Did you hide or show off your bloat?

[ShirlySue]

Currently 10+3. Have a big bloated belly that anyone would think is a small baby bump (it's definitely bloat). Now as odd as this sounds to some, I just see this as a change my body is going through because I am pregnant and am proud of my body changing in this way.

My questions:

• when did you get a 'proper' bump?
• did you try to hide your bloat by buying new clothes and wearing jumpers or did you embrace it and show it off?
• other than bump, what was the biggest change you noticed in your body?

I DEFINITELY tried to hide my bloat! Totally wasn't ready for the world to know until after 12 week scan... and even then (I'm currently almost 15 weeks) trying to be discreet. Am starting to get an unavoidable bump now though so once everyone knows I guess I'll just wear whatever's comfy.

@surreygirl1987 I wouldn't be ready to show it off just yet but in just over a week after my 12 week scan I would quite like to feel comfortable in my normal clothes! Feel in this weird limbo where I normally have a flat stomach and have this unavoidable bloat that I can't seem to hide with my wardrobe. I love my body and an incredibly proud of what it's going through - hate having to hide away!

It's astonishing really how quick your waist disappears. I also found anything right around my waist made me feel quite ill. I would go for some maternity leggings as a middle ground they are much higher in the waist and very comfy they also give you quite a nice tidy strokable bump shape.
So to answer your question no don't hide it! Enjoy it!
I found i would look quite normal slim and non pregnant in the morning and would gradually grow during the day! At the end of the day my clothes would be too tight and uncomfortable and I would have a definite bump.
It may be just bloated but it's only like that because you are pregnant, and your uterus now is the size of maybe a large grapefruit even thought the baby is only sort of. Bean sized. So it's still a baby bump. Its got your baby in it!
Wear maternity leggings and a tight long top and rejoice in looking pregnant while you still look good, it doesn't last long!😁

I feel ill wearing anything tight around my middle too... I have to stick to elasticated waists atm.

I definitely hide the bloat as I had two miscarriages last year and I would hate for people to be congratulating me to then miscarry.

• when did you get a 'proper' bump?

19/20 weeks

• did you try to hide your bloat by buying new clothes and wearing jumpers or did you embrace it and show it off?

Yes I didn't want to tell work until later so bought bigger normal clothes for a while

• other than bump, what was the biggest change you noticed in your body?

At first big boobs. Later on all the aches and pains and swelling.

@statetrooperstacey you should see me. I've gone from a size 8-10 to 12-14! Not big at all in the grand scheme of things but a hell of a lot bigger than I'm used to!!

I shouldn't worry what other people think, but I imagine getting eye rolls as some people are convinced you can't have any sort of bump until 16-20 weeks. I just want to feel proud of my belly... bloat or baby!

@Pinkvoid sorry to hear of your miscarriages. I've experienced this also, both before 6 weeks. It was really awful.

@ClareB83 I'm torn about when to tell work. My manager knows because I've had pretty bad sickness but other than that, I'd like to not tell people. Part of me wants to just let my belly grow and see if people guess!

I'm 18 weeks and have a proper bump. It's huge (for me) and definitely baby not bloat. However I've been hating having things around my waist from about 13 weeks or so it just hurts so maternity leggings came out quite early.

I think my bump is so noticeable as I've had huge weightloss due to hyperemesis

@Namechangedtoscream I haven't had hyperemesis but have lost 5kg in 3 weeks due to sickness (on medication now). It's awful isn't it! Congrats however

Eyerolls!! Cheeky bastards! If you are pregnant and then suddenly a lot bigger than usual, then you know it's probably connected!
Go full on dungaree and stare out anyone who raises an eyebrow.

@statetrooperstacey a colleague of mine absolutely slated a woman on the floor below us because she had her hand on her 12 week old bump after she announced her pregnancy. I though it was lovely that she felt so connected to her baby already. Apparently she was 'an idiot to think she had a bump so early' and 'looked stupid with her hand on her belly'

Some judgemental folk about I guess...

Anyone else?

If not, thanks for all of your answers

Hide. It was mostly bloat from terrible constipation, I didn't want anyone mistaking a giant poo for my baby! Didn't start ahowing properly until around 20 weeks both pregnancies.

@Thishatisnotmine from what I gather most people show between 15-20 weeks which is really variable. Can't wait to have a proper bump and be past the 12 week mark

It was such a relief when the bloat went though. With dd1 I carried really low down and I think the bump showed earlier than dd2 who was always much higher up. With dd1 I had huge breasts early too, its how one colleague guessed I was pregnant!

@Thishatisnotmine I wish my tiny boobs would get bigger! Even if just for a short while 🙈

It's funny, I don't feel bloated but as others have said, it's probably too early for bump!

I had no bump until week 14, then it popped out in a couple of days I'm not really hiding it, 17+ now and it hasn't really grown a bit, just looks like I'm bloated and gained 2-3 kg, but sometimes I like to put a tight dress on, which makes me look very pregnant

Alas, I'm not having much choice, I'm 7 + 4 and genuinely look like I'm at least 5 or 6 months gone. Annoyingly for me, it doesn't go down in the mornings so I'm looking huge round the clock (this is because I have to eat over night due to nausea!) It's my second pregnancy so i am starting to wonder if there's a bit of a mini bump under there too, but it's at least mostly bloat as I'm so uncomfortable!
I'm so glad I'm a teacher and am currently on Easter holidays as it's impossible to hide! I've been in maternity trousers for over a week already - it was just way too uncomfortable with my normal trousers digging in.
Last week a family friend came over to wish me "congratulations" (I'd been trying to hide it under floaty tops) and she was utterly amazed to find out I was only 7 weeks.

I hid It, although I never looked big enough from bloating to look pregnant, just a bit fat.
Proper bump came at some point after 20 weeks both times i think. If you've got half decent stomach muscles it's quite unusual to look big before 20 weeks isn't it?

People can dress/act however they want with the "bump" but I always think with people who go on about showing really early, it's often something you notice on yourself more than others would.

I also find public bump stroking a bit cringe so I'm afraid I would probably be one of the eye rollers. I wouldn't say anything or bitch about it though.

I'm currently 8+4 and my bloat is very obvious to me but probably not to anyone else. I am currently able to hide it under jumpers without much of a problem. The difficulty that I am having is that my work trousers mostly don't do up any more. I don't really want to buy bigger trousers as I am still not convinced all will be ok at my scan so I am currently holding them with a hairband or even having them open at the end of the day.

Proper bump at 20

Yes tried to hide as i thought i just looked fat.

Once a woman in a sainsburys queue looked me up and down, pretended to be on the phone and loudly said " you know you can get shapewear to hold your stomach in. Flatter you a bit". I was 14weeks pregnant.

I was on my own, zero self confidence, 19 and brought up not to talk back and to 'rise above it' . BULLSHIT.

Fuck, how i wish id said something to that bitch.

Of course at 32 weeks people would comment things like woah when are you giving birth, you still pregnant!! Fuck them the lot of them.

Im short in the torso and height if it makes any difference. I noticed taller women jad smaller bumps .. i could be wrong.

Thanks for everyone's answers!

@Girlwiththearabstrap she wasn't rubbing her belly, she literally just placed her hand on it for about 15 seconds, so didn't think worthy of an eye roll. You're right though I'm probably over thinking this. My colleagues will most likely just think I've put on weight...

I felt like I had to hide mine as we had quite a long wait for some quite serious test results, so I was skulking into my office with lots of big scarves covering my bump - we got good news two weeks ago at 16 weeks & I still feel weird about just letting it all hang out! It defo looks like a proper bump now at 18 weeks but still in some baggy tops for work.