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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

When bump appears - does your height/ body length make it show later?

30 replies

GYo · 02/09/2008 16:42

Im quite tall - about 5ft11, pre preg size 10 to 12. I've already put on a bit of wt around my belly but loads of people keep saying i wont show for ages as Im tall/ have a long body (like Nicole Kidman- not me like her, as in she didnt show for ages!)

Anyone had experience of this? This is my first DC, im 31.

OP posts:

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MrsTittleMouse · 02/09/2008 16:45

I have the opposite experience - I'm short and particularly short in the body and I show really early and really big. I was chatting to DH about fundal height (the size of the uterus later on in pregnancy) and he was shocked that it could be pretty much the same for women of different heights, but we reckoned that tall women have taller less prominent bumps and shorter women have shorter bumps that stick out more. Which would fit into the theory of your friends.

As it's your first time, you'll tend to show later too. This time around my stomach muscles were obviously shot (conceived when DD1 was 15 months)!

Izzybel · 02/09/2008 16:58

Apparently, if you are tall the baby has more room so you show later or may have a neater bump than someone who is short. Also, if it is your first then stomach muscles are stronger so you may show a little later. Second pregnancies tend to show earlier as stomach muscles are weaker.

Congratulations on your pregnancy

feetheart · 02/09/2008 16:59

I'm 5'10", a 12-14 and didn't show for ages with either of mine (and I was an ancient 40 and 43!)
Think with me the babies had a long way to grow upwards before they had to grow out - still felt HUGE from about 16 weeks though as I'd been the same size and shape for over 20 years and anything else just felt weird

Finding maternity trousers for people with long legs was a major challenge, hope its better now. Ebay was ok 3 years ago though had to go to Denmark when pg with DD 6 years ago as apparantly Danish women think they are taller than they are (according to shop assistant!)

GYo · 02/09/2008 17:00

Hi MrsTittle and Izzy-

thanks for your replies... will see what happens...

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aurorec · 02/09/2008 17:11

It also depends if you're short waisted.
I'm 5'7 which is reasonably tall but with long legs/short waist- my bump is massive!

babyignoramus · 02/09/2008 17:24

I'm the opposite - not quite 5' and I have barely any midriff - started to show at 14 weeks, and this is DC1. Am trying not to laugh at the suggestion that I might have strong stomach muscles.......!!

notcitrus · 02/09/2008 19:04

I'm 5'8" with all my extra height in my torso. I've found my bump (first baby) not very heavy because it's attached down a long distance, and doesn't stick out so much.

Didn't have any problem with clothes until I was around 17/18 weeks. My outer circumference hasn't changed in the last 3 months (I'm 38 weeks), but more bumpage keeps appearing hidden under the bit I can see, so I only notice it's bigger when I look in the mirror. I've found long stretchy skirts and a stretchy jersey dress all from pre-preg days are my favourite clothes!

JodieG1 · 02/09/2008 19:08

I'm 5ft 3, size 8 and took a while to show with all 3. I had quite neat bumps.

StarlightMcKenzie · 02/09/2008 19:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

terf · 02/09/2008 19:44

I'm quite short 5'2 and at 16 weeks kapow - bump made quite the appearance. I was actually a bit embarrassed of it at the antenatal physio classes where other women who were 25 weeks were barely showing. Still at 20 weeks feel a bit shy of my bump because everyone makes such a big deal of it. Dont know if stomach muscles play a part in it - I used to do quite a lot of pilates and had tiny ab muscles you could see (that are still apparent - albeit slightly)- but the bump's quite round.

Minniethemoocher · 02/09/2008 21:07

Bump has only appeared now at 7 months pregnant, I have long legs and a short body, so I don't know where the baby has been hiding! I have done yoga and pilates, so maybe my stomach muscles have been holding it all in!

Forensica · 02/09/2008 22:08

I am 5'8 and pre pregnancy size 10. I always had a very flat (as flat as it gets, no fat at all) stomach, did not exercise for long time. I had my 21w appointment with a new midwife today and she could not believe that I was so far in pregnancy. I still fit into all my pre pregnancy tops, however most trousers are too tight now. Look more like after big dinner, not much else. The same as starlightmckenzie, I have a tiny waist and larger hips.

GYo · 03/09/2008 08:50

Thanks for everyones posts, interesting the variation. Maybe my tight jeans are down to excess eating to keep morning sickness at bay rather than baby!

Will see - 12 wk scan in 2 days

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GYo · 03/09/2008 08:52

Did anyone else put on weight in 1st trimester due to eating more to counteract MSickness and then lose it later on?

I know I shouldnt be but i am paranoid about getting really fat and not losing it ever again....

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likessleep · 03/09/2008 09:19

I wonder if being taller makes you less prone to heartburn (i.e. more room for baby to grow/less of an immediate affect on increasingly squished mums organs!)

Forensica · 03/09/2008 09:40

Gyo, I am sure you will loose it. I started gaining weight in last 4 weeks, nothing before that, and I am eating still the same stuff as before pregnancy. I reckon that the body just stores as much as it needs and equally it will get rid of the fat after birth. I would not worry.
Likessleep, interesting theory. I do not know what heartburn is (yet ).

snuffkin · 03/09/2008 20:35

If you breastfeed the weight really will come off totally naturally after the birth with no effort at all. And that includes eating at least a slice of cake a day... Only problem is when you cut down breastfeeding - my DD started taking less milk at about 16 months and I deffo put a bit of weight on!

GYo · 04/09/2008 08:33

Hey, thanks for the info, good to hear that breast feeding helps to take the wt off...

Off to buy some larger trousers today. My pre preg ones are now under considerable strain!

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pgwithnumber3 · 04/09/2008 08:53

Strangely I showed far quicker with my first pregnancy than with my second and third. By 20 weeks I looked HUGE. This time around I am 18 weeks and although I have a small bump, no-one has yet noticed I am pregnant.

I put the majority of my weight on in the first 20 weeks as well, then only put 4-5 pounds on during the last 20. Everyone is different. You will be fine, especially with you being so tall. I find that if you are naturally slim you have no problem getting back. A lot of my friends who were larger , before blame it on having children but it's not the babies that have kept the weight on, it's the chocolate.

pgwithnumber3 · 04/09/2008 08:54

Good luck at your scan - that first scan is magical!

GYo · 04/09/2008 09:10

Thanks for that PGwithnumber3!

Quite strange to be smaller with 3 than 2 and 1. Everyone seems to report it the other way around. Must be nice to hide the bump!

Good to get some re-assurance... and thanks for good wishes re scan. Its actually my 3rd as I had some early bleeding so had a 6 and 8wks scan. So I have seen a heartbeat already... but keen to see what is there tomorrow to get re-assurance and also start feeling more certain things are moving forward

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pgwithnumber3 · 04/09/2008 09:17

I find that people think I have just not lost my belly after DD2 (I got pregnant with DC3 when she was 7 months)!

I too have always had a scan around the 7 week stage which is funny, it looks like a little dormouse snuggled up! The one at 12 weeks actually looks like a human so it is lovely. The 20 week one is so much different, you can't believe how much it has grown. I remember I used to devour all the pregnancy books during my first, now, it is "been there, done that, got the t-shirt!". Enjoy it!

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laweaselmys · 04/09/2008 11:58

I was wondering about this as well, I'm guite short, 5'4"ish, but tiny, size 6. Which made me think I would show quite soon, but nothing yet at 12wks. Mind you, I do have quite a lot of stomach muscle, and I definately get a food belly after eating!

pgwithnumber3 · 04/09/2008 12:01

law, I too was a tiny size 6/8 (5ft 6) when I was pregnant with DD1, I ran for miles and miles every week and my stomach muscles were fabulous! I still showed at 6 weeks though! I actually don't think size comes down to it, we are all just different and some show straight away and some don't. My placenta was anterior with DD1, I think that is one of the reasons why my stomach popped out quicker than with DD2 and DC3.

CatIsSleepy · 04/09/2008 12:06

aargh well am 12 weeks today and broke the news to my colleagues this morning only to find out they'd guessed already
what an anticlimax
am short and not very wide, there is no hiding place for my bump
and my stomach muscles are shite

i had an absolutely mahoosive bump last time too, it was practically verging on the ridiculous

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