*** Belly Thread *** May 2013 *** - Page 6 « Back to Group Discussions

[Mama4life14]

Timesway, I was like that with my first baby! I barely showed at all. I think it was finally like 20 weeks where I actually looked pregnant! You and I have pretty long torso's, so it takes a bit for the bump to show.
I was expecting to have a small bump for a long time again, but I've popped in the last week, I just had to take a picture today at 13 weeks to show you all! I don't know if it's because I have a tilted uterus, but I wasn't expecting to update my belly pic so soon!

Here was 12 weeks


Here is 13 weeks

[Sohum mama]

16 Weeks

17 Weeks

I'm not sure if it looks much bigger from 16 to 17 weeks it's so hard to tell for yourself. I really love seeing all the pics everyone looks great! This is number two for me and I feel like my belly is so much bigger than last time! Hope you all have a great weekend!

[kimble]

Lovely to see the beautiful bellies! I really need to take a pic now that DH is home this week.

Originally Posted by nstewart 

 Heehee.  I am definitely larger by the end of the day or after a meal too.  Gotta love maternity pants during big meals though, right??  You don't have to undo a zipper after you eat.

Maybe 17 weeks is a growth spurt?  I have the same symptoms (SO hungry and sore hips and back). 

LOL, I know this is probably just the first timer in me, but after struggling to find pants that fit all my adult life being pregnant is the first time I can actually expect a generic S/M/L size to fit me! I don't want to go back! If yoga pants are "in", can we just re-brand maternity jeans as yoga jeans and look like geniuses?

I hit 16 weeks on Thanksgiving, and DH called this weekend "watch your belly grow" time as we were driving back from in laws last night. I went from straddling the bloated/fat/pregnant border last week to a definite bump, and am loving it. I agree,17 weeks seems to be a turning point.

Originally Posted by timesway 

 *goes off to buy a beach ball to tie round her waist until a bump appears*

maybe you will also be blessed by the 17 week bump fairy!

[scary biscuits]

I am 14w2ds and my belly has definitely shrunk in the past week:( Part of it is that I am less bloated and part is that I have been sick the past few days and have lost some weight. Seems silly to post a photo of my belly now, like I'm going backwards:)

[AmandaLynnH]

Times, I don't really have a belly yet either, although I'm not as tiny as you (sooooo jealous!).  I do get one heck of a bloat baby by the end of the day a lot of days now.  I had thought that was going away but it's come back the last few days.  I probably need to drink more water.  If only they'd make it taste better!

I was happy to not show at all over Thanksgiving as my mom is being super creepy about me having a belly (she said she wants to lay with me...weird).  I didn't have much of an appetite (which worked for me, it really annoys her normally when I don't pig out and even more so when pregnant) so I didn't eat a ton and the bloat was really scant so that was nice.  Didn't stop her from pointing out my nonexistent "belly" on a walk (it was nearly 60 degrees out..in WI!).  Um no mom, that's just the zipper on my hoodie sticking out.  See?  Weirdo.

I'll totally be fine with not showing a ton.  Less stretching, less discomfort.  Although I keep forgetting that since I don't look pregnant I shouldn't expect special line treatment or anything when at the store and if I glare at people making me wait a long time I just look kinda bitchy instead of pregnant.

[timesway]

fingers crossed for the 17 week bump fairy.. just 1 and a bit more days til my 17 week picture hehe so stand by ;) lol..

Awww thankyou amanda thats sweet of u to say.. im feelin pretty gross about my body atm but i think part of it is because i started off pretty underweight.. my head is having to do a lot of adjusting to eating more then 700 calories a day!! which can be a bit of a tricky one.. so where most people probably see normal person i see fat splodge.. that and pregnancy has made my water retention worse so i havve a squidge around my hips and my arms which makes me the most stressed of all because theres nothing i can do about it.. except eat more broccolli!! (LOL)

but thankyou all you lovelys .. im grateful in a way for not having a big heavy bump i guess i just thought by now (in my ideal what pregnancy is like bit of my brain) i would have a bump like baileys amazing one!! hehe.. and im like a spoilt child not being given her christmas presents yet waiting ;) HAHA..

Glad not showing so much is a good thing with your mum.. that sounds sortve creepy.. my sister pointed out my bloat the other day and insisted i was showing (i was constipated,tired and felt sick so mega bloat going on) and i didnt like her pointing it out.. made me annoyed i think because i dont have anything and shes pointingto somehting that is bloat.. lol so made me feel self concious..

ALso on the subject of creepy weird mums.. my mum has completely freaked me out just by one conversation.. she told me she wasnt going to get excite about me being pregnant.. being excited could wait until after the baby is born (insinuating that i wont manage to carry this baby to term and will miscarry) this lack of faith has totally shaken me.. and because i am such high risk of preterm stuff and i have a dodgy cervix i found out aswell.. im on uber freak out now and wont let myself chill about anything til i know whats going on.. gonna see the ob on monday hoping they will calm me down a bit about it.. its mad what an affect she still has on me.. she has no faith in anthing i do.. except failing... she wants me to fail.. :(
 

[Loogiejane]

Originally Posted by AmandaLynnH 

I was happy to not show at all over Thanksgiving as my mom is being super creepy about me having a belly (she said she wants to lay with me...weird).  I didn't have much of an appetite (which worked for me, it really annoys her normally when I don't pig out and even more so when pregnant) so I didn't eat a ton and the bloat was really scant so that was nice.  Didn't stop her from pointing out my nonexistent "belly" on a walk (it was nearly 60 degrees out..in WI!).  Um no mom, that's just the zipper on my hoodie sticking out.  See?  Weirdo.

cracked me up

[MarieWalter]

Originally Posted by timesway 

ALso on the subject of creepy weird mums.. my mum has completely freaked me out just by one conversation.. she told me she wasnt going to get excite about me being pregnant.. being excited could wait until after the baby is born (insinuating that i wont manage to carry this baby to term and will miscarry) this lack of faith has totally shaken me.. and because i am such high risk of preterm stuff and i have a dodgy cervix i found out aswell.. im on uber freak out now and wont let myself chill about anything til i know whats going on.. gonna see the ob on monday hoping they will calm me down a bit about it.. its mad what an affect she still has on me.. she has no faith in anthing i do.. except failing... she wants me to fail.. :(
 

It's so hard when someone who should be your biggest cheerleader, like a parent, instead is just a source of stress. Hang in there, times! xo

[Loogiejane]

timesaway...you normally eat 700 calories a day? Tmi of me but does that have anything to do with your dyspraxia? I decided to go back through the thread to see if you mentioned anything that would have an effect on calorie intake. Then I noticed how you mentioned the dyspaxia affects your literacy skills- but I couldnt tell if you were joking or being serious :P It intrigues me though because I'm in school for Speech Pathology an learning about different disorders and whatnot.

Also try to put your mom out of your mind. It might help if you have a genuine discussion with her about wanting only positive vibes and that you invite her to only say positive things to you. I havent tried it yet (but plan/hope to) but maybe prenatal yoga could help to ease the tension towards her?

When DH and I told my MIL we're expecting the first thing she said was "And now I have to worry." I'm sorry, what? Why would you worry? (Because it makes sense) she said that it was something her mother said when she found out someone was pregnant so now it's something she has to say too. I told her to please not worry and that we're looking for no stress and only positive energy. She obliged and said "ok...only good vibes" and we said, "please, yes, thanks you."

Low and behold she, who has worked in the hospital setting for 25 years, has NO idea I'm doing a HB. Eek.

[timesway]

loogiejane.. i was on a low amount just before i got preg because i have ehlers-danlos syndrome, and i had been hospitalised with pyelonithritis (for the 1000th time lol) and near kidney failure again.. at the begginning of my preg.. and had been ill coming up to it which had set offf an attack of gastroparesis (linked to eds) i have had swallowing probs before due to eds and dyspraxia aswell, and have just always found eating hard.. when im not eating for 1.2 ;) i normally eat for 0.5 ;) lol.. so im trying to sortve in a way eat for 2 of me.. and attempt normal calorie consumption... because normally i just fail.. i was also particularly bad just before preg because i was in an abusive relationship, and getting quite unwell, and had just stopped taking care of myself so where i would normally have pushed harder ot eat more.. i just wasnt.. so i had lost an extra bit of weight.. drs think i was about 6 1/2 stone in hosp (im 5'9 ish but light framed to start with) but the dropping then stabalising and the being preg thing lol is quite a body image muddle...

Mariewalker-thankyou, i barely talk to my mum because she just messes my head up everytime i do.. however this christmas for the first time in 10 years i am goin down to cornwall for christmas with my family (my cousins just had a baby so im going to meet it) this is terrifying.. i have managed to convince them to higher me an electric wheelchair so i should be able to get out at least (thank god) but mainly im gonna be stranded miles from home .. with no p.a's basically ON MY OWN.. in cornwall.. with a family that i normally cant cope with spending 10 minutes around... im pretty scared it has to be said!!

Sohum mama-i meant to write before.. black is more slimming but your definately fuller on the top of your bump now :)

Mama4life-aww your bump is looking adorable.. its so neat and little but yes u have definately popped!! we do have similar lengh torsos i did wonder if that mite be part of it!! ..we shall see if i grow on next photo :P

[Loogiejane]

Originally Posted by timesway 

loogiejane.. i was on a low amount just before i got preg because i have ehlers-danlos syndrome, and i had been hospitalised with pyelonithritis (for the 1000th time lol) and near kidney failure again.. at the begginning of my preg.. and had been ill coming up to it which had set offf an attack of gastroparesis (linked to eds) i have had swallowing probs before due to eds and dyspraxia aswell, and have just always found eating hard.. when im not eating for 1.2 ;) i normally eat for 0.5 ;) lol.. so im trying to sortve in a way eat for 2 of me.. and attempt normal calorie consumption... because normally i just fail.. i was also particularly bad just before preg because i was in an abusive relationship, and getting quite unwell, and had just stopped taking care of myself so where i would normally have pushed harder ot eat more.. i just wasnt.. so i had lost an extra bit of weight.. drs think i was about 6 1/2 stone in hosp (im 5'9 ish but light framed to start with) but the dropping then stabalising and the being preg thing lol is quite a body image muddle...
 

wow wow wow, you have been through SO much. For class recently we watched a movie on swallowing disorders or problems people have with swallowing that accompany other disorders and it became clear to me how much it is not discussed as being a huge problem that people have. I feel for you and am sending all the good and healthy vibes your way that I possibly can over cyber waves.

[FarmerMomma]

13.5 weeks

[kimble]

Originally Posted by Loogiejane 

When DH and I told my MIL we're expecting the first thing she said was "And now I have to worry." I'm sorry, what? Why would you worry? (Because it makes sense) she said that it was something her mother said when she found out someone was pregnant so now it's something she has to say too. I told her to please not worry and that we're looking for no stress and only positive energy. She obliged and said "ok...only good vibes" and we said, "please, yes, thanks you."

^ this is exactly what I anticipate from my mom in a few weeks when we visit my family for Christmas. years ago (maybe when I graduated from college and was "on my own" for the first time?) she told me "I'm a mother, it's my job to worry". Since she doesn't work, this means it's her full time job to worry, and I'm now the primary target again. the last time we talked on the phone she ended with "now you're taking your vitamins, right?" ... yes mom! I know she means well but it can me more frustrating than encouraging.

I'm planning to taking a slightly different approach though - instead of asking for 100% positive support (not really my style and certainly not tell-it-like-it is DH's style!) I want to open this to a conversation about pregnancy, birth, and motherhood with her. We have never been close, especially when it comes to "lady stuff", but I want to learn what her experience was like. I know all about my MIL's, but very little about my own family's journey to motherhood. I expect some pain for both of us along the way - I know I was born by emergency c-section, suspect I was unplanned, and the more I learn about fetal growth, the more I suspect I was premature rather than 2 weeks late as my mom claims. At any rate, I want to take a sledgehammer to the wall my mom has built, and open the floor to questions and honest discussion.

and now back to the topic of bumps! I had my 3rd midwife appt today, and since I switched practices she did a full physical and pelvic exam. When she pulled back the robe to prod my belly, she exclaimed "what a cute bump"! with some surprise and excitement. She normally does the exams at the first visit (~8 weeks) but since I didn't see her until last month, I got the exam late. It gave me a little thrill to hear the excitement in her voice, as she sees a dozen women a day and should be used to bumps. It made me feel motherly and gave me warm fuzzies. I really need to take a picture tonight - it's so fun to see everyone else and I'm done being shy now that there's a professionally-confirmed bump!

[Mama4life14]

Aww!! What a nice Midwife! She sounds great! Professionally-confirmed bump! Love it! Can't wait to see your cute bump Kimble!

[timesway]

hehe thats sweet :) we need proof now!!

I think we should all stop  being shy and post our bumps now.. i want to see more tummys (hehe im such a weirdo!) Look foreward to seeing more bumpage :D and farmer thats a cute bump already!  i need to post one today as im 17 weeeks :D hoorah

[Quinalla]

Love all the new belly shots, everyone is so cute I'll post another next Friday when I hit 16 weeks!

[MarieWalter]

We've been doing shots every 4 weeks, since 8 weeks. The 16 wk line is Saturday, so maybe I'll put my little series up then. Have definitely been feeling like there's a real bump there lately!

[kimble]

As a reference, here's a terrible cell phone shot of me at 15 weeks, before the bump fairy (and thanksgiving turkey) arrived.My middle is thicker than pre-preg but nowhere near where it is now!

[nstewart]

K, here is a terrible cell phone shot from earlier this evening.  This is 18 weeks to the day.  BUT, I will finally have a camera and can take real pictures again as Santa came early (gotta love Black Fridays) and I got my camera in the mail today!  Now I just need to figure out how to operate it... 

[timesway]

kimble.. ooo cant wait to see the one with the 17 week bump fairy!!

nstewart.. beautiful picture :) lovely bump :)

heres my 17 week one from yest, am a bit constipated/kidney infectioned/gassy but this was the best one i could get... i think the 17 week bump fairy had a bit of a visit, i can def feel my tummy more.. i think 18 week fairy is where its at ;)  (also i wonder if part of the problem is every time my tummy grows my boobs do too.. :P )