How to tell difference between bloat and bump?

[susannah14]

How do you know if your expanding belly is bump or bloat? Do they feel different when palpated? Do they appear in different places?

I have had bloat that comes and goes but now the bloat just seems to come and never go. It's kind of squishy, not hard, and starts around my belly button and continues downward. I have a thin body type, am 11.5 weeks right now and I'd love to hear how other people first knew their bump was a bump.

 

[Moonbeam1]

.

 

[Mrsctobe]

No thats not true i have a massive bump but can still suck some of it in. its bump if it stays the same size all the time. bloat looks bigger after eating if it doesnt then its bump x

 

[stephie_corin]

Yeah I definitely can't suck in my bloat! lol! Although my bloat seems pretty constant sadly.... I'm also a thin body type and it looks so obvious. I've heard that the baby bump is firmer than bloat?? Sorry, I'm not much help.

 

[kaylynn040485]

bloat tends to feel more squishy than real bump, bump is hard kx

 

[DragonTamer]

When your uterus expands it will push the contents of your abdomen up and out prior to the actual uterus being able to be felt above the pubic bone, if its the contents of your abdomen its technically a bump and will be squishy. But if you're talking about the uterus as a bump then it wouldn't be squishy, it would be a firm bump just above the pubic bone. As you get further that firmness will gradually get higher but any belly fat and other abdominal contents will shift and make it appear that you are bigger. Unless of course your one of the lucky ones who end up being nothing but baby...lol hope this makes sense

 

[susannah14]

Thanks for the responses. I had my 12 week appt yesterday and I have gained only a half pound (and that's after a big lunch of chicken creole). I was starting to think my bigger belly was fat but apparently that's not the case. The bump doesn't go away so my husband thinks it's real show and I'm starting to believe it too!

 

[at1023]

I am only a little over 4 weeks, and I have been so bloated this week that I can not button my pants any longer. Everyone I have talked to said that by the time the bloating goes down I will have an actual belly bump! But I'd rather have a baby bump than just looking fat, and I am a size 4 so it is very noticeable on me!

 

[newbie123]

I'm there with you. I'm sure all mines bloat but I just feel so fat. I think I've actually lost a couple of pounds though. I'm looking forward to it becoming a bump so I have a legitimate excuse to not be able to button my pants. This is just getting embarrassing .

 

[at1023]

I'm there with you. I'm sure all mines bloat but I just feel so fat. I think I've actually lost a couple of pounds though. I'm looking forward to it becoming a bump so I have a legitimate excuse to not be able to button my pants. This is just getting embarrassing .

I completely feel you, a friend of mine is lending me her belly band so it is not as obvious that I can't get my pants shut! I never thought I would need it so soon due to BLOATING! Haha!

 

[seaweed eater]

When your uterus expands it will push the contents of your abdomen up and out prior to the actual uterus being able to be felt above the pubic bone, if its the contents of your abdomen its technically a bump and will be squishy. But if you're talking about the uterus as a bump then it wouldn't be squishy, it would be a firm bump just above the pubic bone. As you get further that firmness will gradually get higher but any belly fat and other abdominal contents will shift and make it appear that you are bigger. Unless of course your one of the lucky ones who end up being nothing but baby...lol hope this makes sense

Thank you for this, I've been wondering whether this is the case because it's exactly what it has felt like for me the past few days. I think I can feel the top of my uterus and it feels firm, as I've read it should, but the non-uterus part of my stomach has also changed shape and I don't think it's all bloat. It really seemed as if the uterus maybe had pushed everything upward, so it is great to read that that could be the case.