Is it normal to look much bigger much sooner during your second pregnancy?

[MrsMarcJacobs]

11 weeks (well actually only 9 weeks due to knowing when the fertility treatment happened) and I am having trouble fitting into my usual clothes. Is it normal to be bigger sooner with your second pregnancy? I know it's not a big deal in the scheme of things as long as baby is okay but I look about the same as I did when I was 4 months pregnant last time.

[HulaHoopsInTheBath]

YES! I think I wore maternity jeans this time from maybe 7 weeks. I showed a lot sooner this time. Obvious enough for someone I didn't know to be confident enough to comment when I was about 18 weeks. With DC1 I was maybe 22/24 weeks before I showed.
If it is any consolation though, I am now 31 weeks and a lot smaller than at this stage with DC1 so it did settle down for me.

[speak2me]

Yes don't worry, I was in maternity trousers second time round at about 9 weeks. Now 20 weeks and I'm still bigger than with DC1 but the difference is getting smaller.

[saintsandpoets]

Yep, your stomach muscles that used to keep you all neat got a battering last time. They give much more easily now.

[angeltattoo]

Absolutely, i showed much, much earlier second time around. It did slow down though and I'm no bigger now at 24 weeks than I was first time.

[Mumraathenoisylion]

Yes yes!! I became quite large with dc2 very quickly. Although I did have Polyhydramnios (too much water) and she was 10lb+ so that may also be a reason. My body dealt with the recovery so much better though so that's a plus!!

[WoohoohooandaBottleofBlood]

Yes. I was paranoid it was twins. Definitely showed at 8 weeks 2nd time round. I remember hoping people would assume it was belly left from last baby. I had a colleague due same time as me but with her first and by 28 weeks she was bigger than me (her baby slightly larger than mine) so I didn't carry on being bigger all the way through.

[wonkylegs]

I'm 9weeks and definitely starting to show + quite bloated by the end of the day thanks to excessive wind which I only seem to get in pregnancy. I'm usually extremely tiny with a flat stomach so for me it feels like it's going to be difficult to keep quiet about this one for much longer.

[Incapinka]

I didn't but I was more active second time round riding horses and running after a toddler. And don't know if it makes any difference but second child was a different sex to first child.

Either way don't worry and just (try to) enjoy your pregnancy. (I loathed being pregnant!! )

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I did -I was showing to others at 10 weeks.
Mine were close (18 months) and I wonder if that affects it.

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

Yes I'm pregnant with my third and started wearing maternity clothes at about 8 weeks and had a visible bump (that I had to hide under hoodies til my scan!)

[lentilpot]

Our NCT teacher said the uterus is like a balloon, once it's been inflated and deflated once, it goes much quicker the second time!

[MrsMarcJacobs]

Thanks, I feel less bad now. Most of my work trousers don't fit anymore. I have such a belly it's really obvious to the whole family I'm pregnant but obviously they have been really nice and haven't said anything.

[Amyand]

Same here. I was in maternity jeans at 8 weeks and I also had ivf so was really only 6 weeks pregnant. Now 13 weeks and am a lit bigger than I was the first time around.

[Amyand]

*lot not lit!

[SophieBarringtonWard]

I was showing to others at 11w with dc2. Pregnant with dc3 & wondering when I will show now!

[WorkingBling]

It took me a little while to work out I was pregnant. One of the clear signs (which I did not pick up on [stupid]) was that my jeans stopped fitting. So I had stopped wearing my jeans two weeks before I took a test (at 8.5 weeks).

[Thumbscrewswitch]

I don't know about "normal" but it certainly happened to me. But I also started off a stone heavier in my 2nd pg than I had been in my first, so that might have contributed as well.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Entirely normal. Hope your scan isn't delayed. I had to have a private scan at 11 weeks so that I was comfortable telling people as I couldn't last until my NHS scan at 15 weeks!

[MrsMarcJacobs]

I have a scan here at 12 weeks, next weeks ( technically only 10 weeks due to insemination) - think I will buy some wrap dresses and be done with it! Thanks for all your responses, can't wait to tell everyone.

[dottytablecloth]

Am 34 weeks and my maternity jeans are too tight now

I will not be buying anymore clothes, leggings it is!

[AnythingNotEverything]

OP, when you keep taking two weeks off your pregnancy length, is that because the shorter length dates from insemination?

If so, did you know that most pregnancies are dated from two weeks before conception?

[muddylettuce]

I'm 10 weeks and have been in maternity jeans for a month. I was showing at 5 weeks. In my opinion I look at least 4 months gone already. Hoping it's not twins! X

[MrsMarcJacobs]

I take off the two weeks as they are calculate pregnancy from the last time you had your period but I know the exact date I got pregnant as I was inseminated.

[AnythingNotEverything]

All pregnancies are dated articifically two weeks longer, as we assume conception happens around ovulation, two weeks after the start of your last period, but date from that last period.