Belly Size Question

Milie44

Hello

I've been lurking for quite some time but haven't posted anything yet -- I'm 22 weeks 4 days with fraternal girls

Weird question -- Is it just me or is it some sort of unwritten mom rule that I'm unaware of (this is my 1st pregnancy) It seems like everyone I see or talk to tells me that I look really small for having twins; when they were pregnant they were at least that big with their single babies and if they were having twins they would be HUGE! Is this suppose to make me feel better about getting bigger? Or should I be concerned that my belly isn't growing like it should? I know super weird question lol but lately I'm feeling genuinely concerned that my girls aren't growing like they need to. I've had multiple u/s and the doc always says everything looks great, I have an appointment next Tuesday and I'm tempted to ask the doctor if I'm too small but its just such a weird question.

TheDairyQueenx3

I just started showing at 26 weeks not my first pregnancy either and started off at 108 pounds so not much to hide them behind. now at 29 weeks I am bigger but not huge by any means and not even really wearing maternity tops just the jeans. I hear that comment all the time. Everyone carries different some women carrying singletons are twice the size of a mom of multiples. Its not uncommon. As long as they are growing! Even at 23 weeks no one knew I was pregnant. I "popped" at around week 26. Everyone is different though. 

JordynLeighx3

Happened to me all the time. I think they forget really how little they were at 22 weeks. Most women with singletons have just BARLEY started showing at 22 weeks.

Remind them at the end of it all how many "months overdue" you measured and ask them to compare then LOL

eandk18

People would say the same thing to me and it drove me crazy!  I even had one woman ask me if they were ok.... talk about freaking out a first time mom!  It sounds like everything is going great for you so just try to grin and bear it.  I think people think they are complimenting you when they say those things.... 

Everyone carries differently.... when I went to my birthing class I had the smallest bump out of everyone and I was the only one carrying twins.  My girls ended up weighing 5.5 lbs each and were born at 38 weeks. 

Topanga

It definitely depends how you carry them.

Stephanie2167

I'm glad you asked this. I'm not small by any means. I think most people think I'm like 35 weeks. But are super surprised when I say I'm carrying twins. They say I'm so small. At my OB appointment yesterday st 29w3d I was measuring 32. So not the 8-10 weeks ahead I hear other people say.

The girls are measuring perfect so I'm trying not to worry right now.

CaliCarly77

Do you participate in your birth month group? The Hump Day Bump Day really surprises me - there are girls with singles who are way bigger than I am, then some barely showing at 25 weeks (they look like my 16 weeks lol!) and then other twin moms who are bigger, the same size, and smaller than me. I think it has to do with your build, genetics, weight gain, etc. 

I've had a few people tell me that I look great for 6 months with twins - well I am sure that is because I am a very fit person (not that I can exercise now, that was banned from day 1 because I am near passing out going up 6 steps into my house, but I ran a marathon the month before I got PG). I have gained only within recommendations, and have no swelling. Meanwhile I've had friends who by this time at 6 mos had gained 50 lbs for one baby or had swelling. 

I wouldn't worry about it but you could ask your doctor, mine is always happy to talk to me about my weight gain, diet, size and measurements (I am measuring 32 weeks!) and what that means for my future (bed rest, working, expected delivery date, etc) 

PurpleIris30

I get the "oh you're too small to be carrying twins" all the time when I tell people there are two, even if they have absolutely no idea how far along I am.  Too small as compared to what?  I'm 31 weeks, measuring nearly full term for a singleton pregnancy, so it's frankly just not true, and I hate when people tell me that because I feel pretty damned big.  I think they think it's a compliment, but I hate that comment because I feel like it implies something is wrong with the babies' growth.  Never fear -- people feel the need to comment on your size and it has no bearing on how big you actually are or how your babies are doing.

ntdane

I've been getting that a lot too and I think it's funny for a few reasons. One being that at 18w I'm about as big as I was at 30+ w with DS. Also, if you ask DH you can see my belly growing pretty much daily. I can't see my belly button without slouching or using a mirror, so I'm in no way tiny .

Missi576

Honestly, I think they are just jealous...  I am!  I'm only 12 weeks along and due to how much pressure on my belly makes me nauseated, I've not been able to even cheat my jeans with a rubber band  

I'm terrified of where I'm going to be when I catch up with all of you!  Just remember, we are all built differently, thus the many version of each "size" in women's clothing and as long as your doctor says your babies are great, then you are just fine

 

Melissa

Jess63085

People always said stuff like that to me! People I knew were always saying you look great you're not that big; then strangers would say wow are you overdue? It bothered me at first but by the end I just ignored it. As long as your doctor thinks you're progressing normally, don't let people get to you!

megs2011

I got that all the time. I was consistently measuring 5 weeks ahead. Mine you, my girls were born at 34+4 and my girls were small 2.9 and 3.7lbs. It all depends on how you carry. I can imagine if I had a singleton first.... I probably wouldn't have started showing till into my 3rd tri.

@CaliCarly77 -- I was just creeping your BMB's HDBD pics.. I so miss being pregnant. But I was smaller than some of the other ladies on my BMB too.

MissMarnee

Yup--me too! People were trying to be nice, but my twins actually were measuring a little small, so it would just send me into a tail spin if dread. Everything was fine, the babies were fine, and it hasn't taken tooooo long getting close to where it ought to be (though I'm not there yet!!). People just say the strangest things, I try to quarrel with no compliment and enjoy the folks that mean well, not all do (like my new neighbor who said "Oh no! when the apt manager told him we had twins, wtf!)

JoDoc

I get that same statement from everyone!  I'm always being told how small I am considering it's twins.  One lady yesterday told me that she was as big as I am when she was 30 weeks pregnant with 1 baby.  I take them as compliments.  I know my babies are growing as they should be, I am measuring about 7 weeks ahead, and am otherwise healthy.  I was no "skinny Minnie" before I became pregnant and this is my first pregnancy, I don't know if that makes a difference at all or not. 

I wouldn't let their comments worry you.  I think people hear "twin pregnancy" and assume mom should be one of those side-show exhibits from the fair, wearing clothing 4 normal sized people would fit in.  As long as you're going in to the doctor and they see no worries with you or the babies, take those comments as compliments.  I'm sure that's the intention behind them.  At least that's what I choose to believe!

g8trbaby01

Geeze now I feel like a fat cow lol!! I'm already showing a bump at 10 weeks! Ya ya I know bloat blah blah blah but I have a feeling I'm going to be one of the larger carriers and my original frame is 125lbs 5'5, everyone is different love your bump!

KaloramaKB

I think there is no winning in the size department. At my appointment last week when I was 27 weeks, they told me that my belly was already measuring 40 weeks if I was only having one baby. I knew I was big but hearing that I was already as big as full term pregnant lady really freaked me out. By way of comparison at my 23 week appointment, I was measuring 28 weeks (i.e. 5 weeks ahead), so skipping to 13 weeks ahead in just a month seemed like a lot. But it also explained why I had been getting so many random comments from strangers about looking like I was ready to pop.

On the bright side, after people make comments about being "gigantic" they do note that I am "all belly." And then they are shocked to hear that I have gained less than 25 pounds so far, where as I am sort of shocked that they are asking me how much I weigh. Try not to let people, especially clueless ones get to you.

megs2011

@g8trbaby01 I was showing at 10-11 weeks too. I am 5'7" and was 145lbs at the time.

CaliCarly77

megs2011 said:

@CaliCarly77 -- I was just creeping your BMB's HDBD pics.. I so miss being pregnant. But I was smaller than some of the other ladies on my BMB too.

Yup - everyone is different! I love seeing all of the bumps I get so excited for bump day lol

g8trbaby01 said:

Geeze now I feel like a fat cow lol!! I'm already showing a bump at 10 weeks! Ya ya I know bloat blah blah blah but I have a feeling I'm going to be one of the larger carriers and my original frame is 125lbs 5'5, everyone is different love your bump!

Nope, don't. I was desperate to wear maternity pants at 10 weeks. I was at work with my pants wide open and a long shirt over, and wearing dresses (I never wear dresses!!). I had barely gained any weight at that point. Just belly expansion! (people call it bloat but whatever, pregnancy is pregnancy.)

xladybassx

Yes, people tell me I am too small to be having twins all.the.time. I am very sensitive to comments like these because my girls are really small. One is IUGR and the other is on the low end of normal. I already feel like a terrible mother because they aren't growing like they should, so comments about my size are really unwelcome. I stopped taking weekly bump pics for my family (they live 1,000 miles away) because recently I have been getting hurtful comments. I am 23 1/2 weeks and have gained 21 pounds, all in my belly. I literally eat like it is my job. Recently my MFM demanded hat I drink 2-3 Ensure shaks a day in addition to my regular food. My OB is the only one who thinks this fuss about my weight is unnecessary, and that I am just fine.

It sucks getting comments like this. People don't seem to have a social filter when it comes to talking about a persons weight if it is in reference to them being small. I mean, you wouldn't walk up to someone and tell them they are enormous and must be giving birth to an elephant. I wish I had better advice for you, the best I have found so far is to just try and avoid situations where this could happen, but it's really impossible to get away from completely.

Mrs.Guz

It's funny, with my first pregnancy, a singleton, I was constantly told how big I was and "are you sure you're not having twins?!?" With my twin pregnancy, I was mostly told how small I was for twins (although I felt ginormous).

SV917

I get that a lot now. Not so much early on because people have trouble with comparisons (they don't know or don't remember what 26 weeks looks like). A lot of them are women who probably gained too much weight with their singleton. Yeah, if you gained 60 pounds when you were pregnant with one 7 pound baby, you were bigger than me. I've gained over 1/3 of my pre-pregnancy body weight and its really hard to lug all this around; I'm glad I'm not any bigger. Both babies are growing appropriately; the amount I've gained is within the recommended range for twins, so I'm not concerned. And neither should you, if your doctor is not.