16 weeks but no proper bump? I'm worried.

[wheretogofromhere12]

I know some people don't get a bump until later but I'm really worried. I keep seeing posts online of people who are also 16 weeks pregnant with a proper bump. I have bloating which I always have anyway.
And then slightly above my pelvis a smaller hard bit of a bump that hasn't really gotten bigger.
I've had 3 losses before so I'm really worried it could have happened again and it's another missed miscarriage.
People are even posting videos of the baby kicking! And you can see it on their tummy, they're also 16 weeks.

With my first DD, my bump just "popped out" around 17/18 weeks pregnant, before that there wasn't much to see. And although I could feel flutters from 16 weeks, they were internal and not visible from the outside at all.

With my current pregnancy my bump arrived earlier than my first, but I have only started to see visible movement from 27 weeks.

@itsjustnotok
Gosh that is a while to wait for a bump to arrive isn't it!

@littlemissalwaystired
Thank you. Yes below my belly button is where it is feeling a little harder so I'm assuming that's where the uterus has stretched to now?
It's difficult to tell as I know the rest is definitely bloat!

Some people at my mothers work didn't even know she was pregnant, and her carer almost had her baby in my mothers's flat because she had no idea she was pregnant and just felt like she had a bad tummy! She didn't have hardly any bump at all.
I didn't have one til about 16 weeks and it just looked like I'd had a big dinner. And I would say it's very uncommon to feel the baby move then - certainly not to the point you can see it - the fetus is the size of an avocado at 16 weeks so they are lying.

With my first I didn’t have a bump until well over the 20 week mark and about the 18 week mark with my second. I had ‘neat’ wee bumps, with my youngest my bump measured 2 weeks behind but he was 9lb 4 and on the 91st centiles!

I didn’t really have a bump until 20 weeks, and even then I could just get normal jeans on. You will get a bump then wish you could breathe or eat a whole meal without feeling full after one bite

However I did see outside movement at 16-17 weeks, as did my family, and I’m not lying, don’t have weak stomach muscles and wasn’t pretending to be a FTM. the kicks were level with my hip bones, on the right. I used to say to my midwife that I could probably draw on my stomach where my (anterior) placenta was as there was like an numb patch where i wouldn’t feel anything at all, through my whole pregnancy.

@wheretogofromhere12
I am with other PPs in reassuring you that not having a visible bump at 16 weeks on your first time pregnancy is completely normal.
I really feel for you though, as you are obviously suffering from huge anxiety because of your previous losses. Have you spoken with your midwife about how you feel?
I was extremely anxious during pregnancy (up until the third trimester) but found a few things that really helped. Now when I look back on the pregnancy, the anxiety is right at the back of my mind and I remember it as being a wonderful time instead.
I really hope that you can find some things to help you feel this way too - your body is doing something amazing!

With my first I had no bump really until 25-28 weeks and was so small i could hide it with a baggy t shirt up until I gave birth.
With my 2nd, I only started to show around 22-24weeks and is now a proper bump at 34 weeks. My midwife said the baby doesnt start to grow out of the pelvis until 17-20 weeks so anything before that is normally just bloat or you may show sooner if youve had multiple pregnancies.
Try your best not to worry. 🤗

Please don’t worry OP! I had absolutely no bump at 16 weeks. That whole period post the bad first trimester symptoms and before the 20 week scan and starting to feel baby move I could hardly believe I was actually pregnant - I didn’t feel or look it! I’m 39 weeks now and definitely look it. 😂 But (looking back at “bump” photos) it was probably only at around 25 weeks that I started showing. Even now I get surprised comments that I’m as far along as I am, even though once my bump is actually measured at my appointments, the measurements are tracking exactly where they should be. We all just carry differently.

Also agree with PPs that it’s important to take online “bump” photos with a pinch of salt - I’ve seen so many where people have their backs arched! That doesn’t count, people! Tuck your pelvis and point your tailbone down and THEN let’s see what that bump looks like 🙂

I had no bump until 25 weeks in my first pregnancy. I wore a size 10 bridesmaid dress at 24 weeks! I think it takes longer to show in first pregnancies.
Could you get a private scan to put your mind at rest?

I didn't have a bump at 16 weeks, I just looked a bit fat. Put my normal jeans on at 17 weeks and realised I couldn't sit down in them.

I’m now 24 weeks and look like I’ve swallowed a beach ball!

Hi OP. I suffered from recurrent miscarriage before my successful pregnancy. I had no bump at all at 16 weeks - just a slight bulge where my uterus was when I lay down. I managed to hide it from work until after my scan at 22 weeks. I started to feel movement at 18 weeks, which I think is fairly early, and I had a posterior placenta which makes movement easier to feel. If your 12 week scan was all fine then I'm sure you have no reason to worry.

My friend has no noticeable bump yet and she's 22 weeks with her third! Please don't worry. At 16 weeks the baby is still very small.

16 weeks kicking sounds highly suspect to me. Babies don't kick at that age, they "flutter" and that is what you would feel like. I didn't have anything like a discernable bump till gone 20 weeks but then again I've had a couple of friends with 20 week bumps that looked more like 30 weeks

Thank you @LonglegsMumtheBlacksmith
I have spoken to the midwife to say how anxious I am but I have only seen one midwife once and that was at 8 weeks. I haven't seen anyone since. I do have a pregnancy after loss book that I've read a bit of. I'll continue to read more of it. There are exercises in there etc.

@Rrrob
I've actually had 4 scans already. I had IVF so had a scan with them. Then I had another one with them because I was bleeding. Then I paid for a private scan elsewhere. Then I had the NHS 12 week scan, but I was 13 weeks at the time. I am hoping I'll be having another one this week at my appointment.

@Georgeskitchen
Yes I thought it was supposed to be like a flutter. But when they were all saying they could see visible kicks on the bump I thought 'my god I don't even have a proper bump and theirs are kicking!' It really doesn't help the anxiety when I look at all that online.

Hi OP - I had twins and had no noticeable bump till about 22 weeks.

I feel for you so much, the anxiety can be absolutely overwhelming!

Please try not to concern yourself with this - agree with PP’s that these pictures will be making the most of what must surely be the tiniest bump at that stage! I was smaller at 20 weeks than I was when I fell pregnant due to constant sickness. I started getting a bump at more like 24 weeks and now at 38 weeks I am HUGE, honestly I feel embarrassed going out in public!

It’s so totally personal, I know a thin woman that gave birth to a healthy baby without knowing she was pregnant and never got a bump!

It’s so much easier to say “don’t worry” than to actually not worry, but 16 weeks is so so early to be seeing or feeling anything! But take the bad with the good - the internet allows you to see all of these people that have a bump at 16 weeks, which causes stress understandably, but there will be way more people on this thread telling you they had a totally different experience so try to take comfort in that!

You should join the "due July 2022" thread as we were having a bit of discussion about bumps the other day. As everyone has already said, it's so different for everyone. I'm 16+3 and no visible bump yet, although it's starting to feel a bit different. I still don't think I've felt any movement yet either, possibly have but out it down to gas, but it's so hard to say!
I can't see any 16 week old bump being big/ strong enough to have visible kicks though.

@wheretogofromhere12

Thank you *@LonglegsMumtheBlacksmith* I have spoken to the midwife to say how anxious I am but I have only seen one midwife once and that was at 8 weeks. I haven't seen anyone since. I do have a pregnancy after loss book that I've read a bit of. I'll continue to read more of it. There are exercises in there etc.

I know the midwives are over-stretched but please don't feel you're being a nuisance if you ask for reassurance. There might be a thread on MN that you can join for other Mums who are due at the same time? Or one for Mums who are expecting after

After losses - apologies, hit send too soon!

20 weeks here and just got myself a bit of a bump.

To the rest of the world, it just looks like I've overdone it on the fast food.

I was having a cheeky look at my DH's beer belly yesterday and lamenting that he looks more pregnant than me. 😅🤫

@dahliaaa crikey! That's a while isn't it for there being 2 in there. Just shows how well they can hide if it took that long to show!

@MissingGrandstand
Thank you. Yes it doesn't really help to look at those pics and videos. I just need to try and trust that everything is ok. I can't wait to know for definite. Which should be this Thursday.