Does anyone else hate their pregnant figure?

[WarwickAlice]

Call me vain, but I just feel so flabby and unattractive. I have always had issues with body image but finally had come to love my figure and be at peace with my appearance. But now I feel fat, uncomfortable and none of my clothes fit, and I'm starting to have some body image issues again. Anyone else in the same boat? I'm 18 weeks.

Ooooh yes, I feel your pain! I cannot get my head around the idea that it's a bump not flab, no matter how many times people say it to me (which tbh isn't many as I still refuse to show the bump in clothes because I'm paranoid I look fat!) I finally achieved a body I tolerated last year and now I feel like I'm back to square one! I'm 23 weeks. Sorry i can't be more helpful ☺️Xx

I remember feeling the same during at least 3/4 of my pregnancy. Once your bump gets bigger and more obviously a bump you may feel differently. I found pregnancy very difficult as I had no idea how to dress my new figure. It will be over soon though and there is no reason why you can't get back to your pre-baby body. Plenty of pram pushing and baby wearing to come!

Have you been to try on any clothes? I found bump bands to be quite good as I could fit into my old clothes for longer. I also preferred to buy clothes that weren't maternity, just bigger in size. Although I found H&M mat clothes to be okay for the cost.

Yes! I spent the last 32 years feeling guilty at any kind of weight gain/waist expansion. Its taken me a while to get used to the idea that now its a good thing

Yep! 37 weeks and down to 1 pair of jeans and a pair of leggings that fit. Last pregnancy didn't put on weight anywhere except bump but this time I'm large everywhere which (although happy to be healthy and pregnant) makes me a bit sad

I loved my pregnancy weight...FINALLY I had an excuse to be bigger! Post emergency CS body, not so much. If you have body issues that are rearing their head again, then I would strongly suggest seeking some help or support with this antenatally, before you have a shitload of other hormones putting their two cents worth in on top of sleepless nights and a screaming (albeit delightful) baby.

I dont like mine. Im 25 weeks and feel huge all over and flabby. I had lost a lot of weight and put so much back on already. I keep shocking myself at my own reflection or when I look down and see my bump sticking out.

I hated it mostly.
I'm now 31 weeks and starting to embrace it more but my face is getting podgy and I hate that even more (can't hide it!)

Worried what il wear to cover up with when the weather gets warmer too

Hey ladies- thank you for replying so quickly. It's so comforting to hear I'm not alone with this feeling; that is exactly what I needed to hear! I am going to mention this to my midwife when u next see her, as I don't want any serious issues to deal with! Thank you to you all xx

I had this conversation with dh this morning. I'm 15 weeks. And starting to show a bit. I'm usually hugely body confident but feel very self conscious at present.

I wanted this baby so much. And know my body has to change. It's just strange seeing it happen iyswim. I'm not sad about it. It's just I guess an unexpected expected change? Get my drift?

Er, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but you'll probably feel even more unattractive once the baby arrives.

Right now you have lustrous hair, fantastic nails and glowing skin. Plus a beautifully rounded bump which tells people you are pregnant rather than flabby.

Afterwards, you'll probably feel a bit like a giant pumpkin that has been left outside for too long. And your hair will most likely fall out. And you may well be prone to crying for no apparent reason.

BUT even after all that hideous, body stretching, boob- sagging, vagina changing hell, you WILL eventually (or in like, 9 months if you're lucky, less if you are annoyingly pre disposed) look fabulous and like your normal self once again.

And you'll have a really cute baby.

I feel better now I have a proper bump. Before 16 weeks I just had huge boobs and an all over layer of flub.

I just was not prepared for the weight gain. I mean obviously I knew it came with pregnancy, but I had no idea how upset and miserable it would make me. I'm 15 weeks and hoping with a defined bump it might be better? This week is the week I've stppped riding my lovely horses and can't fit into clothes 😢

I don't know about you but for me the having to stop doing quite so much with the horses has been a big battle as well!! It's the guilt! And the fact that if they misbehave I have to be more careful about being in the way which occasionally (very occasionally haha means letting them win) where normally I don't give a toss! Xx

You might find that as the weeks progress and your hump gets more bump-like you will change your mind. I didn't really look pregnant until over 20 weeks. Before that I just felt fat and bloated. Now my tummy has popped I love it. I love my new roundness.

I hate the fact that I think I look nice in the mirror. I have a huge bump as always but its very much at the front, no wider at the waist if that makes sense. I love being pregnant I feel special, dont need to suck my gut in etc. DH took a picture of me at the weekend and said it was lovely (of me and our daughter, he NEVER takes pics unasked so it was a pretty big deal). I saw what I really look like. MY face is the size of the moon. My arse is the large planet orbiting it. My bump makes me look so unbalanced I could topple over backwards at any time. I cried. That was three days ago and I still feel like a pile of shite and don't even really want to get dressed in the morning to go to work... baggy clothes make me look even bigger than I am, tighter fits cling to every bloody lump and bump... Think I have body dismorphia backwards... Can't believe I didn't realise what a bloody heffalump I am :(

I felt really unattractive too. Had a meltdown when I cried all the way to work one morning because I had run out of decent clothes to wear. It wasn't just the bump - my boobs got huge very early on and I put on weight elsewhere. My calves got really wide and I couldn't zip up my boots any more (the good news is that they went back to normal straight after the birth, much to my relief!) You do get your body back although I have loads of stretch marks (on my belly, hips, bum and legs) so my advice is to moisturise religiously. Apparently natural oil like almond or coconut can be good to prevent them.

Treat yourself to some nice maternity clothes, that made a big difference for me. I got some good stuff from Zalando, ASOS and Debenhams.

Oooo Me Me!!... I'm only 11 weeks too

But My stomach has become so fat looking (although very much rock hard to the touch so not all flab!) and I was very very hourglass before getting pregnant and that is going week by week at the moment.

I am already in stretchy sports bras and Maternity Jeans and I feel like I am too early to be feeling like this (although I know everyone is different and my friends have all looked massive at 12 weeks)

Oh yeah and whoever says you glow.... You have obviously not had the hormonal Acne (I could pass as someone with chicken Pox) it is even on my thighs!

And my hair is permanently greasy on the roots and the ends... they are like a scarecrows hair!!!!!!

Scaredycat2016 I completed belton on Sunday and that's me done now with riding until baby is born. It's really sad because I have a cracking set of horses this year and this is only the start of the season. I am lucky in that I have a very sensible hunter and I finished the hunting season, but now the grass is through I feel like I take two lives in my hand every time I turn out, especially my 5yo who is a moron.

I'm in that awkward stage where people don't know whether I'm fat or preggers

Your OP is pretty much what I would have written.

Was really overweight as a teen n early adult, finally happy with my shape and size with healthy eating and exercise then got pregnant and had really bad body dysmorphia, bought mat.clothes that are all too big and don't fit me properly now that I've made peace with my changing shape and haven't actually put much weight on cept my bump.

Miss going to the gym, running and swimming but feeling better with walking, swimming and earing well

I am 33 weeks and I could write your post. I have an odd shaped bump when naked, as LO is transverse, and I have a small csection overhang from DS. My boobs feel saggy as they haven't actually grown.
Pregnancy makes my hair drier than normal and I seem to lose more, my nails are shocking any way and my skin is constantly breaking out.
I have heartburn that makes me want to cry and that's the tip of the iceberg :(

I haven't put on much weight but still hate my pregnancy body.

Oh god, I hated it. And then was so miserable I ate even more and ended up putting on so much weight it was really awful...

My advice would be don't go crazy - you really don't need to eat any more/ differently (apart from the washed fruit/ no soft cheese etc.). It is much harder to lose it than to put it on!

I remember thinking I looked like a heifer, but when I look back on photos of me in my underwear (dh insisted), I looked glorious!

I just had this lovely bump and boobs and no weight gain elsewhere. I wish I'd appreciated it more, especially as after birth that lovely bump looked like a deflated balloon.

I hate the way I look at the moment (21weeks) and can't dress my new body at all.

I have continued to eat healthily, still going to the gym at least 3 times a week but the weight just seems to look flabby rather than like a bump. I have also gained on my legs and acquired an impressive amount of cellulite. My skin has gone patchy and spotty and I am definitely not feeling the glow.

Can't wait for pregnancy to be over so I can get myself back in shape with a cute little baby in tow

I am happy with my pregnancy appearance overall - big boobs, big pregnant belly! I think that when most people see a pregnant lady they don't think "she looks very fat and flabby!", they think "that's a pregnant woman"...!

I don't understand why people get so touchy about comments from others either - if someone says "you look very petite" or "you look huge!" either way people get offended. I don't see how either could be construed as an insult: if you look small, great you must have a nice compact bump, if you look huge, great you must have a nice big round bump which shows everyone you're very clearly pregnant!

I couldn't possibly feel self conscious because I'm growing a frigging human being inside my belly, of course I'm going to look bigger than usual!

The only time I sometimes feel slightly envious is when I see a lovely slim woman in a pretty summer dress!