Does this sound mean?

For about a week now the phone has been ringing literally 10 times a day, just for people to say hello usually. Half the time we don't answer anymore and they don't even leave a message! It's really tiring me out and i'm getting sick of it. So can only imagine what people are going to be like when i'm closer to being due. So i thought about when i'm say 38 weeks i will leave the phone off the hook for most of the day and all night, just to get some peace. Does this sound mean at all? I don't want people to think im ignoring them, but they are very persistant!

Doesn't sound mean at all Tegan - I plan on ignoring the phone and letting the answer machine get it most of the time come January! Unless I want to talk, that is.

Tegan, ours is permanantly switched to messagebank and i screen my mobile calls for this reason.......not mean at all!

I took our phone off the hook too, and then later just left the machine on when we got one. Because I could put money on someone calling just as I would lay down or get to sleep. So definately not mean at all. And if they are just hanging up and not leaving a message, then they were probably just calling to stickybeak anyway.

Last time after 7 days post EDD I turned the phone off for a few hours during the day and after 8pm to have some quiet around here. Not mean at all... some calls can be very annoying just as you've sat down & put your feet up.

Hi there

I still do it now - 8.5months down the track....people have a really bad sense of timing and if it's urgent they will call on the mobile (which is switched to discreet or silent - with vibrate) - maybe I'm just anti-social :rolleyes:

We screen all our calls too. Particularly ones which come up on the display as "private call" and let them go to the answering machine. We've told our friends and family that we do this, so most of them are ok....except mum did get a bit ****ty with me the other day when I told her I was tired and that's why I didn't answer...she told me I don't have a disease you know!! There are some days when I just don't want to speak to some people....it's not mean, just keeping sanity :)

LOL! I feel so much better now! I too do exactly the same thing, let the machine get it - we have caller id as well, so I will have a look, and then decide, or sometimes dont even bother, just let it go straight through. My mum gets cranky also but hey I figure that if there is any news my DH will notify all that need to be notified! People mean well, but just don't think. I have a friend who is over due. I had a email from her on Tuesday, saying she was 5 days over, and I still haven't heard from her, but I'm not planning on hassling her. She said she would text me when her bundle arrives, so I'll wait til then. I know what it feels like!!!!

I am lucky, no one rings us! LOL But I do plan on sending out an email to everyone saying that any visits after the baby is born must be pre arranged. No just turning up. The only person who I know will do this is my Nan & Grandad. They NEVER ring first & it really bugs the poo out of me! I don't keep a tidy house at the best of times & the last thing I need is my "perfect" grandparents turing up to a dump site! But I do think I would offend them greatly if I only directed the email to them. So I thought I would send out a "universal" email & just hope they don't take it "personally".
Mind you after a recent side to my Nan that was shown I don't really care if I offend her or not.

I dont think it sounds mean at all. Sometimes you just need to have a bit of peace and quiet without everyone else wanting to talk at you, and people need to respect that.

If its really that important they talk to you i'm sure they'd call your mobile or whatever.

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But I do plan on sending out an email to everyone saying that any visits after the baby is born must be pre arranged. No just turning up... I don't keep a tidy house at the best of times & the last thing I need is my "perfect" grandparents turing up to a dump site!

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What a GREAT idea!! I was just thinking this morning how I don't want people just turning up especially if I'm dog tired!! I don't keep a perfect tidy house either Fiona...it's not dirty, just have bad habit of putting things down and they stay on the table or wherever lol...so we always like to know when parents are coming over for that very reason...!

Tegan, I agree, get caller ID if you don't already...it's great, and now with most of the telemarketers seeming to call from overseas mine shows that it's an overseas call and I don't pick up!! People always call when you've just laid down though don't they!!

I don't think you sound mean or unreasonable at all. You need time to yourself and your family right now. Have you got a family member or close friend that will be willing to take over the responsibility of letting people know how you are doing? Maybe you could sms or email the closer people to you - the ones that are prob bugging you to say "Please contact xxxxx if you need to find out how i'm doing - as i'm having a bit of 'time-out' right now" That way people will prob get the hint and won't even bother to call. Just a suggestion :D

Tegan - I think it is perfectly fine! I am lucky that our phone has an option for "do not disturb" which means it goes straight to the machine (which plays silently so we don't hear it) and we just get a flashing light to indicate we have a message.

I love the email idea! I've already decided I am changing my voicemail in January to say "If you are calling to find out if I've gone into labour or have had the baby - calling ten times a day won't make it come any quicker! We will call YOU when we have news. If you just want to chat - leave a message and we'll call you back when we're able to. If it's urgent, please SMS the issue and I will call you as soon as I can". Mean and heartless but I don't want a million calls either! And our family and friends will understand (or blame pregnancy hormones!)

MG :)

Im already doing that mostly because my mother wont stop calling and smsing me just to see how Im feeling, with the added purpose of asking if Im in labour yet. I cant seem to make people understand that if I was, they would fricken know!
Maybe investing in an answering machine isnt a bad idea.

LOL, my mum calls and says 'hi nelle, just letting you know *insert semi-trivial info here*' and I say 'no mum, I haven't had it yet' :p
She isn't too bad though.
My plan is if people DO start to bug me, I'll ask them favours. No I haven't had the baby yet, but would you mind dropping off a loaf of bread on your way home from work? :p
Mum's told me when the baby comes, not to let people visit without them contributing something, which sounds good to me. 'Sure you can come, but the lounge needs a vacuum'. Then they can decide if they still want to come! :D

For those unwanted people that "pop in" once you are at home..........leave the vacuum cleaner/mop and bucket at the front door. Then if the house is a tip you can always imply you were "just about to clean" and if they have any sense, they will do it for you!

(Works for me.......)