With my first pregnancy, I remember thinking "when am I going to start showing... I want people to know I'm pregnant" and then I got so huge I was miserable. So be careful what you wish for. I would say I started to show around 16 weeks, but I had really bad "morning sickness" (and it was all day long). With my second pregnancy I'm only 5 weeks along and I already feel like I'm showing. Depends on the person.
My first instinct is to tell any first timer in their first tri that they're probably not showing and it's more bloat/waist line expansion than anything. You'll start to notice changes in your own body, but assuming you're an average-sized person, you'll probably start to show to the outside world between 16-20 weeks.
I think they say for a FTM 17-22 weeks on average. Can you feel your uterus yet? I'm not sure how far along you are but around 12 weeks I could feel it just above my pelvic bone and right now I can feel it at my pant line so about 1.25 inches below my belly button. I know I'm not bumping yet because I can feel where baby is and ut's really low. If you can't make out the difference between your belly and where your uterus is you aren't showing anything more than baby bloat. Still baby related but not a bump.
Everyone is different, but I officially started showing right before 12 weeks even though I'm a FTM. I was in a car accident in college and had significant abdominal trauma at that time, so my doctor told me that I'm showing earlier like a 2nd pregnancy because of it. I could start feeling my uterus around that time and had my Dr. confirm what she thought. There is no question that I have a bump! It's super obvious!
I'm 8 weeks and I've been able to feel the little bump of my uterus moving up, really low on my abdomen. It's probably moved 3/4 of an inch since I noticed it, and it's maybe 2.5 inches under my belly button. Definitely not noticeable to anyone unless I was to make them feel it directly against my skin. Plenty of bloat above though making my pants tight!
Interesting! I think I started showing around 13 weeks. People agree it's definitely a bump now (14 weeks). I had major abdominal surgery a few years ago (I had a 'c-section' without a baby). Maybe that's why. I also gained 15lbs in the first trimester.
I stayed really small with my first child, not showing until I was about five or six months along. (I went into labor on the day before my due date and my mom told the nurses "We are having a baby" and they were looking at her. They had a hard time believing I was due the next day.) But everyone is different. I have a cousin who didn't show til she was due, and a friend who never showed. But other friends started showing at three months, it all depends. Generally if you are heavier set, you won't show as soon and vice versa. But thats not always true. I was a size 3 when I got pregnant with my first.....
Re: Showing
Interesting! I think I started showing around 13 weeks. People agree it's definitely a bump now (14 weeks). I had major abdominal surgery a few years ago (I had a 'c-section' without a baby). Maybe that's why. I also gained 15lbs in the first trimester.