When to expect a bump?

[Noodles]

Hi,

This is my 1st pregnancy and ideally I don't want to tell my colleagues until 13 weeks but all the clothes I have a quite fitted (not painted on or anything, just not baggy) and I don't really want to have to buy new work clothes just for a matter of weeks. How many weeks in do you being to get a bump?

 

[JayDee]

I'd love to know this too cos I'm in the same position.

Doc claimed I wouldn't show that much till after 12 weeks but I wasn't wearing a tight tshirt when I went last night (as I often do for work).

Think I'm going to hold out buying anything for now, and when I do, just buy slightly looser fitting stuff - blouses/tunic type tops, they seem to be "in" at the moment so shouldn't be too obvious that I've changed my style completely (I hope)

x

 

[polaris]

I'm almost 12 weeks and have no sign of a bump (it's my first pregnancy too). The only thing is that clothes are tighter than usual from quite early on because you get very bloated. If I eat a big meal, my stomach is literally huge afterwards and I would have to unbutton trousers (that never normally happens to me). But I certainly don't look pregnant, I just look like I've put on a few pounds. I haven't bought any new clothes but there's some things that I wouldn't wear now.

 

[polaris]

PS I don't really tend to wear baggy clothes either, but loose fitting clothes are definitely good for First Trimester due to the bloating.

 

[cfenn]

hi guys! congratualtions!!!

your bump really depends on each individual so theres no definitive answer to this! with my last pregnancy i was convinced i was getting a bump at 9 weeks tho that was wishful thinking on my part - realistically it was more like having a swollen period tummy. my clothes - particularly trousers - started getting tight from about that stage but no real bump. Id say my bump started becoming noticable to others from about 16 weeks though i fely it was def there from about 14 weeks. I didnt buy any maternity clothes until 14 weeks cos i found that they were still too big until the bump gets a bi bigger - though as soon as you get in maternity clothes your bump will be more obvious cos they hug it so it is nice to start wearing them!!

Noodles - dont worry about telling work - im sure you'll get away with it until you're 13 weeks!

mind you - i was 8 1/2 months pregnant with a huge bump last time and this woman at work told me she hadnt realised i was pregnant - just thought id put weight on! cheeky cow! xx

 

[dom85]

I think it depends on your size to start with. I can feel my bump but it's not obvious to look at me that I'm pregnant, but then I'm a size 16 and apparently if you're bigger it takes longer to show. I was really worried last time I got paid thinking that I porbably wouldn't get away with it another month, but maternity clothes were too big so I didn't get anything.

Maybe think about getting a couple of pairs of trousers the next size up as the bloating has killed me, I got to work one size and get home another!

 

[lou1979]

This is my 4th pregnancy and I have no sign of a bump at all !

last time my bump came at about 16 weeks!

 

[carrieanne]

the uterus doesnt come up above the pubic bone till around 12 weeks so around then some a little earlier some a little later but clothes will feel tighter due to a bit of bloating but if your talking baby bump then 12 weeks

 

[poppy]

It varies a lot - especially in your first pregnancy.

The uterus does not rise above the pelvic area until after 12 weeks - so any 'bump' before then is usually down to bloating or water retention. Some women, especially in their first pregnancy, do not start showing into their second trimester. I didn't noticably show until about 20 weeks (I was getting a bit concerned that I didn't have a bump and wanted to start showing one off!). Then after 20 weeks the bump just 'popped' and kept getting bigger almost every week.

My advice would be not to spend loads of money on buying loads of maternity clothes until you really need them as your shape will definately change after the 20 week mark. A good tip someone gave me, to get the most out of your pre-pregnancy clothes, is to either use a bump band over your trousers or using a hair bobble attached to the button on your trousers and through the loop to 'expand' the waist band of your trousers or skirt and just layer a longer top over the top of them. This way, you can get much more out of them. Wrap dresses are good at disguising a little bump as well.

Good luck!

xxx

 

[JayDee]

Good info - thanks girls.

I'm hoping that it's the sort of thing that runs in the family - my mum hardly showed at all with me and my cousin got away with wearing trackies a size bigger than normal to almost full term.

We are all pretty thin in the scheme of things (them more than me, but I'm a lot taller as well) so maybe I will be ok until 12 weeks after all.

My other thing is I have a christening and a wedding to go to at 16/17 weeks, usually like to buy things in advance but guess I'm going to have to wait for a while yet. Have seen a lovely empire line dress that's pretty floaty after the fitted boob area, wondering if I should just risk it? I like the dress anyway so could always keep for post pregnancy/our baby's christening I guess....

 

[lesleyann]

my proper bump was not here till about 20weeks. But when my mum had me she did not show at all, with my brother she got huge

 

[puppycat]

It's quite strange because you do get a massive bloat situation first off! My bloat has kind of subsided a bit now and my tummy appears to be harder. I know it can't feasibly be the baby (or the grain of rice!) due to the size it is and how far along I am, but it is strange how I have a little pot that doesn't feel like bloat anymore.

 

[Peanut78]

I was also really bloated in the 1st tri. Started noticing my own bump around 16 weeks, became noticeable to ther people around 20 weeks.

Belly bands do wonders especially in the early stages of pg - end of 1stri through 2nd tri (or at least midway through!)...

xx