful this time!" You'd think we'd so want to!

... I'm not TTC yet... and I wanna POAS again... Now... it's a fricken addiction.

 

[pinkchucks]

Haaaaa!

My DH does the same!
I sent him to get tests one month and he came back an hour later.
The store is across the street! WTH!
He showed up with at least one of each brand, but three of the digitals.
He wanted me to use the non-digitals first because he said those were cheaper and he wanted to save the digitals for when we knew we were getting a positive so that he could put it on his Facebook. Lol!

 

[TTCinBC]

This is seriously an awesome thread!!! LMAO

 

[SuperLilWifey]

I couldn't pass this up after reading it!!!

My DH went to walmart and everyone knows him in there plus he grew up in this town so no matter where he goes someone knows him. When AF was late one month I knew I couldn't go to the store and just buy them without being called out because of him. So I told him to pick some up at a different store but noo he went to walmart and came home laughing he said all the ladies there was giving him tips one told him which OPKs worked the best one was giving him advice on sexual positions. And when I went in there a few days later I got all these looks one lady even walked up and asked me if he told me her little secret in getting pregnant (4 pillows under the butt with feet in the air) I don't think I will ever turn that shade of red again!...
Next time I will for sure make him to go the next town over to buy them!

 

[whimesy3]

There really is no point of buying pregnancy tests unless you miss your period. I understand wanting to know right away, but its most of the time just not possible. I won't even keep them in the house. This is my first month of ttc and I had a HPT on hand & took it way too early. Now I have discouraged myself already & given up hope totally because it was a BFN, even though I know it was too early. That was silly. And so is buying tests inbefore a missed period to me. Because I know it wpuld jus drive me crazy, and why waste the money if you haven't missed your period. But store clerks need to mind their own busineSs! Especially with obviously private purchases!