Yes, it's most likely normal to have a small baby bump. You may feel like you don't look pregnant yet, even if you're already into your second trimester, but it's important to know that there isn't a specific time when moms-to-be are supposed to start showing. Every pregnant body is different.
As long as your healthcare provider says your baby is developing properly and your pregnancy weight gain is healthy and on track, there's no cause for concern, even if others who are just as far along in their pregnancies as you are have bigger baby bumps.
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Some women expect their pregnant bellies at three and four months along to look very noticeable, but there are a number of factors that may affect how you are – or aren't quite yet – showing:
- It's your first pregnancy. Women who are pregnant for the first time may start showing later because their muscles haven't been stretched by a previous pregnancy.
- You're tall. Tall women or women who have long torsos may have a smaller-looking bump, because they have more space for the baby to fill, lengthwise.
- Your baby is positioned in your uterus in a way that minimizes your bump.
- You have strong core muscles. Women with stronger cores tend to show later.
- You're plus-size. It may take longer for a true baby bump to appear.
First-time moms usually don't start to notice a bump until they're around at least 16 weeks pregnant – for many moms-to-be, it can be even later than that. Most "baby bumps" that appear around 12 weeks of pregnancy are usually just the result of pregnancy bloating, or they're your bowels being pushed up and out of your pelvis as your uterus expands.
Pregnant women often hear comments about how big or small they look. These remarks might lead you to think you're the wrong size, when the truth is, there's no right size for a pregnant belly.
It can be nerve-racking as you pass big pregnancy milestones and still don't feel like youhave the bellyto fill out yourmaternity jeans. Know that at all of your prenatal appointments, your ob-gyn or midwife is monitoring your progress and making sure your baby is growing properly.
Soon, you'll pop before you know it – and then you'll be wondering where your feet went!
How does my healthcare provider measure my pregnant belly?
In your first trimester, your ob-gyn or midwife will begin to use various measurements – not your appearance – to make sure your baby's growth is on track. They'll do a pelvic exam to assess the size of your growing uterus, or order anultrasoundto see how large your baby is.
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Starting at around 20 weeks, just after you've passed the four months pregnant mark, your provider will start measuring and tracking your fundal height – the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus – to estimate your baby's size, growth rate, and position. The 20-week anatomy scan ultrasound provides even more information about how your baby's growing.
If your uterus or baby are truly measuring smaller than normalfor your stage of pregnancy, your ob-gyn or midwife will monitor you and your baby closely for intrauterine growth restriction, which is a condition that occurs when babies appear smaller than expected.
Read more:
Is it normal to look more pregnant than I am?
Your second trimester pregnancy checklist
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Creative ways to turn your regular clothes into maternity fashion
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