My Beef with Dunkin Donuts

I have a beef with Dunkin Donuts.  I don't like coffee really.  I'm not one to drink it every day and my mornings don't revolve around it like my husband's.  His morning starts every day with a fresh cuppa that I automatically set to brew the night before.  So despite my dislike for coffee, I came across the iced lattes at D&D and fell in love!  

I'm not sure why I like this drink so much but it's a fresh thirst quencher that I treat myself to every once in a while - I'm talking like once a month.  Since I've been pregnant, I've been really craving this beverage.  I'll either get a small one with caffeine or a medium or small decaf depending on what I've had or will have the rest of the day.  No need to make the baby crazy on caffeine.

In any event, I'm well aware of the ill effects that caffeine can cause with babies.  I do read up on the what to eat/not to eat during pregnancy but I'm not going to cut myself off completely of things; just use my brain and eat/drink them in moderation.  Our moms drank, smoke, and ate plenty of tuna while pregnant and we are fine, right?

So back to my beef... Last week I had a doctor's appointment late in the day and instead of going back to the office, I decided to just go straight home and finish my work day there.  I knew there was a D&D right down the road from the office and I immediately perked up at the thought of a nice iced latte for the ride home.  I decided I'd go crazy and get a medium, but decaf.  I ordered my medium decaf iced latte with skim milk and 2 sugars and drove up with excitement at the thought of the delicious drink hitting my pipes.  Here is what happened next, no joke:

(the minute I stopped at the window to pay/get my drink, I mean that very second)

D&D lady:  You should be getting a small and it better be decaf.
Me: (I looked down at my big preggo belly wondering if it was THAT obvious in the car that she can spot a preggo in .2 seconds)  I did order a decaf...

D&D lady:  You gotta be careful, don't want that baby going crazy in there.
Me:  It should be a decaf, that's what I ordered.

D&D lady:  You know, when I was pregnant, I didn't even have decaf (giving me that I'm so much better than you look).
Me:  That's nice, everything in moderation is perfectly fine (I'm willing them to go faster at this point because I'm so humiliated).

D&D lady:  Here ya go, you take care of yourself and that baby, ya hear?
Me:  Thanks

I then drive off as fast as possible wondering what the hell just happened completely tongue-tied.  The whole drive home, fuming, I thought of all these choice phrases I would have said if I was good.  She wasn't rude or anything...

I was pissed at D&D for sure but thought it was a one off.  That was until two days later.  Scene two takes place on a beautiful day in March; so nice I pulled out my long tye-dye sun dress and flip flops.  I drove over to Niantic center where my friend and I were doing our Care and Share volunteer day at the food pantry.  There is a D&D right next door so I figured we'd drop off our things and walk over to grab a latte and some munchkins.  Now honestly, in my tye-dye dress I looked huge.  Like gigantic!  My friend told me in line she was treating and I got giddy with excitement at the thought of my iced latte and couple of chocolate munchkins.  

I get to the counter and young kid (who likes like he's 16) asks if he can help me.  I say I'll have a medium_

But before I can finish my thought, after medium he points to my belly and yells "decaf".  Funnily enough I had just told my friend about the D&D incident two days earlier.  I looked back at her and her mouth had fallen open, kind of like mine.  I looked back to the kid who said something stupid like he was familiar with that because his kid was just over there sitting down.  

I looked at him incredulously and tried my order again.  Once I was done, I just had nothing left.  I was so pissed!  How dare D&D employees judge me.  As I left the store, I held up my cup to any passerbys and I said to them, don't worry, it's decaf.  Just to be clear I was not endangering my baby and looking like a bad mom already.

Now that I've been humiliated at two D&D's in three days time, I will seriously think twice before returning.  I don't feel I should be judged about my beverage just because I'm pregnant.  People can't and shouldn't assume that I'm stupid and don't know how to take care of myself and my baby.  And if they did care so much to say something, they could be much more polite or considerate.  As much as I love my iced lattes, I'm not going to put myself in a position again with this belly of mine.

So D&D, it's been real nice but I'm going to try Starbucks from now on and see if they aren't so judgmental to preggos.