As soon as you find out you are pregnant your exciting journey begins. Chances are you will eagerly be wondering when you’ll start showing. Unlike other symptoms like morning sickness, watching your growing baby bump is an exciting process. If you plan on not announcing your pregnancy, the good news is it’ll be a while before you start showing your baby bump. There isn’t a specific timeline as to when you will see a baby bump because every pregnancy is unique and it can be different for every woman. Most women will start to show baby bumps within a few months of pregnancy but as it’s different for each case, when you will start to show your pregnancy depends on various factors.
When will you look pregnant?
Although you might be checking to see your bump everyday in the mirror, it’s unlikely that your baby bump will appear in the first trimester. You’ll first notice an early sign of your bump in the second trimester between 12 to 16 weeks. You might start showing closer to the 12th week if you are at a lower body weight and if you are at a heavier body weight you’ll start showing closer to the 16th week. You might start to feel different at the very beginning of; your pregnancy but your body will only start to look different in the second trimester. But for some women their baby bump might not be visible until the end of the second trimester and even into the third trimester.
Why do some women show early or late?
Believe it or not, the number of pregnancies affects when you start to show your baby bump. Baby bumps in pregnant women usually begin to appear in the second trimester. But if this is your second child, you can start showing sooner. Your body has been through pregnancy and birth, so it knows what to expect and can adapt accordingly. The reason for the early appearance of your second pregnancy is the stretching of the abdominal muscles. Similarly if you carry extra weight around your stomach area it’s unlikely that you will see your baby bump as soon as other moms to be. Some mothers don’t see a visible baby bump up until their third trimester. In some cases pregnant women can experience a B belly. This is when your bump appears to be in the shape of a B it might not appear so pronounced.
Factors affecting when you start showing your baby bump
Every pregnancy is different. But experts say there are several factors that affect how and when baby bumps appear during pregnancy.
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Body shape
The size and shape of your body plays a role in when you start showing. There is some anecdotal evidence that short women may show earlier than taller women and thinner women may see a more distinct baby bump before plus-size women do.
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Number of pregnancies
Moms who've already been pregnant before often start showing their second pregnancy sooner, since their uterine and abdominal muscles have been stretched from the previous pregnancy.
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Position of your uterus
A pregnant person with a uterus that points forward towards their abdomen (anteverted uterus), can start showing earlier than one with a uterus that tilts or points backwards towards the spine (retroverted uterus)
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Diastasis recti
You have two large bands of muscles meeting along the abdominal midline. During pregnancy the expanding uterus pushes against the abdominal muscles causing them to separate. This phenomenon is known as diastasis recti. If you have diastasis recti and your abdominal muscles don’t close as much as they should, chances are you might start to show a baby bump early.
If your baby bump is not visible even during the third trimester, it’s understandable to feel concerned. While healthcare providers assure that it’s usually not a cause for concern, it can simply be due to any of the factors that are mentioned above. If it still doesn’t feel right make sure to discuss your problems with your doctor at your next visit.
