Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

Ok, this may seem a bit superficial, but please bear with me...

DH and I will start TTC in the next 2-3 months or so. As a plus-sized woman, I already have a stomach. I'm so afraid that when I become pregnant, no one will be able to tell...I'm afraid that my stomach will grow out and just look much bigger...Does that make any sense?

I used to work with a girl who was proportioned like me (I have an unavoidable belly roll), and even when she was 8 1/2 months pregnant, she didn't look it...she just looked HUGE. I remember thinking, wow...I hope that people will be able to tell that *I'm* pregnant.

Please tell me I'm being silly worrying over this. I guess I was just wondering, those of you who didn't have a cute little flat tummy when you conceived, how long did it take before your pregnant tummy was noticeable?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I thank you in advance for your thoughts...

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I was surprised when a stanger asked me when I was due when I was 16 weeks. It was something I was worried about too.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I don't think people could tell I was pregnant until about a month ago - I was a 16/18 before I got pg. If you wear the maternity clothes that accentuate your baby belly - I think it helps show that you are in fact pg.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I was plus sized before and you can TELL Im pregnant....I started showing around 18 weeks, but Not too much, Now, there is NO mistaking it. I have a Belly shot in my Pic's...I look like I swallowed a Basketball...

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I am plus sized as well but in the hip/thigh area. I have that same fear. I think it took until I was about 26 weeks pg for strangers to notice that I am pregnant. I am 30 weeks pg now. I still need to wear real maternity type shirts -- otherwise I just feel fat. I will say that there are some things that I wear and from certain angles you cannot tell I am pregnant. If I turn to my side you can really tell I am pregnant.
ETA - I only felt like I was showing at 24 weeks before then I just felt bloated.

Message edited 5/28/2007 9:39:25 PM.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I was border-line plus before I got pg and I definately looked preggo. My belly was HUGE!!!!!

Let's not talk post partum body, though

Here is a pic of me at 40 weeks.

Image Attachment(s):

Message edited 5/28/2007 9:53:52 PM.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I think a lot depends on how plus sized you are and how you are proportined. I didn't feel like I looked pregnant until well into my 3rd trimester. I never got a nice round belly. I always had my double rolls that I started out with. I didn't love how I looked at all and was definitely envious of all my cute skinny preggo friends. Oh well. It was still totally worth it. I didn't plan to be plus size the second time around but we'll be TTC #2 soon and I'm pretty much where I was when I got preggo with DD.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I think everyone carries differently and you may see others showing differently in the beginning but everybody catches up at the end. I know the bulk of my weight is in my thighs and at first, I thought I looked funny when my belly started growing, I started looking the same as others that were as far along as I am. No worries.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I was a 16/18 before pg, and I had a stomach...I felt for a while that I looked like I had just gained weight, but by about 18-20 weeks, it was pretty obvious...now, there is no doubt at all!

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

I was an 16/18 pre preg and I will say I only seemed to gain in the stomach - I will say though that I looked farther along from early on and started getting a stomach around 10 weeks and was in maternity pants around 12 weeks or 13 weeks - more for comfort. I also have excess fluid so that might have something to do with a larger tummy - I have been measuring at 39-40 weeks for about 2 weeks now. Carrying big might be genetic though - my mom is very skinny but she said by 35 weeks people thought she would have me right there in their store (and I was two weeks late).

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

This is something I think about all the time too! And we are not even TTC. I am sure people will think I gained even MORE weight instead of being pregnant. I remember my 8th grade teacher was plus sized and we didnt even know she was pg until her 8th month. Oh well, at least its for a good cause right? I just hope I can carry a healthy baby and stay healthy myself.

Re: Plus-sized Moms-to-be...

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I wear a size 18/20 now, but I carry a lot of weight in my stomach, unfortunately...everything else is pretty proportionate. I guess we'll see what happens!