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Being pregnant is a very special moment in a woman’s life, full of new sensations, emotions, thoughts and, above all, transformations. The most striking is, without a doubt, the growth of the belly, but what many do not know is that not all bellies grow the same way in a pregnancy.
And this difference can cause many questions and even concern. Why is my belly different from the ones I have seen? Do I have a problem? Does it indicate the sex of the baby?
All of these doubts are common and happen with a certain frequency and that is exactly why we are going to talk today about why there are different bellies in pregnancy . But first, it is necessary to understand how a woman’s belly grows when she is pregnant.
When Does Pregnancy Belly Start Growing?
It is common for some women to be concerned when they come across their belly and see that there are different bellies in pregnancy, but we have to know that this is normal! There are bellies that grow more and faster, others that point more, and therefore, they are all different and vary from woman to woman.
For mothers who have already had their first child, the belly tends to grow faster, because the body has already gone through this process in another pregnancy. However, first-time mothers usually have to wait longer to see the belly appear.
It is common to be fooled by growth in the first few weeks, but this is nothing more than a hormonal swelling in the abdomen , which is accompanied by swelling of the breasts, face and other parts of the body.
The appearance of the belly even occurs normally from the third month, but as stated earlier, everything will depend on the body of the pregnant woman and her development.
What Influences Belly Size in Pregnancy?
It is important to know that during pregnancy there are many factors that will influence the growth of the belly , whether it will grow a lot or a little, whether it will be pointed or rounded, everything will depend on the woman’s body in that pregnancy. Let’s quote and explain some of these factors here:
- The physical size of the woman
- The abdominal muscles
- Positioning of the uterus
- The gestation time
The Physical Size of Women
The physical size of the pregnant woman greatly influences the size of the belly during pregnancy. The type of food she takes , the weight before pregnancy, all of these will influence the growth of the belly. Even the size of your hips can tell you a lot about your belly size.
The Abdominal Muscles
Women who have physical activities very present in their life usually have the toughest and strongest abdominal muscles and this can make the belly during pregnancy smaller and take even longer to appear. Which is not to say that there is something wrong, it is just a different belly.
Positioning of the Uterus
Few people know this, but the positioning of the uterus can also influence the size and shape of the belly during pregnancy. Women who have the uterus tilted forward usually see the tummy appearing earlier, unlike women who have the uterus tilted back, where it takes a little longer to appear.
Gestation Time
Another point that seems obvious but it is important to emphasize is that during pregnancy there are periods when the belly grows bigger and others when it does not grow at all. It is precisely during gestation that we can see this.
In the last months the belly tends to grow a lot , at the beginning it is normal that it does not grow and will only appear in the fourth or fifth month.
These are just some of the factors that form different bellies in pregnancy, it is good to know them to understand that there is not an ideal type of belly, an ideal size, everything will depend on the development of the pregnancy.
Belly Size Indicates Baby’s Size?
In most cases, yes. However it is necessary to take into account all the factors mentioned above, because all of this also counts as the size of your belly. In addition to the intestinal gases that are very common during this period and also make volume in the abdominal region .
To know for sure you need to talk to a doctor who, through some measurements and also an ultrasound, will be able to tell you your “uterine height” which is nothing more than
measuring the pelvis to the height of the belly. The most correct thing is that the uterine height is following the gestation time, that is, with 20 weeks of gestation there should be 20 centimeters of uterine height.
Does the shape of the belly indicate the sex of the baby?
No, this is just a myth! It is very common to hear from older people that if the belly is pointed then a boy will be born and if the belly is rounded a girl will be born, but as we have seen there are several factors that influence the growth of the belly during pregnancy and everything depends on the woman for body to body, so these statements are false.
Why Does the Belly Get Hard in Pregnancy?
It is common for pregnant women to be concerned when they realize that sometimes the belly gets stiff, but this is normal. First, because the belly starts to get hard right at the beginning of pregnancy, more specifically in the region below the navel, this is due to the growth of the fetus and uterus, which begins to shape the belly.
This stiffening also happens after the first 20 weeks due to Braxton-Hicks contractions, or training contractions. These contractions serve to train the body for actual contractions at the time of delivery.
It is important to note that these contractions are painless and happen sporadically, so if you start to feel pain and discomfort during Braxton-Hicks contractions and they become more frequent, see a doctor quickly.
Is Belly Pie in Pregnancy Normal?
The crooked belly may also appear at the time of Braxton-Hicks contractions, but normally the crooked belly is nothing more than an indication of the baby’s position. Therefore, as well as the stiffening of the belly at times, the crooked belly is also normal and does not pose any problem for pregnancy.
Over time, more often at the end of pregnancy when the baby is older, it is possible to see where the bottom is, the head and the hands and feet.
It is important to know that there are several factors that influence the size and shape of your tummy during pregnancy. In the vast majority of cases, this is something natural, as each person is different from the other, carrying physical and behavioral individualities that influence this process.
Of course, it is always important to be up to date with the doctor , not only because of the shape of your belly, but because professional monitoring is important in all aspects of pregnancy, it is what guarantees your baby’s health.
Despite causing strangeness to some, different bellies in pregnancy are part of who we are. Nobody like the other.
See Also: What Does Low Belly In Pregnancy Mean?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.