When Do You Start Showing Pregnancy Symptoms
First-time pregnant women typically start showing a baby bump between 11 and 18 weeks. In some cases, women pregnant for the first time might not show a bump until the 24th week after conception.
Different factors determine when a woman’s pregnancy becomes obvious to the public. Women don’t share the same features and their baby bumps will show at very different times.
Correct information about when a pregnancy starts showing is essential for all expectant moms. Soon-to-be moms keen to understand these changes will know how best to react when their stomach starts protruding.
That’s why this article provides vital information about when pregnancies start showing and other essential details. With all this information, you’ll know what to expect as the bump won’t stay hidden for too long.
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Factors That Affect When a Pregnancy Shows
Several factors can determine when a pregnancy becomes visible to everyone. Some common factors include:
Number of previous pregnancies
Women who haven’t been pregnant before are less likely to show early than those who have had one or more pregnancies.
Women pregnant for the first time will experience slower bump growth as their uterus expands gradually. Uterine growth and weight gain in women with previous pregnancies will show several weeks earlier than first time moms-to-be.
Age
Older women typically show their pregnancy early. Pregnant women in their late 20s and 30s might have weaker stomach muscles than younger females. Young females with their first pregnancies might show up weeks later than moms-to-be over 30.
Muscle Separation
Diastasis recti is the separation of muscles along a woman’s abdominal mid-line. A growing uterus pushes an expectant mom’s abdominal muscles, separating two large bands of tissue.
Bulging appears with the separation and causes a woman to show earlier than normal. However, diastasis recti isn’t a problem and doesn’t have any negative effect on a mother or her baby.
Weight
Pregnancy weight gain is common. But some women might gain more weight than others during pregnancy. Significant weight gain is enough to hide a baby bump and alter
Number of Babies
Women pregnant with one child will show later than moms with two or more children. However, factors like baby size, mother’s shape, and age might reduce the influence of baby counts on the size of a bump.
Bloating
Pregnant moms add weight and experience bloating across trimesters. The added pressure on a woman’s uterus slows down other essential processes like digestion.
Slowed digestion allows more gas buildup in a woman’s stomach. Burping is also common and might continue for several weeks during pregnancy.
The growing pressure on a woman’s abdominal area causes her stomach to protrude and might reveal a bump very early.
Position of Uterus
If a pregnant woman’s uterus tilts backward, it might be difficult to see her baby bump on time. Women who also have their uterus tilting forward will show a baby bump earlier than other expectant moms.
The shape of a pregnant woman’s uterus can also affect how early they begin to show. A uterus shaped outward will show a pregnancy earlier than a regular or reclined womb.
Baby’s Position
If the fetus isn’t positioned properly, a pregnant mom might show way earlier than normal. Fetal growth in the wrong direction will make an expectant mom’s belly protrude significantly, resulting in a visible bump.
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When Do You Start Showing Pregnancy with Twins?
Is there more than one bun in the oven? You’ll start showing way earlier with twins, even as a first-time mom-to-be.
The level of uterine growth required to accommodate twins is usually at least twice that of a singleton pregnancy. Twins will take up more space in a mom-to-be and will likely start showing from 6 to 10 weeks in some cases.
If you’re carrying triplets, your bump might not be larger than those holding twins. However, you’ll still see an early bump within the first 8 weeks after conceiving.
But moms carrying 4 or more fetuses might see significant bump growth within the first 5 to 6 weeks, depending on some factors.
Why Do Some Pregnancies Show Early?
Women show early in pregnancy due to abdominal bloating, increased hormones, average weight, and waistline girth.
Why is My Pregnancy Not Showing Yet?
Different reasons might cause a baby bump to stay hidden. Some common reasons why a pregnancy doesn’t show are:
Overweight
Obese or overweight women typically have fat buildup around their lower abdomen. Such weight makes it almost impossible to spot a baby bump.
Overweight women might not show until after the second trimester of pregnancy in some cases. Heavily obese women may show around 24 weeks or later.
Petite Mothers
Smaller mothers usually have a petite uterus wall that can only accommodate small babies after conception. The small features of such mothers might hide their baby bump for several weeks.
Smaller mothers might not show an obvious baby bump until after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Wrong EDD
Some calculations might get the expected date of delivery (EDD) of a pregnancy all wrong. As trimesters elapse, a woman may not see her bump at the expected time due to wrong calculations.
Few predictors used to calculate a mother’s probable delivery date might be wrong by several days or weeks.
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Conclusion
Several factors determine when a baby bump starts to show as we’ve seen above. First-time pregnancies might not show early, but expectant moms with previous pregnancies will show bumps quicker.
Expansion of the uterus is usually different among women and influenced largely by body size and frame. You’ll show earlier if your abdomen isn’t broad, you don’t have much body fat, or have had a previous pregnancy.
Your doctor will start measuring your pregnancy when you’re about 18 to 20 weeks in. Such measurements help monitor fetal growth and ensure everything goes well with the pregnancy.
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