Fat or bump?!

[ThreeBeanRap]

Hi all,

I am 9+1 with my first baby. I am a bit overweight, I'm not huge and am reasonably tall so I think I carry it fairly well…probably a size 12 on top but a 16 in trousers. I am a definite pear shape so while I have quite a thin face, waist and upper body I definitely have a fatter stomach and hips, and thighs. I have a definite pouch on my stomach which if I'm not standing up straight or if I'm wearing something particularly unflattering think made me look pregnant before I even thought about ttc.

My worry is – when the baby bump starts appearing, will it be obviously different from my normal stomach?! I keep thinking people are going to be looking at me and just thinking well she always looks like that. For those of you who were a bit bigger when you got pregnant, will it be obvious when the bump starts appearing? Or will I just look fatter and fatter and then suddenly have a huge bump at 8 months?!

I get the fat instead of pregnant look for quite a while, probably 4 months or so? And whilst I feel I look pregnant from very early on, I don't think anyone else notices. Think perhaps it's because the soft squish just gets harder, so it's not necessarily actually bigger (though it does feel different)

Behaviour seems a much bigger give away, eg rubbing belly, trying a b d failing to subtly avoid 'not for pregnant women' things like certain farm animals (parents spotted that way before I told them!)

im a size 16 and definitely over weight. bi am nearly 16wks and a frigging massive bump which certainly looks like a baby bump when i wear maternity or tight clothes.

im actually enjoying being able to embrace the bump although i can see / imagine the shock on peoples faces when i say im only 16wks

in my defence i had an mmc dealt with at 14wks and conceived again 6wks later which i think (keep telling myself) could have something to do with the huge bump.

I took on 2 new clients at 7 months pregnant, with (what I thought was) a rather obvious bump.
Two very different reactions when I explained I would be having some time off at the end of May due to my impending arrival.
First one said "well I had noticed".
Second one was completely shocked and hadn't realised. My response was "but...." And then gestured to my bump, to which she promptly replied "well, you do see some very obese people about!"

Some people will automatically think bump and others will automatically think fat, no matter how obvious it is. I think it says more about them and their life than it does about the way you look. Just try not to worry about it.

I am guilty of walking around constantly rubbing my bump to make it more obvious though!

I am very short and around a size 12, and carry a lot of my fat around the middle. I just looked fat up until about 19 weeks. At about 23 weeks, people started to notice the bump without being told, but it's only now, at 25 weeks, that people seem confident in assuming I'm pregnant.

Gotta say, the fat looking stage was REALLY FUCKING DEPRESSING. Nothing fit right and I felt really insecure about my appearance.

So now that you have proper bumps does the fat sort of become part of the bump so you just have a bit of a soft bump < hopeful> or do you have a bump and then still a tummy sitting underneath that?! I am imagining mine just sort of melting into my bump and suddenly looking marvellous and pregnant

Sorry to hear about your mmc ginger. Congratulations on the new pregnancy.

I'm 26 weeks with #3 and there is definitely a much squishier bit below the proper bump :( it feels much worse than last time, I still just feel very round.

mine is a nice bump covered in a layer of flubber. as someone else said if i prod the bit under the bump thats just fat.

ive had two tummie rubs so far

interestingly enough just had my 16 wk apt and i have lost 1/2 kg since booking in at 7 wks even scarier that i have this great bump lol!

thank you

Mine is bump covered in fat, but I'm doing my pregnancy weight gain all wrong and gained a stone in the first trimester and nothing since then, so it may be a bit odd.

I'm 12 weeks with #3, I am so fed up, nothing fits right because my already flabby belly has decided to protrude from about week 6! I'm usually a size 12, bought size 14 jeans about 4 weeks ago as I refuse to buy anything maternity until I've had my scan on Friday, and they're now tight on me too. Just feel like a miserable fat lump at the minute!

I am 17 weeks and to me I look like I have a bit of a bump as my stomach is not usually this shape - but to people who don't know me I would just look fat

Poo from what I read on here people start 'expanding' at such different times I really wouldn't let it get you down, if you'd be more comfortable in maternity gear then just get a couple of bits to see you through, or can you wear leggings/dresses which would be more comfy than jeans? Good luck with your scan!

I haven't felt too bad in my jeans yet, I think the lost calories from giving up wine has balanced out any pregnancy weight gain! But I have noticed that a couple of dresses which are quite fitted round my ribs are feeling uncomfortable now. Fat ribs.

If all goes well at the scan I will be hot footing it to town to buy up any bit of maternity wear I can find! I've just felt like buying any before then would be tempting fate (had mc in 2010 it's taken til now to pluck up the courage to try again!) I bought some leggings size 12/14 which are too tight on me now too because my belly gets so round towards the middle of the day. I'm currently typing in my pj bottoms!!

have you looked at maxi dresses? not really the weather for them today but when its a bit warmer they will be a life saver. ive bought a couple tshirt material type ones and theyre so comfy and show off bump nicely.

Poo so sorry, best of luck with your scan, I hope it all goes well and puts your mind at ease. I'm the same, all I want to do as soon as I get home is strip off and put on joggers and a baggy t-shirt. Lucky DH.

ginger I do love a maxi, and have a couple, but I am 5'6"/5'7" ish and really struggle to find one that's long enough usually, and I guess with the bump taking up space it would be even shorter at the front!

I'm 19 weeks today and I have a definite round bump but it still feels quite squishy, only feels hard if I push on it :)

I'm very short and a size 14. Currently 18+3 and it's only in the last week or so that my stomach has started to look remotely bump like. Even now, I think it looks more fat than bump, but other people keep commenting on it (admittedly people who know I'm pregnant). I don't think I'll be ditching my 'baby on board' badge for the tube any time soon, put it that way!

I definitely need to get one of those badges! Will do so as soon as I've had my 12week scan. Can you just pick them up at any tube station?

i got some cheap jersey tube maxi dresses off boohoo for £10 in next size up. because theyre tight at the bottom theyll look fine even if are a bit shorter. got a nice kimono to wear over top.

also got a maxi dress from new look that comes really long, im 5'6", so could be worth a look.

You can get a badge at any TfL ticket office, or you can order it online (the packaging is covered in 'baby on board' though, so if you're keeping the news quiet, you might be better off getting one from the station!).

I'm sat here freezing my arse off in a dress because I cannot get any of my trousers done up, even my size 14 jeans. I'm a whale! :-(

ticket office has the badges.

i'd be interested to see how you get on - so far i've found that most people studiously ignore you (ESPECIALLY women, their heads go right down!), and i've had about 5 people stand up for me in the 4 weeks i've been wearing it... maybe it's because i just look as if i've eaten one pie too many at this stage......

I've actually had really good luck with my baby on board badge - people have jumped up for me since I've had it. I requested mine by post, waited 2 weeks for it to arrive and then complained and have ended up with three as a result so I've got one on my bag and one on my coat collar.

I've only been wearing it since I've been visibly pregnant, though.