Belly Expansion During Pregnancy – A Trimester Wise Guide

6 min read

Written by Sindhuja Prabhu

Sindhuja Prabhu

M.Sc (Psychology),PGDBM

Sindhuja, a mother of two, is an obsessive mom with a keen interest in psychology, especially child psychology. Her quest for knowledge and way with words led her to become a passionate content writer. She transformed her love for writing into a full-fledged career which incidentally also turned up being the perfect stress buster for the last 5 years.

Belly Expansion During Pregnancy

One of the most prominent features of pregnancy is the pregnant belly. A woman is constantly judged and given feedback about the size or change in the size of her pregnant belly. Belly expansion during pregnancy is a very important part of the pregnancy journey, not just for the woman, but for everyone around her too.

Though watching and feeling the pregnant belly grow can be magical and very satisfying for a woman, the social stigma and the societal expectations attached to what the pregnant belly should look like at different times can be very hard on her. So, what is the ideal pregnant belly size? What can one expect? Come, let’s take a closer look to understand better.

In This Article

Pregnant Belly During Pregnancy
When Will The Belly Start to Show up During Pregnancy?
Belly Expansion During The First Trimester (Weeks 1–13)
Belly Expansion During The Second Trimester (Week 14-27)
Belly Expansion During The Third Trimester (Week 28-40)
FAQ’s

Pregnant Belly During Pregnancy

A pregnant belly is a beautifully round belly that keeps growing in size as the baby inside grows. It will look mostly round, tightly stretched with a dark line running vertically across the bump. The bump can be high or low and the rate of growth will also vary from woman to woman.

The pregnancy belly is the visible proof of pregnancy and so, many women and society, in general, attach too much importance to the size and positioning of the same.

When Will The Belly Start to Show up During Pregnancy?

Belly Start to Show up During Pregnancy

One of the biggest concerns for the pregnant woman and the people around her is when the belly will start to show. While some women don’t want to show off their pregnant bellies, some are eager to flaunt the beautiful bump. The truth is, it varies from person to person.

The “showing” of the pregnant belly depends on the following factors:

1. Her Body

Each woman’s body is different and each of these bodies handles pregnancies differently. While some women may be petite or small-made, some can be on the bigger side. In both cases, belly expansion during pregnancy can happen early or late depending on how lax or tight her abdominal muscles are.

If the abdominal muscles are tight (which is usually the case for many women during their first pregnancy) the bump will take longer to show. This is because the muscles are tight and can hold the expanding uterus in for longer.

On the other hand, if the abdominal muscles are lax (which is usually the case for second or later pregnancies) the bump will show up earlier as the muscles cannot hold back the uterus as well as before.

2. Number of Babies

If a woman is carrying twins or more, her pregnant belly will show up sooner compared to women carrying a single fetus. The more the number of babies growing inside the uterus, the bigger it will get and the sooner it will show.

3. Posture

Your posture accounts a lot for what shows or does not show easily. As the pregnancy progresses, a woman will naturally lean back and push the belly forward, thus straining her back. This is very natural and the body’s natural manner to balance the growing weight.

However, with proper guidance and mindful practice, a woman can ensure she does not stand or walk that way and hold her stomach in and keep her back straight. When the posture is right, it will take time for the belly to protrude.

4. Site of Implantation

If the embryo attaches to the lower part of the uterus, the bump will show sooner. The higher the site of attachment, the later it will show in most pregnancies.

5. Baby Size

If the baby is on the heavier side, the uterus will expand sooner to accommodate the growing baby. As a result, the pregnancy belly will show up sooner and may continue to look bigger than average.

Ideally, the pregnancy belly will start showing anytime in the second trimester. Most women don’t “show” during the first trimester. Small-made or petite women and athletically built women may start showing only toward the end of the second trimester. In a few cases, the pregnancy belly will show only a little even during her third trimester. This is when people mistake her as being at the beginning of her pregnancy journey or assume that the baby is too small.

[Read : When Will My Pregnancy Begin To Show?]

Belly Expansion During The First Trimester (Weeks 1–13)

Belly expansion during pregnancy is almost non-existent during this period. For many women, even a slight bump is not visible until they are near the end of the first trimester.

Most women will feel the difference in the way their belly looks or feels to touch. The abdominal walls get harder and the body starts protecting the developing fetus. Many women may even find it difficult to button their pants or sit in such pants for a long time. However, the “bump” may not be visible to others.

Belly Expansion During The Second Trimester (Week 14-27)

Belly Expansion During The Second Trimester

During the second trimester, a woman will experience more noticeable physical changes. Her belly will start growing every week, her breasts can also get bigger and more tender. Some women will start gaining weight overall leading to a more pronounced-looking pregnancy belly.

This is also the time when the dark vertical line called the linea nigra appears. Many women will notice their belly button starts coming out. So if a woman was to wear clothes that don’t cover her stomach at this stage, even if the bump is too small to notice, these two factors will indicate pregnancy.

[Read : Outie Belly Button During Pregnancy]

Belly Expansion During The Third Trimester (Week 28-40)

Belly Expansion During The Third Trimester

Most women start showing around this time. The more petite or athletically built women may start showing only in the last few weeks. As the belly expands, stretch marks will appear, the belly button will look more pronounced, the linea nigra gets darker, and some women may even experience new hair growth on their pregnant bellies.

At this stage, many women will feel full most of the time, thus affecting how much they eat. Smaller and more frequent meals will not only ensure they get the required nutrition but will also help with pregnancy bloating.

In many cases, the baby’s movement will be visible to the naked eye. One can see the baby’s limbs or head pushing against the mother’s belly or even moving around. The more stretched the pregnant belly, the easier it is to see the baby moving inside.

Belly expansion during pregnancy varies from woman to woman, and even from pregnancy to pregnancy. One can never be too sure about the size or health of the baby from the size of the pregnant belly. Only an ultrasound and a medically qualified doctor can give you those answers. So, forget what society says or expects and just enjoy your beautiful pregnant bump!

FAQ’s

1. Does it Hurt When Your Stomach Expands During Pregnancy?

When the uterus and stomach expand in pregnancy, it can be a little uncomfortable. Some women may even experience cramping which may or may not be very painful. However, the pain will ease as the pregnancy progresses.

2. Does Belly Size Indicate the Baby’s Size?

Not really. Even a doctor or a well-experienced midwife cannot determine the size of the baby by looking at the belly size. Small bellies can house big babies and vice-versa is also possible.

3. Why is a Pregnant Belly Bigger at Night?

After a full day of working to hold the pregnant belly in, the abdominal muscles can be weak and just tired, thus not holding the belly in, as they did during the day. It could also be bloating, which is very common during pregnancy. The belly does not grow or shrink at different times of the day, it just appears that way.