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By Livia Gamble
The time between finding out that you’re pregnant and your bump starting to show can feel long. For many women, the tell-tale pop is a reassuring sign that everything is going smoothly.
So when will your bump show?
For first time mums, your bump will generally start to show between 12 and 16 weeks. And here’s a fun fact for you: the first bump isn’t actually from your baby; instead, it’s from your expanding uterus.
Sherry Ross, an OB/GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California told Today’s Parent, “At 12 weeks, your growing uterus can no longer hide inside your pelvis behind your pubic bone.
“Instead, it starts to protrude into your abdomen.”
That said, if you’re past 16 weeks and your bump still isn’t showing, Sherry says: “As long as an ultrasound has determined that your baby is growing normally, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Taking to Mumsnet, one mum said she’s currently 17 weeks pregnant with her first baby.
“I was wondering at what stage anyone first noticed that they actually looked pregnant as opposed to just being a bit bloated?” she asked.
“When telling people I’m pregnant, they keep saying ‘Oh well you don’t look pregnant’ even though I bloody well feel like I am! I used to do a lot of tummy/abs exercises before pregnancy, so I figure the muscles might be holding everything in place at the moment.
“I can’t wait for my bump to pop out, and was wondering if I’m being impatient!”
Lots of mums replied with varying weeks that their bump made an appearance, showing that no two pregnancies are the same.
“I could tell I was starting to get a bump around 20 weeks because some clothes started feeling tight and I was putting on a little bit of weight by then,” said one mum.
Another said: “I’m 26 weeks, and I haven’t got much of bump it just looks like I’m a little bloated, so many people don’t believe me when I say my baby is due in July!”
“From 14 weeks I had a solid bump rather than bloating, it popped overnight! I’m a small build with a short torso and no abs so I knew I’d show early,” added another.
There are a few factors that can affect when you will start showing.
Height
If you’re taller, then your abdomen is longer, which means there’s more room for your uterus to grow upwards instead of out. Shorter women may find their bump shows sooner.
Weight
The same can be said for body fat. A woman with less body fat will likely show sooner than someone with more. Today’s Parent says a woman with a BMI less than 25 will generally show sooner than someone with a BMI over 25.
Multiple pregnancy
If you’re having twins or triplets, you’re going to show sooner. Your uterus will need to expand to make room for your growing babies earlier.
Your abdominal muscles
Tighter abdominal muscles mean your body can hold your growing baby in your body more, so your bump might not be as noticeable.
A tilted uterus
If your uterus tilts forwards or backwards, that will also affect your bump. If it’s leaning back towards your spine, your bump might take longer to show. However, if it’s leaning forwards, your bump may show sooner.
Second, third, fourth (etc) pregnancy
First-time mums generally take longer to show than mums who have been there, done that. For women who are pregnant for the first time, their abdominal muscles haven’t been stretched like this before, so it can take a little longer. The next time around, your body knows the drill and will tend to show earlier than a previous pregnancy.
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