18 weeks and not showing - starting to worry

[AuntieMaggie]

I'm 18 weeks pregnant and I'm starting to worry that I haven't started showing yet... I don't know what to do if anything and my 20 week scan is still a couple of weeks away. This is my 3rd pregnancy (DC is 5 and miscarried 2 years ago) but can't remember when I started to show last time. I've only put on a couple of pounds, but exercise more now than I did last time and my jeans are fitting well just a bit uncomfortable when sitting down.

My boobs are extremely sore and food aversions in full force but other than that I don't feel pregnant.

Should I be worried?

It's totally normal, everyone shows at different times. With my first I didn't start showing until I was over 22 weeks, and even then only had a small bump until I was over 30 weeks

If your really worried, you can talk to a midwife/consultant. I'm sure it's totally normal, I didn't show until around 24+ weeks and even up to when DS was born I could wear something oversized and people wouldn't even notice I was pregnant. Everyone told me my baby would be tiny but he was 7lbs14!

I didn't show until 25 weeks and I'm now nearly 30 weeks and can get away with saying I had a big meal lol. Not to worry I prefer it this way!

Same here; strangers didn’t notice I was pregnant at all until the last month. Hopefully the scan will reassure you.

With my first pregnancy I excitedly started buying maternity clothes about 3 seconds after the stick dried.

With my second I flew on holiday in my normal jeans at 26 weeks (and flew back in maternity jeans at 27 weeks as I had suddenly ballooned!)

Pretty sure I wore non-maternity jeans to my 20 week scan.

Started to look a bit more pregnant at around 25 weeks and then was suddenly ENOURMOUS at 28 weeks 😂

I'm 21 weeks, OP, also with a 5yo and a m/c 2 years ago. I was barely showing 10 days ago, despite not being very fit so definitely no stomach muscles working in my favour, and was loosening jeans with a hairband etc but not in maternity clothes. I am definitely showing a little now, and am getting clearer kicks / wriggles too. Hang on in there for a couple of weeks and try not to worry.

Don't worry. I was barely showing at 31 weeks when I delivered - hadn't even told work I was pregnant yet! Whoops.

I didn't get a pop of belly whatsoever until 24 weeks, just dead flat. Super healthy baby was born of it and I weighed only 8 st 1lb when I gave birth. Some babies just hide.

Thank you! I'm trying not to worry as logically if anything is wrong there's nothing I can do. I've got a big stomach anyway and there have been days where I've been so bloated I feel like I'm going to pop but more in the upper stomach!

I can remember being absolutely huge at 38 weeks (DC was early and 8lbs 13!!!) but can't remember what I was like at this stage. I don't remember this bit dragging quite so much - you've had your 12 week scan but there isn't much going on!

I’m 33 weeks and one of my colleagues who I see pretty much every day only noticed I’m pregnant yesterday. Don’t worry about size!

I neither looked nor felt pregnant with dd. I owned hardly any maternity clothes as I bought a size or two up and most of them carried on fitting.
I got a bollocking from an optician for cancelling an appointment due to ice and when I said I hadn't wanted to risk slipping due to pregnancy she said she hadn't realised - I gave birth 2 days later (at 36+5)

I'm 35+ weeks and honestly unless I tuck my t-shirt in or wear a tight fitting top people don't know I'm pregnant. I have a bump that's not massive. I don't look pregnant from the back at all. Even my doctor and midwife laugh and say I don't look pregnant. We all carry differently. I honestly thought I would be massive and look incredibly pregnant so I'm surprised by my own body. I wore my larger sized clothes from about week 12 because my regular clothes are all tiny, very fitted waistlines and I found them uncomfortable even though they still fit OK - although not the tiniest ones.

With my first I didn’t show at all and wore the same clothes all the way through, I just looked like I’d eaten a big dinner. With my second I didn’t show properly until about 20-21 weeks and I was pregnant at the same time as a few of my work colleagues’ wives and they all commented on how much smaller my bump was in comparison, then at about 32 weeks literally out of nowhere I ballooned and continued to until he was born! Don’t worry xx

I'm really jealous. With my first I didn't show until about 20 weeks but this time I'm huge at 20 weeks.
It's exhausting and means nothing fits me and I feel a bit bleurgh. I'm hoping I don't continue to grow at this rate and I'll plateau for a bit.
I'm was about 2 stone heavier at the start of this one than last time 5 years ago so assume that could have something to do with it.