How to hide it...

[kati_kati]

i'm 10 weeks now and SO bloated. my tummy is normally flat so i feel super self conscious. my pants don't fit without a very tight squeeze and i often have to unbutton when i'm sitting down... but i'm not ready to tell, and i'm not ready to buy new clothes because i'm afraid i'll jinx things (i haven't had my first appt yet and had 2 m/c's before this).

so, does anyone have any simple ideas on how to make your regular clothes 'stretch' for a few more weeks to hide it a little longer? or how to ease the bloating? do i have any hope? i thought i read somewhere that the bloating might go down towards the end of the 1st trimester so i won't feel so big for much longer?

[To-Fu]

I haven't tried these, but I have seen them advertised all over:

http://www.ingridandisabel.com/bellaband.html

If they work, they should help out a lot!

[queenbean]

You can use a rubber band to extend the life of your pants, if you wear longer shirts. Just loop the rubber band through the button hole and back around itself, so that it's secure, and then loop the other end over the button. That'll give you another inch or two. Then as long as your shirt covers it, you're good to go.

But don't be self-conscious about it. This is what pregnancy is all about! Embrace the changes in your body as signs that your baby is healthy. If you look at it in that light, instead of "Look what's happening to my body, I'm getting fat, I do'nt look the same" and being self-conscious, you'll be able to enjoy your pregnancy much more. s: Congrats mama!

[queenbean]

haha SeaTurtle, we were posting at the same time. But you had more advice. I like some of your tips!

[leafwood]

What about some inexpensive elastic waist skirts....they seem to be everywhere this season and a lot of the regular clothes look like maternity clothes to me (which actually makes me more self-conscious when wearing them, but that's another issue ).

The best thing I bought last time was a pair of "first trimester" maternity capris that just had elastic on the back. They were great post-partum as well.

[g&a]

Originally Posted by leafwood

The best thing I bought last time was a pair of "first trimester" maternity capris that just had elastic on the back. They were great post-partum as well.

I think buying some clothes in just a size or 2 bigger than your normal is a good idea. it takes a while post-partum to get back into regular clothes (for normal people you will always hear stories of people who went home the hospital in their normal jeans) and the last thing you want to wear is maternity clothes. You won't want to do a lot of shopping then either.

g.

[roseoffred]

I was in pretty much the same boat as you. I just finally hit 13 weeks and the bloating is starting to go down but I definitely wasn't feeling quite right before. I'm also flat tummied normally. I wouldn't have minded at all (I'm excited about getting a tummy!) but we were not ready to tell people until we were more or less sure that everything was going to work out (My last preg ended in m/c). I just went to TJ Maxx and got stuff out of their regular womens/juniors section. The way they are making clothes right now, you could probably get away with non-maternity well into the second trimester. There are tons of elastic waisted pants and cute belly covering shirts. Plus, you can wear that stuff any time, pregnant or not, so it wouldn't be jinxing yourself!

I'll have to give the rubber band thing a try too. My pants are so uncomfortable!

On a side note, I'm glad we waited to tell people. I've already gotten lots of questions about how far along I was the first time when we lost the baby and was I past that point yet blah blah blah. Talk about adding to stress!!!

I'm sending you lots of sticky baby vibes!!

[StrawHatBrat]

I'm on baby number 4 so there is NO hiding mine.
Just suck it up and buy a pair of no panel maternity pants from old navy. They fit great and last through the whole pregnancy and after!!

[susienjay]

I'm not really ready to tell anyone yet and I was hoping I could hide it for a family visit in 2 weeks. I seem to show sooner each time and at 10 weeks I think I'm going to have to tell soon. I have a very noticable pooch already.

[Ruthiegirl]

I have never been able to hide a pregnancy for very long. The severe morning sickness tips people off quickly and my enormous swollen belly is a ringer.

Those belly bands look cool though. I think if I was more hip and really cared about my wardrobe, I would give one of those a try. As it is, I just wear the comfy Target maternity shorts. Ah well.

Good luck though. I have know women who wore their regular clothes until the 5th or 6th month with the aid of a few rubber bands and paper clips, ala MacGyver style.

[kati_kati]

thanks so much for the great ideas everyone!!! i think i will try the button extension thing for sure! bella bands seem very cool, but too hip for me to wear at work (they would definitely wonder what was up!). i'm only self-conscious because i don't want people to find out yet... i cannot wait to have a big enough real baby belly that i _have_ to tell them. i really want to get bigger soon (my uterus, that is), hoping it's a sign that things are going well. last time i found out about a blighted ovum at 13.5 weeks (but my uterus apparently was at about 9 weeks in size so i'm hoping it will get bigger now this time)... i'm reluctant to have them use the doppler to hear a heartbeat, but might just give in at my 1st appt at 13 weeks, not sure yet... if i'm definitely bigger by then, i might feel comfortable enough with that, we'll see...

anyway, i may just allow myself to go shopping this weekend (now that you've all encouraged me) and at least buy some looser pants. i found some old pairs in the closet that fit better but of course they're out-dated so i don't want to wear those either! or maybe i'll wear a skirt to work... that would be a first for me too!

thanks for the support and sticky baby vibes! much appreciated. good to hear the bloating might go down in a few weeks too.

[bryonyvaughn]

Good tips so far. The only thing I can think to as is... posture.

When folks are feeling tired they tend to slouch while standing and sitting which makes a pregnant woman look farther along.

If you tuck your pelvis under, hold in your abs, throw back your shoulders, and hold your head up high, you can breath better, increase your core strength, and hide your pregnancy a lot longer. Some people find it easier to stand up straight if they throw back their shoulders and imagine a helium balloon attached to the top of their head.

People tend to notice your bust more when you have good posture and (if you don't tuck in your shirt) the farther your bust sticks out the more hiding room you have for your belly.

HTH,
BV

[frogleymom]

Originally Posted by bryonyvaughn

People tend to notice your bust more when you have good posture and (if you don't tuck in your shirt) the farther your bust sticks out the more hiding room you have for your belly.

HTH,
BV

This is one reason I don't "show" until much later in pregnancy. I'm pretty tiny (5'2" 115lbs), but I'm rather well-endowed (D when not pregnant). I actually hated this feature, because my large chest hides my belly in most shirts and just makes me look overweight all over. I graduated from college eight months pregnant with my first. In the graduation robes, I honestly just looked fat. You couldn't tell that I actually had a baby under there.

Emily

[flapjack]

Go and buy a new bra, a really well fitting one: for all the reasons given above. Flaunting your bodacious baby-making boobs really will hide the belly
With it being summer, most people won't look twice if you add a few pieces to your wardrobe; shorts (elastic in the waist), some wide-legged linen trousers with a drawstring (bought a size too big, maybe) or similar. Also, if you wear more makeup than usual or otherwise glam yourself up (I know one woman who always wears seamed stockings in her 2ww and first trimester, and everyone thinks she's a total sex kitten. She is, in a way) then whilst people may notice your belly, they'll dismiss what they're noticing. YWKIM?

[simplehome]

Originally Posted by flapjack

Go and buy a new bra, a really well fitting one: for all the reasons given above.

Ooh, I would LOVE a new bra right now, especially one that looks decent! They just aren't out there---I'm still nursing and am an absurd size (32G). I'm kinda hoping that I'll go back up to 34 pretty soon so I can have some more choices!

[simplehome]

Originally Posted by Seaturtle

Pages and pages of 32G bras!!!

Thanks for the thought---but only 6 of them are nursing bras, and two are the same bra (different colors, and that happens to be the one that I own---the Anita). But the othes there ARE ones I haven't seen before, so that's something, eh?

I've heard from my bra fitter that Medela has plans to cut their 32 nursing bras....even though their bras don't fit my short torso, it still irks me that there will be fewer options out there for those with small rib cages. I'm not even SKINNY by any stretch of the imagination, just have an odd bone structure, I guess....