[desolation_anonymous]

I was punched in the stomach and mugged this morning on Piedmont in Oakland. I had just gotten cash out to have parking money for my Dr. appointment, had my keys in my hand, started walking to the side lot when a man ran up and tried to grab my purse which was over my shoulder.

I was stupid. I held onto my purse. He punched me in the stomach and I fell to the ground.

I continued to be stupid. I held onto my purse and started screaming for help. There was a struggle, he kept saying 'shhhh shhhhh' my cell phone fell out of the bag and I let go, freaked out. He turned around to get my phone, this is where I got a good look at his face. he ran to a black car where someone was idling he got in they took off.

People on the street on Piedomont were really nice, came up, let me use the phone, called 911 for me, one lady hugged me as a cried. The bank opened doors and let me in and sat down.

Chance would happen I had a Dr. appointment with the perinatologist 30 mintues later (9:10) thankfully, he said the babies look Ok. I was terrified the whole time what this f**** might have done to our babies.

What kind of sick f*** punches an obviously pregnant lady in the stomach? I'm 51/2 months, but look at least 61/2-7 months.

A police officer came with me as I refused to got to ER which was a good call, would keep me there for hours then call my perinatologist anyway. I felt SO bad for my Dr- I walked in sobbing, terrified for the safety of the babies', with a police officer at my side. That had to make some of the other patients uneasy!

Anyway, my husband saved the day and met me at the Dr. and stayed with me through most of it.

A few hours later (police had escorted me to the Dr. to make sure OK) they caught some suspects. Drove over to look at the suspects, YEP that was him. 99% sure. Remembered a surprising amount of detail during the struggle (still stupid of me) he was wearing a dark sweatshirt, light acidy-wash blue jeans, african american with light skin, well groomed with short hair and a goatee. I was actually kinda surprised that my description was so accurate- I've heard often that witness statments are skewed, mine fit to a T.

So, they caught the guy but it will take some time to determine if they had my stuff or not, as he mugged at least 4 other people over 3 cities after they mugged me. Then they were using credit cards at a gas station, which is how they were caught. Multi-city incidences apparantly take a while to sort out.

Anyway, scared, mad, exhausted, but I am just thankful the babies are OK. Keeping my fingers crossed that nothing bad happens over the next couple days. I've been told being punched in the stomach, or falling, is VERY bad for women over 20 weeks pregnant.

Anyone else fall/punched in the stomach and have everything turn out OK?

[2boysforus]

OMG!!!! I cannot believe that happened to you! I am so sorry. I'm so glad you are ok. I was never punched in the stomach, but had a big fear about that. I can only imagine how terrified you were. I'm so glad your peri appointment was so soon after it happened.

[sassypants2+2]

OMG! What is this world coming to??? I am so glad you are okay!! Sending big hugs your way!

I have actually heard of quite a few stories where a woman has fallen on her stomach after 20 weeks and turned out completely okay. There is more padding in there than you think. Your body really does its best to protect those babies above all else. I am sure you will be fine!

[pamallhoney]

I am praying for you and your babies!!! I just can't even imagine what you went through. I'm glad they were caught.

[TwinLove]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that nothing more comes from this. I am happy you got an U/S and everything is looking good. If you feel anything is wrong please don't hesitate to go to your doctor and be checked out.

[heathertwins]

How shocking !! I'm so sorry you had to deal with that, you must have been so scared. Those babies have one tough momma -- twin moms are twice as protective. I hope you can find some way to let go of this negative incident and have some peace to send loving vibes to those babies in there. Again I'm so sorry you had to deal with this you didn't deserve that.

Heather

[tamaras]

Oh my.....
I am so sorry you went through that ~ Thank goodness you and your babies are alright!!

[2plus2Tasha]

OMG!!! This makes me sooooo mad! Like you said- What kind of sick F*** would hit someone who is obviously pregnant IN THE STOMACH??! Well, just reading your post I get this vibe from you that you are a very strong woman and I have no doubt that those babies have quite a bit of your strength as well. It's a good thing you were seeing your doc so soon afterward. I have heard that a baby can withstand a lot in the womb, due to all the protection of your belly, the muscle, your uterus and the amniotic fluid acting as a barrier, but I'm not sure what they say about twins. Did your doc request to watch you closer? I had a friend who slipped on the ice last year and fell right on her belly, she was about 7 or 8 months and went to the Women's Center ER. They are very thorough there and decided to keep her overnight just to watch her. She and baby were just fine. I hope this puts your mind at ease a little. I'm so sorry to hear of this happening to you, but it sounds like you pinched him in the end with your description. Sending love and warmth your way and horribly bad karma to that jack-***.

[Mum2TwinBoys]

Oh my gosh honey, I wish I could give you a big hug. So Scary, thank God you and your babies are well.

[~butterflytwins~]

That is horrible...I just do not understand how people can do that to one another! This really upsets me. Glad they caught this person!

I am so happy to hear that you and your babies are ok. please rest and take it easy!

[firsttimetwinzymommy]

I can't remember how far along I was, but my friends son did a run and push on my stomach and I was terrified so I can't imagine how you feel I am so sorry.. There is a special place for people like that! I just wanted to say how sorry I was you went through that!

[desolation_anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and thoughts, they mean a lot to me.

I hope the guy gets to go to jail for a long time!

[muscaria10]

Can I just say you're the bravest and greatest (and certainly NOT stupid!!) mommy!! Three cheers for you!!! for surviving all that and protecting the babies!!

Seriously, what has the world come to? Though my encounter was a superbly mild case as compared to yours, I can't help but also wonder why are people so blind to our growing belly?? To make it worst, what happened to me was done by a middle aged woman, whom I'm very sure was pregnant before!!

I was on a crowded train one evening, standing in the crowd (as if it isn't bad enough that no one gave their seat up for me). Just as someone got off at one of the station, there was an empty seat slightly away from me, (about 1m), the lady next to the empty seat gestured to me to sit down, and as I walked over, a middle aged woman PUSHED me away to get to that seat first!!!! Luckily a man caught me, if not I'd have landed on the train floor!!! The lady who gestured to me told the middle aged off and warned her to get her butt off the seat now or she'll call the train master! She got off at the next stop!!

How appalling has the world became!! I'm just glad you're alright!!!

[desolation_anonymous]

OMG!!! This makes me sooooo mad! Like you said- What kind of sick F*** would hit someone who is obviously pregnant IN THE STOMACH??! Well, just reading your post I get this vibe from you that you are a very strong woman and I have no doubt that those babies have quite a bit of your strength as well. It's a good thing you were seeing your doc so soon afterward. I have heard that a baby can withstand a lot in the womb, due to all the protection of your belly, the muscle, your uterus and the amniotic fluid acting as a barrier, but I'm not sure what they say about twins. Did your doc request to watch you closer? I had a friend who slipped on the ice last year and fell right on her belly, she was about 7 or 8 months and went to the Women's Center ER. They are very thorough there and decided to keep her overnight just to watch her. She and baby were just fine. I hope this puts your mind at ease a little. I'm so sorry to hear of this happening to you, but it sounds like you pinched him in the end with your description. Sending love and warmth your way and horribly bad karma to that jack-***.

Thank you so much!

Actually, I kind of wish I was going to followed up with/monitored more closely, but perinatologist said he is pretty sure everthing will be OK.
I am glad to hear about your friend. That is great news!

Peri said I shouldn't worry about them having bones broken or anything. He looked at both h/b at ultrasound, checked my cervix and to make sure not leaking fluid. He thinks going to L&D they wouldn't do anything except hook me up to a monitor at this point, and ER is useless (they don't have the right equipment) he didn't ask for extra monitoring but he told me to take tylenol for soreness, and to watch for signs of PTL. I had a brief class after with ladies I had signed up for, who told me some signs. However, I think I will call advice nurse tomorrow just to make sure I shouldn't follow up per standard protocol... just to be on the safe side.

Thank you for your kind wishes, thoughts, and good story.

[desolation_anonymous]

Can I just say you're the bravest and greatest (and certainly NOT stupid!!) mommy!! Three cheers for you!!! for surviving all that and protecting the babies!!

Seriously, what has the world come to? Though my encounter was a superbly mild case as compared to yours, I can't help but also wonder why are people so blind to our growing belly?? To make it worst, what happened to me was done by a middle aged woman, whom I'm very sure was pregnant before!!

I was on a crowded train one evening, standing in the crowd (as if it isn't bad enough that no one gave their seat up for me). Just as someone got off at one of the station, there was an empty seat slightly away from me, (about 1m), the lady next to the empty seat gestured to me to sit down, and as I walked over, a middle aged woman PUSHED me away to get to that seat first!!!! Luckily a man caught me, if not I'd have landed on the train floor!!! The lady who gestured to me told the middle aged off and warned her to get her butt off the seat now or she'll call the train master! She got off at the next stop!!

How appalling has the world became!! I'm just glad you're alright!!!

Thanks so much!

Wow, I can't believe the nerve of that lady! I can't believe the nerve of people like that. Were you OK? I am glad the man caught you! I am seriously apalled, as well, at her behavior and behavior like that in general...

Fortunately, there are a lot of great people to balance it out. But, it still is SO frustrating to run across those who are blind/don't care/or see our gowing bellies as signes of weakness.

[avd1995]

I am speechless.

I am so sorry for everything you went through

I am so glad the policeman went with you to the doctor. DH must have been so
scared too.

I have also heard the babies are protected pretty well.

Please take care of yourself.

[girls!]

I just read this to DH and he said he'd be on a rampage to kill someone if something like this happened to his wife. I'm so sorry for you and your family. Good job in how you handled yourself. I'm so happy you are all safe! Just think...when your babies are old enough you'll be able to tell them that you were all mugged and you all fought like HE!! to make sure that SOB didn't get away. They are already tough babies!!! You go momma!

ETA: I was in a serious car accident at 24 weeks and my belly took the brunt of the steering wheel; air bag etc. My car was totaled and my belly was bruised so bad you would never have thought the babies would have been ok. They didn't move from the time I was hit until 3 hours later- talk about panic. I was rushed by ambulance and they couldn't find their heartbeats the whole time. Anyway, my point is - it was a major impact and they are fine. We are all fine. So try not to worry too much about them! They are well protected in there.

[Ash Twins]

OMG!! I am glad you are ok!!

I got into a car accident at 20 weeks preggo.. The babies were fine.. (and i did go to the ER) My babies were born at 38 weeks!! You should be fine!!

[Kimani]

I'm glad that you and the babies are doing fine through all of this. You must have been so scared!

Something like this almost happened to me when I was pregnant with my son. I was waiting for the bus one morning and some crazy looking guy was walking toward me all fast shaking his head. He grabbed me and threw me against the wall of a building and cocked his arm like he was going to punch my stomach and faked it and then just took off walking away. Some other guy was standing maybe 25 feet away and did nothing, just asked if I was ok later. I said no and walked home instead of going to school that day. I was such a nervous wreck from then on when a stranger would walk by me.

I hope he gets the book for this! People who mess with pregnant women are just sick.

[muscaria10]

I'm glad that you and the babies are doing fine through all of this. You must have been so scared!

Something like this almost happened to me when I was pregnant with my son. I was waiting for the bus one morning and some crazy looking guy was walking toward me all fast shaking his head. He grabbed me and threw me against the wall of a building and cocked his arm like he was going to punch my stomach and faked it and then just took off walking away. Some other guy was standing maybe 25 feet away and did nothing, just asked if I was ok later. I said no and walked home instead of going to school that day. I was such a nervous wreck from then on when a stranger would walk by me.

I hope he gets the book for this! People who mess with pregnant women are just sick.

Gosh!! that's so scary!!!! I work near to a mental institute of my country, and I make sure I steer clear of those with weird behaviour!! My colleagues made sure they keep those ppl far away from me too!!