S09.E16: The Positive Negative Reaction

[AnnaRose]

I liked the reveal to Howard.  Bernadette's smile while trying to guide him was beautiful. As to telling their friends, since they are Howard's only close family, it made sense he'd tell the guys quickly, but I would have liked a moment of Howard realizing he'd need to explain what he did to Bernie's dad.

 

What did Howard do to Bernie's dad, that he needs to explain?

[Meushell]

My understanding is that most doctors recommend not telling anyone until after the first trimester because if one were to have a miscarriage, that's when it'd be (probably), so you save yourself some heartache if you don't tell others until farther along so you don't need to have the "nevermind, we're not having a baby" conversation. I didn't think the delay in sharing had to do with how easily one could be certain. Perhaps I was mistaken about how common this advice is?

I never got this advice from my doctor. I don't particularly care for it either. For me, I think the greater heartache would be losing a baby and no one knows. You (or you and the father) suffer alone, or you have the issue of sharing the pregnancy and miscarriage all at once. Obviously, this is a matter of choice, but most people I know share right away. I don't see an issue with Bernadette and Howard doing the same.

[shapeshifter]

My understanding is that most doctors recommend not telling anyone until after the first trimester because if one were to have a miscarriage, that's when it'd be (probably), so you save yourself some heartache if you don't tell others until farther along so you don't need to have the "nevermind, we're not having a baby" conversation. I didn't think the delay in sharing had to do with how easily one could be certain. Perhaps I was mistaken about how common this advice is?But that is why I thought it was weird they'd immediately tell all their friends. I mean, I know some people can't help themselves telling right away, so I suppose especially on the Howard side of things I can see him not keeping it to himself. Or maybe it's just TV and we need to accept it that once they do the reveal between H+B we need the immediate ripple effects because: sitcom. It still bugged me.

I had the experience of waiting for the 3 months to tell and then losing it right after anyway, but, yeah, this is a sitcom.

Anyway, Bernie flashing around the positive test stick implies she's not very far along.

[Homily]

For me, I think the greater heartache would be losing a baby and no one knows.

 

Absolutely agree.  I know this is the common wisdom and I respect anyone who chooses to wait but I feel for me it would almost have been worse to go through a miscarriage and not have anyone to share my sadness with other than my husband.  Anyway with regard to early sharing my only beef with it really is it makes for a very long pregnancy both for the pregnant woman and the friends involved.  When you can tell you are pregnant almost immediately and you share the news almost immediately it is a very, very long wait for that baby! 

[Capricasix]

What did Howard do to Bernie's dad, that he needs to explain?

I think it's more a question of what Howard and Bernie did, that needs to be explained. Because until you tell your parents that you're pregnant, you can still pretend that you've never had sex :D

[chocolatine]

I can see why Howard and Bernadette would want to tell their closest friends whom they hang out with all the time. It doesn't mean they'll tell everyone right away. Also, the girls always drink wine during their get-togethers, so Penny and Amy would have noticed right away if Bernadette had stopped drinking without saying anything.

[AnnaRose]

I think it's more a question of what Howard and Bernie did, that needs to be explained. Because until you tell your parents that you're pregnant, you can still pretend that you've never had sex :D

 

I think it's pretty self-explanatory.  ;)

[Mom x 3]

As someone who has had three miscarriages, I've done both the "Tell early" and "Not tell early."  The "Not tell early" miscarriage is certainly more lonely, but it was the better option for me, as I could grieve appropriately before I was required to talk about it.  The "Tell early" miscarriage is much less lonely, but you get your share of idiotic comments as well.  Example:  I am prone to nightmares when I am pregnant, so a psychology nurse who found out told me that those nightmares were preparing my body to lose the baby.  Absolute horseshit, especially when I have the same damned nightmares during my healthy pregnancies.  

Back on topic:  I agree that Bernadette's lack of drinking would be immediately noticed, as well as if she had any nausea/vomiting.  Also, Howard doesn't strike me as the type to keep that big of a secret for long.  I wonder if Howard's brother is going to come back into the picture now?

[Homily]

I understood the need and desire to tell their closest friends right away and obviously the gang is Howard's family now with his mother gone but Bernadette has a big family of her own and yet they are rarely mentioned, almost as if she has no relationship at all with any of her siblings. She has 4 siblings and yet whenever she talks about them it's almost always in the past tense.  When we hear about the siblings of the other characters we do hear a little bit about what they're doing now (well actually come to think of it we never hear about any of Raj's siblings aside from Priya).  I guess it's odd to me because I am very close to my sisters, way more so now that we are adults than we ever were as children, and I know that when we  were all in the babymaking stage of life we called each other to tell our big news first! 

[DrSpaceman73]

I am surprised so many liked this episode. I found it to be a total waste.

Howard being concerned about the MONEY to raise a child seems completely off base. they have a house they inherited. They both have good jobs. Howard is in his 30s and has never had many expenses other than wasting money on his sci fi stuff. Bernadette is older as well and has a great job, as we found out a few years back. they would certainly have money saved. I gues Howard did by a car, but other than that, up to now, what expenses have they had? Maybe Bernadette has student loans. Other than that, though, they really should have little to worry about financially for a child.

If I wanted to see people singing bad karaoke, I would just go to a bar and watch it. I don't need to see it on my sitcoms.

Just seemed like they were stretching the whole thing to cover a whole episode over the "birth" announcement. which I don't care much about to begin with because given its a Chuck Lorre show, I can't imagine they are going to have some fresh new witty take on a pregnaency and birth of a first baby.

Now if Sheldon and Amy had a baby, THAT would be material for a fresh story, but not Howard and Bernadette. I envision the same hackneyed cliched plots we've seen a hundreds of other shows.

[Indy]

I enjoy all the Drunk Sheldon episodes.  I loved his description of the "bathroom" -- there are people cooking in there!! -- definitely not something Sober Sheldon would have been okay with. 

[Occasional Hope]

I thought Howard's acting in this episode was atrocious.