showing early/big bellies

[mamallama]

I'm on the short side (5'2) and I'm right at the average weight for my height.

I showed early and carried "big" with both of my kids--especially my second. It really made me crazy the way complete strangers would insist that there was something pathological about my size. Loudly. And in random places like resturants or the grocery...going to the pool was a real adventure.

<sigh> I'm 10wks into my fourth pregnancy. I had a late m/c with my last pregnancy, so I'm really not interested in shouting the news from the rooftops. I try to conceal it with my clothes, but since hardly any of my regular clothes fit, there's only so much I can do.

Today I walked into dd's classroom (an enrichment program--not school,) and her teacher says to all the kids and parents "Oh, look, C's mom is going to have a baby!" I could have kicked her!

Share with me ladies! I need commiseration! I need advice and practical tips. I need...clever comebacks? a thicker skin? a remote cabin?

[torio]

I know just what you're talking about. We're expecting our first child (also 10 wks now), and I also had a m/c last time. I didn't think that could make you show earlier the next time, but here it is. I'm tall and thin and never had boobs. Now my belly and boobs are almost impossible to hide. I think the only reason more people aren't asking is because they know about the m/c and are trying to be polite. I fessed up to one of my close male friends when he teased me about how it couldn't be breats implants because they don't put a soccer ball in you belly along with them!:lol

[chinaKat]

9 weeks here, not really "showing" but definitely podding out! I'm in my "fat pants" right now, I REFUSE to bust out the maternity clothes just yet.

This is my third pregnancy -- first one I didn't show anything at all until at least 4 months. Second was a m/c, so I understand the feeling of not shouting this pregnancy from the rooftops.

Nobody has commented yet, I think that it's probably crossed some folks' mind that I'm putting on the poundage, though!!!

I did get really big in my first pregnancy -- I freaking HATED the comments. It got to the point where I'd lie about my due date when strangers asked me about it, because I couldn't take the "Oh my god! Are you having twins!" and so forth.

It is so lame that when you are pregnant you are totally viewed as public property!!!

[mamallama]

I think the two pregnancies in quick succession have really done me in.

I tried really hard not to tell my due date with my second pregnancy. Sometimes I lied :innocent

This time I'm not going to be able to lie. My kids go everywhere with me, and my conscience would prevent it. Plus they'd out me :lol

It's not that I mind discussing my pregnancy and hearing congrats from strangers--there is nothing wrong with polite chit-chat.

The thing is, the politeness is so short lived. I recall one lady in particular who did a double take and then called her friend over to marvel at my belly, and before I could get away the conversation turned to diabetes (which I didn't have) and surgical birth (which I didn't want) and general crappy predictions.

Dh says I should work on my "you're-a-f*ing-moron" stare and just walk away.

[chinaKat]

The thing is, the politeness is so short lived.

So true, so true!!! I had a woman that had never been pregnant before tell me (with glee, it seemed) that I wouldn't be able to wear any of my shoes anymore after having a baby -- my feet would grow too much. I just looked at her and said, very seriously, "I'm sure that won't be a problem for me." She didn't like that.

[Jilian]

I'm dreading the comments about my big belly. It seemed that when I was pregnant with DS everyone felt the need to tell me how big I was. There would be people who would argue with me about whether or not I was having twins. A woman I worked with felt the need to tell me I had gained weight all over and not just in my belly - her exact comment was "Even your a** and thighs are big". Then there were the people who would ask me when I was due and when I'd say "5 more weeks" they'd let me know I looked like I was due any second. Yeah, thanks :irked:

I'm really dreading it. I don't think I can be nice this time around.

[chrissy]

yeah, i don't have any tips, but i totally understand. i showed earlyish and got pretty darn huge with my first 2. people were always sure i was having twins or due any second.

this time i am waaaaaay bigger way earlier. i was pregnant earlier this year and had a miscarriage at 8.5 weeks in march. then i was very very briefly pregnant again in july. i miscarried just about as soon as i found out i was pregnant.

i have seriously looked pregnant since right about the time i got the positive test. my almost 5 year old kept telling me "mommy, i really think there is a baby in your belly because your tummy is so big!":o strangers and people i know have been asking me when i'm due since i was about 6 weeks. now at 12 weeks i look about 6 months pregnant.

so, yeah i definitely know where you're coming from.

[2much2luv]

I remember going in for a massage at about 20 weeks with my last baby and the massage therapist just marveled that I was *only* 20 weeks along. :rolleyes So freakin' rude.
It's already begun this time. ;) My *darling* four/almost five year old has been telling me how big my belly is getting. :rolleyes No matter how much I insist that my belly has always been this "chubby" (as she likes to call it) she insists that the baby must be coming tomorrow.

[oregongirlie]

Look all surprised and hurt and sort of quietly say, "I'm not pregnant."

[mamallama]

Then there were the people who would ask me when I was due and when I'd say "5 more weeks" they'd let me know I looked like I was due any second.

My favorite was when people would respond to "5 more weeks" (or 6 or 10 or whatever) with "you'll never make it!" Thanks, but I'd rather not have my baby born prematurely :irked

Can I blame my crankiness on my hormones?

[mamallama]

Look all surprised and hurt and sort of quietly say, "I'm not pregnant."

I've done that. Except I really wasn't. :innocent I was holding my 8wk old baby at the time. The woman who said it nearly cried when she realized what an insensitive thing she'd said.

[torio]

Chrissy, I know what you mean about never getting back to prepregnancy size. I was underweight before I got pregnant the first time, gained about 15 lbs in the 10wks before the m/c and agreed with our midwife that trying to diet was probably not conducive to conceiving again soon. (I'm 41 so we didn't want to wait). I've gained another 5 or 6 since I became pregnant again and although I feel good about the way I'm eating none of my clothes fit anymore--even the newer fat clothes! We've got a few more weeks to go before DH feels comfortable sharing the news, but meanwhile it's getting hard to hide it.