Hey ladies! I'm 14 weeks pregnant with my first baby (a girl!) and my husband and I are over the moon with excitement. Here's my question -- for many years I've had a tummy (I'm sure I'm not alone here) and have never been able to get rid of it. I hold most of my weigh gain in my belly area. I know bloat is normal during pregnancy, but baby is still so small and my tummy looks huge! I look about 6 months pregnant. Everyone wants to touch my belly and I have to tell them that the baby isn't even "there" yet and they think I'm just being silly! Anyone have this same problem? I'm just really uncomfortable and have been fine dealing with my belly up until this point, but now I hate the way it makes me feel because it isn't even my baby girl...just fat! Advice? Anything? Lol thanks for anyone's help!
Re: Pre-existing tummy & preggo bloat...I look more pregnant than I am! :(
BFP1 12/24/14 - EDD 09/07/15 (D/C 8w1d)
BFP2 6/12/15 - EDD 2/22/16 (D/C 10w3d)
———
Diagnoses and Treatments
PCOS (myo-inositol, excercize)
Indeterminant levels of APS IgM antibodies (baby aspirin)
Sub-septate uterus (hysteroscopic septoplasty 12/18/15)
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BFP3 05/02/16 EDD 01/09/17 DS born 01/05/17
BFP4 01/28/19 EDD 10/?/19 🤞🙏
BFP1 12/24/14 - EDD 09/07/15 (D/C 8w1d)
BFP2 6/12/15 - EDD 2/22/16 (D/C 10w3d)
———
Diagnoses and Treatments
PCOS (myo-inositol, excercize)
Indeterminant levels of APS IgM antibodies (baby aspirin)
Sub-septate uterus (hysteroscopic septoplasty 12/18/15)
———
BFP3 05/02/16 EDD 01/09/17 DS born 01/05/17
BFP4 01/28/19 EDD 10/?/19 🤞🙏
Jan '17 August siggy challenge: Cat fails
That's when I feel my bloat rolling in last time I lost a lot of weight but didn't have enough energy to exercise I just forced myself to drink 64ounces of water plus tea, coffee but the water had to be 64ounces. Basically I filled up my 32 ounce bottle twice.
Jan17 Sept Sig: Pumpkin Spice gone too far
Fuck society!! Rock those bellies!!! It's perfectly natural and was a beauty ideal for all of history until just 30 or 40 years ago! You guys are growing babies, don't feel ashamed of your bodies for even a second! I'm 15w with twins and showing big time. People try to touch me and I don't allow it, except for family. They touch the top of my belly where it's still just intestines (babies are working their way up) but whatever- my bloat, my intestines, my fat, whatever it is it wouldn't be shaped like this without these babies I'm literally making right now so I'm cool with it. Try your hardest to be easy on yourselves because we're all going to get a LOT bigger and you don't want to start this journey with a growing complex about it or anything!!
ETA I don't mean to make it sound like I never have twinges of doubt or uneasiness about my body because hell yes I do, but I try hard to squash it and just keep going
I dont let anyone touch my belly except my husband and my doctor for medical reasons. It's barley even there though and im 14.5w with my 1st so I'm not speaking from experience.
Jan '17 August siggy challenge: Cat fails
For me, and I would assume for many other FTMs, it's just a new experience to see your body changing and it's difficult to disassociate that with weight gain or loss of muscle because we've never been through this before. And like you said, we don't have a noticeable bump right now! I think your feelings are common and very valid. But like many PPs said, none of the changes would be happening if we weren't growing humans inside of us, so it's all good! I keep reminding myself that I just want a healthy, growing baby, and the rest of it I will deal with.
Also, maternity clothes are hella comfy.
DS1 - 03/31/2006
DS2 - 12/31/2008
DS3 - 06/26/2012
DS4 - 08/07/2014
The truth is yes society urges us to be super thin etc and it's over kill.
But honestly I feel the best when I am lean not thin but lean. I tend to have more energy and have a clearer mind. Many pregnant women have worked on staying lean throughout their pregnancies and have faster labours.
My goal now that I'm in the second trimester is to make conscious food choices (eat plentiful but ofcourse to choose the right foods), workout as much as I can and drink over 64ounces of water.
I want to be healthy and have the energy my baby will need from me. I want to have a fast delivery by building strength in my abdomen again.
If society would promote lean healthy bodies instead of thin anorexic ones we wouldn't have this need to rebel. I don't think it's OK to have extra blub (for me) I don't eat meat so my blub would either comes from high processed food, fried food or refined sugar. No OK (for me) those foods make me feel lethargic.
I hope we can encourage one another to keep our bodies healthy, not chubby not extremely thin but healthy. For our health and the health of our babies. We need positive reinforcement not complacency.
We will get bigger and stronger. And we need to build muscle in our legs and back to support our growing bellies. All our bodies are different. But we can not "eat for two" or indulge bc "what... I'm pregnant"
By the way I am totally saying this from my heart.
I've known my breasts have gotten bigger but my "bump" i felt was only noticeable without a shirt on. I wear scrubs at work. If i can't hide behind my scrubs it has to be obvious in normal clothes. Maybe im in denial because i don't want to get big (have a child yes). I blame it on gas or tacos but it hit me last night. It's my bump!! I'm just under 15w. I'm short and small framed so this had to be a given.
Anyway done with that rant. I'm meeting my beat friend out tonight i can always count on her for an honest opinion.
Our hormones are going crazy and our lives are changing. It's nearly impossible not to overthink everything. But I'm glad we have friends, family, and this lovely group of women on the boards to build each other up when we can't do it ourselves!
DS1 - 03/31/2006
DS2 - 12/31/2008
DS3 - 06/26/2012
DS4 - 08/07/2014
Met: September 13, 2008
Married: September 13, 2016
Surprise BFP 05/20/16 - EDD 1/31/16
Plus many women carry differently. I've seen ladies at 7 months look maybe 5 months. Just depends... It means nothing so long as your baby is healthy.