Is it normal to just feel fat?

[KatieWatie]

I always thought when people were pregnant that the skin on their stomach got really taut, and their stomach got really hard as they grew a bump.

My 'bump' just feels and looks like flab, as if I've just let myself go quite a lot. I'm really quite ashamed of it and I feel terrible about it (yes for my sins I'm a bit of a fitness freak and also slightly vain about my body ).

Will it 'harden up' and look more like a pregnancy, and how long will this take? I'm currently 16 weeks and even though I've lost weight I've had a 'flabby belly' since about week 5.

I think it's normal until quite late in pregnancy for the belly not to be that hard. I'm 20wks and when I stand up my belly is firm, but when I'm sitting down it's still more like flab :o

I've read a lot of women in 16-18wk stage can feel more fat than pregnant, and I think I'm just starting to emerge from that myself :)
Try wearing tops which fall from under your boobs (empire line), that way you'll see the bump up top (which consists of displaced organs for now!) and the material will skim over everything else. Are you still in pre-pregnancy clothes? I found that buying some lovely maternity wear helped me feel a bit more pregnant and less 'fat' :) (oh, and I'm normally a tall size 12-14)

I am 18 weeks + 2, a normal size 10 to 12, 5ft 2 ish, and although I look pregnant I definately feel like I need to wear a circus tent. my stomach is also hard when i stand and taut when i sit.

Some days I feel pregnant but mostly just fat as my favourite size 10 jeans gave up fitting a few days ago and checking the tape measure I have gained 5 inches around my belly.

yes! I definatley do. My worst thing was how much my ribs have expanded, i'm usually a size 12 with a 34G bra, but am now a 40H! Nearly cried when I was told that! Was assured by the woman in M&S you go nearly back to normal a few days after the birth when you have room again!

Am at 24 weeks now and feel much better because i've got a big bump and look pregnant, between about 16 and 22 weeks i just felt like I had a flabby belly! I agree with misty, pregnancy tops make you feel better, the way they're cut is really flattering and makes you look all belly! My lovely over bump jeans from H&M are also nice for a bit of control and sooo comfy!

Even with my bump I still have the odd feeling like a whale moment, especially because i've got horrendous stretch marks! :(

I just look like I've put on about a stone in weight at the moment (I'm 17 and a half weeks), and my boobs have gone bigger, but I don't think I look pregnant. I can feel my stomach is harder than normal lying down, but apart from that, yeah, just fat.

I find that it's harder in the evening, but I think that's water retention. OH keeps telling me I won't be able to hide it much longer (only 12 weeks, but with twins, and have had a bump since about 6 weeks), and if I wear a tightish top, then yes... But I've also found that most of the time it does just feel like fat - the only saving grace is that the other areas where I usually put fat on if I get overweight are not showing, so I know it's centered about my bump rather than all over.