Just seen a photo of myself and I could cry.

[TonightAtNine]

I'm currently pregnant and have just seen a photo of myself from last weekend. I'm wearing a dress that I thought was flattering and I didn't think I had put on much weight. I've realised from looking at this photo that I am a lot bigger than I thought, and even my face looks huge. I've tried to stay healthy and exercise but clearly it hasn't worked.

How could I put on so much weight and not notice? AIBU to feel like a whale and be in tears over a photograph?

I felt so positive and now stood in front of the mirror I'm realising that I've put on far more weight than I thought.

I'm so upset. Do a lot of people feel like this?

Swimming felt good when I was in late pregnancy, could you try that?

Instead of standing in front of a mirror why don't you stand on some scales?

can you put the photo on here minus your face. I am sure you look beautiful, you are growing a new human being and need extra padding to convert to milk.

ahh come on now

you won't be pregnant forever

I was pregnant and MASSIVE when I got married. I had Spd and was huge and uncomfortable. for some reason I saw fit to wear a shiny pale blue dress. my giant moonface and huge arse are preserved for all time. it doesn't matter! love yourself and try to enjoy what's left of your pregnancy

Your body is doing what it's supposed to! Lay down reserves to carry you and baby through birth and breastfeeding and sleepless nights.

I gained 3 fucking stone! Most of it's gone now. The wobbly areas that are left are a nice reminder of the amazing stuff my body did in the last 2 years!

YANBU, I felt exactly the same. I was absolutely huge though, looked like violet out of Charlie and the chocolate factory! Everyone that I met delighted in telling me just how huge I was, because obviously I had no idea

On the plus side I lost over a stone giving birth (twins) a couple more in the first couple of weeks as my water retention rather sexily leaked out of my legs, and I have just under a stone to go to get back to what I was.

You’re on the home stretch now! 💐

Don't beat yourself up about it. I know it's upsetting and frustrating to not be able to do what you used to do while pregnant. But you'll get back there soon.

I looked like a balloon with both pregnancies. I really did puff up with water retention! I also had bells palsy with my youngest. Thankfully it was temporary (caught and treated in time with steroids) but I had the paralysis for the first month of my son's life and I hate my first pictures with him. Although I do love them too as well!

I didn't realise how much my face had ballooned until after I had had my DD and saw pictures of myself in the hospital. Most of it was hormone related and fluid though (and heavy doses of morphine etc from the emergency section) , it fell off quite quickly.

I knew the rest of me was massive cos I had gone up 2 bra back sizes and about 4 cup sizes!

You look pregnant. It is what it is. If you are fairly healthy you should be able to drop most of the excess weight and then deal with the rest later. Remember it can take a while to get back to something resembling your previous body shape, it takes time for it all to readjust but you will have a gorgeous newborn to focus on.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

Why are you annoyed with yourself? Did you ask to be immobile and in chronic pain?

I was in a similar boat. Severe SPD, could barely walk from 9 weeks onwards, was hungry all the time. I put on a lot of weight. Had the baby and was too fat for my “fat jeans” after baby #1. Also too far for my maternity jeans that I grew out of circa 32 weeks.

I discovered the low carb forums here and slowly lost the weight over the next 9-12 months. Don’t panic! You can lose the weight.

Welcome to parenthood where you never come first! Your baby is growing and so, exercise and restricted diet are not in baby's favour for now therefore you have to suck it up - for now. You will lose lots at birth and then more after and it wont seem so important then when you see the miracle your body built!

I got stretch marks AFTER I gave birth!!! I thought I’d escaped! Must have been the final weeks growth that did it.

Me too! My stomach is a crepey mess 😂

OP, I was huge! Huuuuuuggggge! I lost most of it shortly after having my DD. She was 9lbs 9.5oz, so a big baby and I had a lot of water.

Don't panic. You're growing a human!

Please don't beat yourself up about this. It's both natural and temporary.

I had a similar moment when I was pregnant. I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror from a weird angle and I couldn't believe how large I was. Comically so. People were openly questioning my dates I was so huge.

It has fallen off. DS is now 16 weeks and I'm only about 6 pounds over my pre pregnancy weight (and still bfing, so I might hang on that until I'm done).

All pregnant women bloom all over. It is what pregnancy does.

I remember taking time off work with what felt like a kidney infection. Colleague came to see how I was and knew I was pregnant before I could even test positive. My face had changed that much already.

@tonightatnine

I'm a dinky little thing (6-8), tiny bump blah blah, until month 7. I remember with three weeks to go, I had to cut the elastic in the size 16 maternity pants I'd bought because my suddenly blancmange like water filled legs were so huge that they cut my circulation off

So much of the bloated whale look is down to water. My moon face wobbled when I tapped my cheeks!

You can't change it, so don't feel down it won't do anything, two weeks after DC is here, most of the water has gone.

That picture is a nothing more than snapshot of a temporary period in your life. Tomorrow you'll be bigger. In a few weeks, smaller.

I know no amount of talk helps when you just feel a bit shit about yourself, but it's only temporary xxx