Pregnant Mum Publicly Shamed For Ordering a Coffee

Pregnant woman shamed by barista for ordering a coffee.

A Barista has been acccused of ‘womb shaming’ after he questioned a pregnant woman’s decision to drink caffeine during pregnancy.

Comedian, Tiffany Stevenson, opened up about the awkward moment in a Twitter thread, where she detailed how a Starbucks employee allegedly imposed his opinions on the poor woman.

“Unbelievable bit of womb bothering in Starbucks (when a) pregnant woman got her Caramel Macchiato,” she began.

Tiffany went on to explain how the barista allegedly asked the pregnant customer if she meant to order her coffee decaf, as the alternative would be ‘bad for the baby’.

The mum responded “It’s fine, I have one a day”.

“It’s bad for the baby so that’s why I’m saying it,” he claimed.

Tiffany shared she asked the barista to stop telling the poor mum what to do.

“Me ‘Unbelievable. Stop it’

Then he continues to try and justify policing a complete stranger for 5 minutes. He was maybe 30 years old max.

Are they also doing Ob/Gyn training at Starbucks these days?”

Unbelievable bit of womb bothering in Starbucks at services . A pregnant woman got her Caramel Macchiato and the guy behind the counter said

‘Oh , it’s for you . Do you want me to make a decaf?’

She said ‘No, thanks’

Him ‘No I should because caffeine is bad for the baby’

— Tiffany Stevenson (@tiffstevenson) May 18, 2019

We previously shared the story of the moment a total stranger grabs pregnant woman’s coffee and throws it away.

The mum-to-be wrote about what happened in the BeyondtheBump subreddit, in a post called “Random woman literally took away my coffee? Is this grounds for murder?”

The woman explained that she’s 36 weeks pregnant and is “Huge. Massive. Uncomfortable. Tired and grumpy.”

She was at her local coffee shop, minding her own business, “with my effing cup of coffee that had to be remade, because some random grandmother decided that, as I’m pregnant, I shouldn’t be allowed to have caffeine.”

The woman further explained that she was attempting to receive her coffee order when a “grandma” told her, “You can’t have that.” At first, the woman didn’t realise she was being spoken to.

Then, according to her things got horribly worse.

“Me – It’s one cup, it’s fine.

“GM – NO YOU CAN’T HAVE IT YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED (takes cup from my hand and drops it, full, into the trash next to the counter).

“Me – You cannot be serious. It’s fine. My doctor even says it’s fine. (I looked at the barista, who is just standing there, mouth agape. She lets me know she’ll make me another).

“Me, to GM – Please leave me alone. I’m tired, and want my coffee. I get one cup a day, this is it. Please go away.

“GM, NO YOU CAN’T HAVE IT YOU’RE PREGNANT IT WILL MAKE YOU HAVE THE BABY NOW.

“Barista hands me my cup directly, and this insane woman GOES TO TAKE IT FROM ME AGAIN.

“I literally shouted PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE. YOU’RE MAKING ME UNCOMFORTABLE AND I DON’T WANT YOU THIS CLOSE.”

Random woman literally took away my coffee? Is this grounds for murder? from r/BabyBumps

Commenters on the Reddit thread were furious at the outrageous incident, especially those who’d experienced similar pregnancy-related judgements.

Have you experienced anything like this during pregnancy?

Share your comments below

Getty image

64 Comments

- - mom119776 said
  - 02 Sep 2019
    8:51 pm
Some people completely over step boundaries

- - CaraW said
  - 03 Aug 2019
    9:06 am
I’ll admit I had the occasional coffee while pregnant. At the end of the day it’s up to the mother of what they choose to eat and drink.

- - serotonin said
  - 09 Jun 2019
    9:54 am
Wow… If it made a baby come right away then wouldn’t loads of overdue pregnant women drink coffee? If it was that bad it would be strictly warned against. Like alcohol.

- - rachel1970 said
  - 28 May 2019
    7:45 am
I can’t believe it. I would certainly never go back there and would spread the word at the terrible behaviour.

- - Jujubear79 said
  - 27 May 2019
    6:08 pm
Each to their own. I did not touch caffine or alcohol whilst pregnant.

- - ella12 said
  - 27 May 2019
    2:53 pm
That’s disrespectful behaviour. I would have taken my business elsewhere and complained to the manager about the staff member in question.

- - rovermum said
  - 27 May 2019
    10:03 am
WOW! I can’t imagine a time or place where I think it would ever be appropriate to coffee shame someone. Oh, unless they were giving it to their young child. This employee should remember the customer is always right.

- - Ellen said
  - 27 May 2019
    4:25 am
This Starbucks employee is way out of line ! His opinion wasn’t even asked, he just forced it upon this pregnant lady. Besides that I don’t believe that 1 cup of coffee daily is harmful during pregnancy.

- - tessie said
  - 26 May 2019
    1:34 pm
Since she had asked her doctor about drinking coffee she has done all the right things. People should learn to keep their noses out of other people’s business unless asked otherwise. Don’t think that barista should be at the front of the shop

- - mom19782016 said
  - 25 May 2019
    5:57 pm
I don’t agree with the previous comment. Doctors are well versed in medical evidence about the effects of many things including caffeine and drugs on a developing baby so much so that there are grades of risks that are available and to which they quote on.

- - Ceebsa89 said
  - 25 May 2019
    10:26 am
I know as a society we have come to accept that coffee drinking in pregnancy is fine. But it’s actually a huge no no, the caffeine does get through the placenta to the baby and we don’t know what effects that has on feral growth and development really. Doctors are always saying stuff is “fine” with out any actual evidence

- - mom146810 said
  - 25 May 2019
    12:03 am
I havent had any experience like that during my pregnancy but its so annoying and people should stop it because no one cares more than the baby other than her own mother.

- - mom101628 said
  - 24 May 2019
    11:20 pm
I have never had something like this happen to me over a cup of coffee. I did feel unusually nauseated at one stage and went to the chemist to ask for a draught to alleviate my nausea which I had done with my earlier 3 pregnancies with no problem. However he refused to issue one because he thought I was in imminate danger of birth [I was 3 months pregnant at that time]. The nauseous feeling slowly left and I kept going into his chemist so he could see how wrong he was and baby was born 6 months later with no intervention required

- - musicmum said
  - 24 May 2019
    9:55 pm
I think the barista got a bit out of hand, having one a day will not harm the baby, there are worse things like stress!

- - mom171712 said
  - 24 May 2019
    8:33 pm
Wow! Why do people feel the need to stick their nose into someone else’s business? I can understand if she was pregnant sticking a bloody heroin needle in her arm but one cup of coffee? I would have lost it!!