Flab 19 weeks!

[Catmom2019]

Stepped on scales and have gained 7lbs since I fell pregnant. I’m still in normal clothes (bizarrely!) and I work out with kettlebells 4/5 times a week. I’m a bit gutted as I don’t look pregnant yet but my belly is just thick and flabby! Having to disguise it with looser fitting tops for now. I just look like I’ve been pumped up with gas instead of a nice round bump! Is this normal?

Everyone is different, but to me it feels like people who are fit/slim/have little belly fat normally gain a lot more weight. Just by noticing various posts.

I'm overweight and haven't gained anything, I'm 19+4.

I guess tour body may be putting fat on because baby needs it, while mine already has plenty?

I'm 23 weeks and I've put on 15lbs!!

This was me. I looked horrid around that time and then when the bump came it all evened out and I felt ok again. It's like your body starts stretching the skin before the bump grows into it! I'm in my last week now and have put on 3,5 stone but I put that on last time and thanks to breastfeeding, lost 4 stone within the first 4-6months (about 2 within weeks). I know it's my body storing fat to help me feed the baby and I make big babies!

It's tough when your body changes but it knows what it's doing!

Yep. Just gave birth. I was a slim size 8 before.

I didn’t really show until 20+ weeks (maybe 24 ish), could still fit in pre pregnancy jeans until that stage, etc but felt really fat/flabby for ages before that.

At the other side I’m told I look great for being still under 2 weeks post partum but I’m not back in my jeans yet (I fit but not comfortably) and I’m desperate to be allowed to exercise.

Top tip. Take photos as you go, even if you don’t feel beautiful. I suddenly decided at 35 weeks I wanted a bump photo and loosely arranged something (ivf pregnancy, unlikely to be repeated, I just wanted to remember the experience). I’ll never have that bump photo now as I went into labour at 35+1

I'm 19 weeks too and I've gained 7lb, started off at 10st and I'm 5'5 so normal weight/bmi and I've gained belly weight but it's not a full bump if that makes sense, it's starting to look more like a bump but I'm not quite there yet.

I'm thinking I'll gain a lot of weight 😬