Think you’re being helpful by quoting Freddy Krueger to an expectant mother? We promise you, you’re not. Keep that in mind before you repeat any of The Dream Master’s famous lines to a pregnant woman.
“Welcome to primetime, bitch!”
How reassuring—NOT. Literally, saying nothing at all is better than using this one-liner from Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors on a pregnant woman.
“The souls of the children give me strength.”
Way to make their baby journey about you. Yikes.
“Kung fu THIS, bitch!”
Just no. Instead, try “I’m so happy for you,” “You’re glowing,” or “Congratulations!”
“I’m your boyfriend now!”
It wasn’t helpful when Freddy dropped this line in the original Nightmare On Elm Street after killing Nancy’s boyfriend, and it’s not helpful to say this to a pregnant person either.
“In dreams, I am forever!”
Pregnant women do NOT care. They will NOT be impressed. Trust us.
“My children… from the very beginning, it was the children who gave me my power. The Springwood Slasher, that’s what they called me. My reign of terror was legendary. Dozens of children would fall by my blades. Then the parents of Springwood came for me, taking justice into their own hands. When I was alive, I might have been a little naughty, but after they killed me, I became something much, much worse. The stuff nightmares are made of. The children still feared me, and their fear gave me the power to invade their dreams, and that’s when the fun REALLY began. Until they figured out a way to forget about me. To erase me completely. Being dead wasn’t a problem, but being forgotten, now that’s a BITCH!!! I can’t come back if nobody remembers me. I can’t come back if nobody’s AFRAID.”
Who can forget the legendary monologue that Freddy opened Freddy vs. Jason with? But c’mon, have a little self-awareness: This kind of negativity and trauma dumping isn’t good for the mom or the baby! They’re dealing with nausea, swollen feet, and hormone swings among a slew of other pregnancy symptoms—they don’t need to put up with your self-pitying B.S., too!
“The only thing to fear is fear himself.”
From the baby’s health, to the pain of labor, to postpartum issues like depression and anxiety, there are so many different fears women can have during pregnancy. Dismissing those fears just because they aren’t about the malevolent spirit of a child murderer who kills people in their dreams…that’s not being supportive. That’s being ignorant.
“Kill for me!”
Pro tip: when a woman has a baby on the way, it’s never the time to call in this kind of favor. Find someone else.
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but nothing will ever kill me.”
Um…good for you? The U.S. maternal mortality rate has been steadily increasing over the past decade. Boasting about your own immortality to a woman facing all the health anxieties that come with pregnancy? It’s just tasteless. Keep that thought yourself, thanks!
