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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think of course you can hide a pregnancy with Spanx?

91 replies

Zezet · 27/04/2021 20:47

Genuine question.

When I was pregnant with my first child I showed very late. And no-one was worried about the baby growing properly, doctors and women just (correctly, I suppose) assumed stomach muscles are still strong en keeping the baby in place. Only in the sixth month or so could people tell.

If the baby won't be harmed by stomach muscles constricting him, how could a second/third/... child be harmed by Spanx doing the same level of constricting for the same length of time? (I wouldn't wear them in the third trimester of course.)

I agree women shouldn't have to feel like they have to hide and so on... but what medical reason could there actually be not to wear Spanx for baby three if first time mum stomach muscles were fine?

OP posts:
TheWaif · 27/04/2021 21:58

I have a pair of 'support' leggings, size medium, that I bought years ago. I wore them recently at a size 10 and I can barely breathe in them. They're so uncomfortable I had to roll the waist down halfway through the day.

Totalbeach · 27/04/2021 21:58

Also for the record I have never tried out any Spanx, pregnant or not, so maybe I am underestimating how uncomfortable they are?)

They're the work of satan, OP! They also don't really squish you IN so much as apply even pressure to your fat so that it smoothes it out to give you an even line rather than a lumpy, bumpy one.

I must say I've never heard anyone say that wearing spanx would be bad for a baby because I don't think I've ever heard anyone discuss such a crazy idea. And that does make me worry that it's YOU that wants to know if it will harm the baby, and that there's something worrying going on. Hope you're ok.

MollysMummy2010 · 27/04/2021 22:00

I didn't show at all until the last month when I was pregnant - had a tiny baby and would have rather had the bump.

PyongyangKipperbang · 27/04/2021 22:02

I agree that spanx might hide a bump when it first starts to show (although not later, not even a bit!) but that other things will give you away. I knew my friend was pg each time before she announced it due to the changes to her boobs, they got massive each time.

SymphonyofShadows · 27/04/2021 22:03

OP don’t go near Spanx. They are hard enough to piss in when not PG and constantly needing the loo.

eurochick · 27/04/2021 22:04

Instead of Spanx try black dress, coloured blazer, scarf. I wore this combo to interview for jobs until into the third tri and it did a good job of concealment. The blazer is key because no one can see the bump from sideways on, which is often the giveaway.

MimiDaisy11 · 27/04/2021 22:15

I sort of see your logic but I'd trust my body in taking care of the baby and giving it the room he/she needs. I wouldn't trust some outside garment.

Iwanttomakepartner · 27/04/2021 22:17

I wore spanx in my first pregnancy - was early on and I wasn’t trying to hide it just wanted to wear a specific dress that needed shapewear underneath to look right (it wasn’t v tight just the fabric showed every lump and bump and seam).

At some point in the day I had to grab a pair of scissors and go to the loos and cut the top down. It was hella uncomfortable - not because of the squishing of anything but I think because skin was more sensitive and filling up with fluid?

I don’t know why it would be dangerous either but I just imagine that it would be quite tricky to manage. I also was trying to keep my 2nd preg low key because I didn’t want to be not staffed on projects as people see you as our the door once you announce. Covid was fairly helpful in that regard.

BuyYourOwnBBQGlenda · 27/04/2021 22:25

I think using it for bloating in the first trimester would probably be fine, baby is so small. But what might be equally/more effective is dressing in looser clothing on top with a blazer etc. Courtney Cox was pregnant at the end of friends and you could hardly tell in most episodes. I think filming ended in May and she birthed in June!

Imnothereforthedrama · 27/04/2021 22:26

Oh no op far too uncomfortable, I get early on when your not telling everyone it can be a oh has she put weight in or is she pregnant .
But you can wear a top or dress to cover tummy , it’s not as if you have to wear those big maternity dresses that they wore years ago . I have to agree it’s not something I’d be concerned , I don’t understand why you’d want to be uncomfortable.

EarlGreywithLemon · 27/04/2021 22:27

The area around my bump was so sensitive when I was pregnant, I could only wear dresses. I couldn’t even tolerate maternity skirts, shorts or trousers - either over or under bump. I can’t even begin to imagine wearing something like Spanx!

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/04/2021 22:30

I would prefer to keep it fairly low-key at work because I am a fairly private person
Sorry, this is just bizarre.

3JsMa · 27/04/2021 22:30

The thing is,Spanx won't conceal a growing bump.
They are good at smoothing fat rolls/bloated tummy but won't affect expanding uterus.Skin and fat is soft tissue that will react to the pressure from support fabric.Uterus,on the other hand is a strong muscle that cannot be as flexible as skin and fat.
The recommendation against Spanx and other support garments during pregnancy is made as the strong,flexible fabric may affect the blood supply to the abdomen/lower limbs area which is already affected by the growing uterus.

FuchMyLife · 27/04/2021 22:32

Not sure you can do much to "hide" a pregnancy by there are women that don't show till late in the pregnancy

My mumv through countless home pregnancy tests and even went through doc and ultra sound tests to ensure she wasn't prego end still nothing showed up

It was only past the point of no return that the medical professionals determined my mum was able pregnant with me and here I am now to tell the tale

SleepingStandingUp · 27/04/2021 22:33

I assume it's "body naturally adapting to fit baby" Vs "spanx cause a false constriction"

Angrypregnantlady · 27/04/2021 22:34

Your body does it in a natural way. I wouldn't be using something to unnaturally restrict a growing baby.

EarlGreywithLemon · 27/04/2021 22:35

I know what you mean about being private though. I was over the moon to be pregnant, and loved seeing my bump grow, feeling the baby move etc. I could have talked about it all day to my husband, friends and work colleagues I know well. But I felt weirdly very shy about all the attention from people at work I didn’t know very well. I also had a bleed at 14 weeks so I was extremely nervous throughout the pregnancy and didn’t want to talk about it to people I didn’t know well. It’s almost like I was afraid it would jinx it!

Angrypregnantlady · 27/04/2021 22:36

Also. Like others have said. My bump has been so sensitive the idea of wearing something tight over my bump would drive me mad. I have to lift my top up for a break from just having my t-shirt over it because it feels so restrictive

miltonj · 27/04/2021 22:37

I've heard of people passing out because of wearing sports leggings for too long so I can imagine Spanx doing the same.

notturningintopowerranger · 27/04/2021 22:40

I’m a children’s social worker, and it was very important for me to keep my pregnancy quiet at work, as parents who I was working with may have found it difficult to see me pregnant. There’s nothing wrong with wanting privacy at work, and it sounds like you’re thinking carefully about making sure the pregnancy is safe. I personally relied on scarves to disguise, Spanx would have been very uncomfortable.

Stroller15 · 27/04/2021 22:40

Spanx are so uncomfortable! Even on a good day! I agree there are other ways to disguise a bump, both of mine people assumed I put on weight. I don't think spanx will be dangerous to the baby per se, but it sounds like a terribly uncomfortable choice.

littlebillie · 27/04/2021 22:56

I was advised not to use any support through pregnancy as the muscles need to work to pull back your body into shape. If you make them redundant they will become less efficient

Crustybreadandbutter · 27/04/2021 23:15

Spanx aren’t muscles and haven’t been tested to see any effect on pregnancy.

For me this is enough to rely on the remaining muscle I have to hold the baby in.

Bellaphant · 27/04/2021 23:24

I wore an all in one body suit to an event at nearly months pregnant...it made me look not pregnant, but I only really started to show at five months anyway. Even by the end of the evening I was regretting it and worried that I'd hurt baby by restricting it! Obviously it was fine but I wouldn't do it again.

BashfulClam · 28/04/2021 00:57

Possibly because abs are designed differently from spandex pants!

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