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.

Hi,

I'm 16 weeks and I've had two comments today at work, 'You're going to be massive!' And 'Are you sure you're not due earlier?'
I feel enormous already and I can't decide if it's food or baby!!

Any thoughts?!

Crunchyside I found comments about my size really stressful because of the body dysmorphia and hate ppl commenting on my body generally. I went to get scans a couple times to check baby was growing cause ppl kept saying I was 'small' but felt uncomfortable cause none of my clothes fit so it was a bit of a headf* all round.....then ppl kept touching stomach and asking if I felt her kicking.....when it was far too early for me to be feeling her kicking which also gave me anxiety.

I also hate being referred to as a 'bump' like I'm just an incubator and no longer a whole person

i am enjoying how huge my boobs are though. They are magnificent. Huge full and well huge.

Hooray for boobies!!

They're big anyway (a DD) but yay!!!

Im not prepared for change I guess I know it's coming but wish I knew when.

Oh gosh ladies, thank you so much for sharing your feelings. I actually feel so much happier to know it's not just me. It's also reassuring to hear that my shape will most likely come back.

I'm usually OK as long as I avoid the full length mirror. I also have maybe 3 or 4 dresses that I feel good in, so I'll just recycle those over and over until I feel better!! 18 weeks today xx

I'm the opposite, I've loved my pregnant body so much every time. I've not long had my third (7weeks today) and hate my body. I had an amazing bump when pregnant, it was huge and obviously a bump very early on. I wore body con style dresses every day and felt so confident. Now I feel like a sack of dough, I'm so squishy . I've been steadily losing the weight and the more I lose the worse my belly looks. My babies have all been big but this one was huge, 10lb8oz, I carried him all put front and I've been left with a pouch. My husband tries assuring me it will go but I am very doubtful. I never had this with my other two children and it seems to get worse the more weight I lose and I still have a good 2 stone I want to lose.

Thought I'd add, after my first and second it didn't take long to get my pre baby body back. I think having three babies in less than 5 years and them all being big (smallest 9lb2) has just took its toll. I'd do it all again though

Swollen ankles, arse that kept growing as big as bump.

Boobs touching and resting on bump.

Skin broke out hair went like wire

I felt like an elephant

Getting into bed and being stuck on my back and having to get husband to help me up at 3 am as I needed to pee.

Never felt as unattractive as I did when I was pregnant .

But it's so worth it! And your figure comes back

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

You reeeeally don't see how commenting on a woman's size might upset her? Just because a woman is pregnant doesn't immediately (usually) switch off all the cultural conditioning she's had to be hyper-critical of her shape and size.

I'm 22 weeks pregnant, and am currently in the 'fat' stage - i.e. I don't have a bump yet, I just look like I've eaten too many cakes. I feel incredibly self-conscious, to the point where I want to run at people shouting 'I'm not fat, honestly, it's just a baby!'. Conversely, when people tell me my bump is tiny I get worried that the baby's not growing properly, and am then anxious till my next scan or midwife appointment.

It's perfectly normal to struggle to adjust to huge body changes over a relatively short period of time, don't beat yourself up about finding it hard - most people do.

I don't like my pregnancy figure and it's not like I even started out this journey particularly liking my figure! I was looking forward to not having to worry about my figure and looking pregnant.

Instead, at 23+5, I still just look like I've eaten all the pies :( My bump's a weird, torso encompassing shape and someone needs to explain to my arse that it's not pregnant - I split my trousers getting in the car two days ago...

My face has started looking real fat too...

I'm eating healthy, although I am eating more than I used to but I couldn't cope carrying on with the 16/8 eating plan i previously did.

But then I just remind myself that I'm growing a human inside my body and I've got the rest of my life to diet and exercise should i choose to (lol)!

The first trimester I just felt fat and hated it. I knew people were probably struggling to tell if I had just eaten too many mince pies at Christmas. But now at 24wks I have a very obvious pregnancy bump, in fact I get comments about how I am too big for dates from people all the time (so annoying!!). Sometimes I hate my new body shape, especially as before I was so body confident and happy with my shape. Sex sometimes makes me feel gross because the bump gets in the way or I struggle to put tights on and feel like a big bag of potatoes. But then my partner kisses me on the bump, strokes it or just simply tells me how beautiful I am, even more so that I'm growing our baby, and I forget all my previous struggles about the bump (until the next time it gets in the way or I receive remarks from people!!) xx