Help - 9 weeks pregnant and look 20 weeks

[AKP79]

I'm finding it really hard to cope with my body changing so rapidly. I've got massive weight and body image hang ups, so the change in my body is really scaring me. I follow Slimming World and go to the gym 3 times a week, which on the whole I've managed to stick to.

However, the last 2 weeks I have been struck with extreme nausea. The thought of vegetables makes me want to throw up and the only thing that seems to reduce the nausea is picking at food all day. And of course not on healthy things, it's toast or salt and vinegar crisps. I put weight on so easily and as a result have put on 3lbs.

Added to that, I got dressed this morning and my tummy has popped right out and from under my boobs - I look about 20 weeks. If I look down there's boobs and a bump. It's my second baby, is this normal at 9 weeks??? Petrified that at the end of 40 weeks I am going to be enormous.

If you're anything like me at 9 weeks, your puffy tum is likely bloating rather than baby. Which, being air or water, will come and go.

Did you get to a point with your last pregnancy that you started to accept and even like your bump? I guess that's the goal :)

I completely empathise with how it feels to have the control taken away, it's probably a bit about losing control of your body shape and a bit about the natural anxiety that a life changing thing (like having another baby) brings. Just know that once you've seen the little beast on a scan and can feel him/her moving around, you'll no longer feel podgy and instead feel like a powerful baby growing machine ;)

Thanks ThinkPink needed to hear that. I feel so guilty for feeling so hideous about my body, we had a MMC at Christmas, so I should be cherishing this, but instead I'm worrying about how I look and hating my body! It might sound silly, but I feel really embarrassed about the way I look.

I did really love my bump last time when it started to look like a proper baby bump, but I also suffered terribly from bloating and so had a really fat face and double chins. I put A LOT of weight on in my last pregnancy and I was very slim when I started. This time round I'm already overweight, so the anxiety about putting on more is a big worry - hence why I plan to stick to Slimming World.

Feel really terrible for having these shallow thoughts. :(

Don't feel bad, we all have shallow thoughts - one of my worries about pregnancy (this is my first) was whether I've ruined holidays for myself for the next decade... holidays... vs. bringing a new person into the world. It doesn't even compare.

Early pregnancy is stressful - I'm only 17 weeks now, but those first 12 were nail-bitingly stressful, and stress hits you at your weak-spot, your weak-spot is body image, mine is the home and lifestyle... I reckon it's our brain's way of distracting us from the real worry of 'is this baby going to be okay?'

I had a little look at Slimming World's pregnancy policy, and they say that they don't recommend trying to lose weight during pregnancy: www.slimmingworld.co.uk/health/policies/pregnancy.aspx but that using SW techniques (so long as the MW is happy with it) is fine to support healthy eating.

It's certainly one to speak to your doc/midwife about - but more than that, listen to your body, if your body wants carbs, it wants carbs, if you body wants 12 punnets of strawberries (this was me last week) - then it wants 12 punnets of strawberries...

xx

Thank you again ThinkPink for making me feel better about it all. So anxious about getting fat, it's ridiculous - probably doesn't help that my sister is getting married a month before my due date and my mother in law is also getting married when I will be 6 months... They'll want me to be in pictures and I'll want to run a mile!

I reckon you're right though, I think the stress of this first 12 weeks is definitely manifesting itself in focusing on my weight.

xx

Totally not shallow at all. It's a big deal, accepting that your body - YOUR body - is going to change dramatically, and mostly outside of your control. Add to that the stress of being 'on show' as it were at a couple of weddings and it's totally understandable.

I think it's great that you're sticking to SW as much as you can but don't beat yourself up too much on off days. Remember, you are supposed to gain weight, and your body is supposed to change. I had a total freak out at 12 weeks because I looked about 6 months. My boss even told me I might want to 'reconsider my wardrobe' as it was so obvious. But that's gone now (13 + 3) and I just look like my waistline is going a bit. I worked really, really hard over the summer last year and was in the best shape of my life until I fell pregnant, and felt better about myself than I had done in a long time. Now I've gained a bit more weight than I wanted to in the first trimester but am just going to try and reign it in a bit from now on and remember I am GROWING A PERSON and if that means my arms get a bit chubbier than I like them, or whatever, so be it.

If it makes you feel any better, I am Maid of honour for my best friend when I'll be about 16 weeks - too early for a proper bump (it's my first) but late enough that I'll just look a bit fat. Next to 4 properly waif-like bridesmaids. Can't even drink through the pain!

Congrats on your pregnancy :)