When Will My Pregnant Belly Become Visible?

Did you know that preggy ‘bumps’ come in a whole variety of sizes and shapes? Don’t panic if yours doesn’t look like photos in books, often these portray an idealistic view, just like books and magazines do with non-expectant women!

You’ll see first!

The swelling of your abdomen in pregnancy will become visible to you long before other people notice it, and how soon it becomes noticeable varies from woman to woman depending on a number of factors. Women with good muscle tone might show a lot later because the abdominal muscles keep the womb further inside the abdominal cavity. Short women might show sooner because the pregnancy grows ‘outwards’ sooner. Generally, first pregnancies take longer to show, because with subsequent pregnancies the abdominal muscles have already stretched considerably.

From about 16 weeks, pregnant women often notice a slight bulging around the waistline or above the pubic area. Weight gain is usually also slow until about 20 weeks; round about the time other people might start to notice your growing bump. Some women are surprised to find that they seem to be carrying more around their bums than their tums; don’t worry, this is just your body putting away some extra energy to build a ‘supply’ in case your body needs more during and after birth! Sometimes moms-to-be are concerned that something is wrong with Baby if they do not show by early in the second trimester, but this is mostly completely unfounded; your regular clinic check-ups should put this anxiety to rest.

The shape of your growing bump is very individual

If Baby’s development seems fine at each check-up, you don’t need to worry at all about the size and shape of your preggy belly. Your belly’s size also doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on how big Baby is, the ease of giving birth, or the need for a Caesar.

When should you tell the world the big news?

There’s no ‘right’ time to tell other people about your pregnancy, this is something each couple will have to decide for themselves. Many choose to wait until after the first trimester when most risks have passed and they can be quite confident of a successful outcome to the pregnancy. On the other hand, others simply can’t wait to share the exciting news! If something does go wrong in the pregnancy, some women prefer to have nobody know about it; however, others find comfort in other people knowing and offering support during this hard time.

However you’re showing, and whenever you choose to tell, embrace this time in your life – and your changing body. My hope is that your love for your little miracle grows right along with your beautiful belly!