Bump hiding tips please! (pg with no 2)

[MightilyOats]

Badly need some tips as I'm 11+1 but, this being my 2nd child I seem to be sporting a 16 week sized bump.

Not so bad outside work as friends and family know, but can't tell work for a few weeks as my contract is under negotiation, eek!

I'm tall, fairly slim (size 10/12) having lost 2st recently, so hoping most people will think I've eaten too many mince pies and that I've put some back on again - but its starting to look more bump shaped than podge shaped now iyswim

Thank you!

What do you need to wear to work? Are drapey cardigans and scarves an option?

I'd deliberately go for the most unflattering clothes you own. Anything that squeezes in the wrong place or gives you a pot belly or muffin top.

You will just look fat to the casual observer

Smart casual really penguins - I'm still in my jeans/trousers atm, dresses all make me look huuge, as do most of my jumpers. Currently have dangly scarf on, so maybe I just have to make sure I never stand sideways on to anyone

SaucyJack

You need something like this which hangs down the sides and can be gathered around you if you are feeling exposed. Combined with a dangly scarf it can really break up the eye.

I wouldn't worry too much. I thought I had a really obvious bump at 20 weeks but no one else guessed

My boss didn't tell us til she was about 5 months - when she did, she moved aside her scarf and she was sporting a huge, obvious bump! Scarves and cardies obviously worked for her as we didn't notice at all!

I kept my pg quiet till about 21 weeks. Lots of loose jumpers, cardies and scarves over the bump and then my usual jeans.

Jackets and scarves worked for me.

Depending on how old your first is, colleagues may simply assume you haven't quite lost the bang weights / be too careful to say anything.

Bang weights?? Wow! Baby weight obviously

You might find they have already noticed but aren't saying anything until you do. I "announced" my 2nd pregnancy at work to be met with a chorus of we know, and we wondered when you would say anything.

Actually, that happened with my first too.

You aren't legally obliged to tell for a while yet, when do your contract negotiations end? And, if you are going on to a new contract anyway, will that affect your maternity pay?

Wear scarves and become a mince pie fan...keep a box on your desk and appear to eat more than you actually do!

Wear black!

I pretended not to be pregnant till 16 wks with #2 for similar reasons. Long scarves, cardigans and jackets and generally loose and unflattering clothes worked for me!

Sometimes it can be better to have told them you are pg, if you think they might have guessed anyway. Could give you more protection.

Oversized but still elegant clothes may do the trick? COS do great ones - I used to wear them before pregnancy and continue to wear them now when I have quite an obvious bump. Looks the same!

Its a promotion, effectively so not sure whether it will affect maternity pay etc (moving to another team within organisation, new line manager, higher pay), but officially I still don't know anything about it , so I don't think it would give me any protection them knowing as my job isn't under threat iyswim and they could conveniently just find some problem and it never happens, which I'm trying to avoid!

When I was pg with DC1 it was the time they were deciding whether or not to renew my contract (I'm good at timing these things, clearly).

peplum tops and skater dresses hide bumps imo

I walked around work with a folder, big envelope etc looking like it was work related, and wore cardigans, black tops under and a pretty distracting scarf. I was pg with #2 and huge... turned out to be twins :)

Don't have my scan til NYE princessScrumpy - but have had funny feeling about twins all along, so funny you should say that!

I wore baggy jumpers xxx