This gives your doctor an idea of whether your baby is small or large for their gestational age. They’ll use a tape measure to check the length from your pubic bone to the top of the uterus. Your second trimester lasts a little over three months, from weeks 13 through 27, and is when your doctor will start taking fundal height measurements. The American Pregnancy Association says that your pre-pregnancy uterus is the size of an orange, and by week 12 of gestation, “the uterus is the size of a grapefruit and starts to grow up and out of your pelvis, but still fits within it.” Months 4 Through 7 (Second Trimester) Your uterus begins growing during the first trimester but can still stay snug inside your pelvis. It makes sense that you don’t show much (or at all) during the first trimester because your baby is very tiny! Your baby goes from a fertilized egg at conception to being around three inches long by week 12. If you think you are showing a bit at this stage, it could also be due to extra water or bloating. You may notice that your pants fit a bit differently, but some women don’t see any sort of baby bump during the first trimester!Īs we mentioned, when you start showing depends on your body, whether you’ve had previous pregnancies, and how many babies you’re carrying.Įven if you feel a tiny bump, it’ll probably be a while before other people notice. Keep in mind that pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, so you’re pregnant for closer to 10 months than nine. Your first trimester lasts through week 12, so it’s the first three months of your pregnancy. Since pregnant moms have bellies of all shapes and sizes and grow at different rates, there’s no way to say exactly what’s “normal.”īut, in this section, we’ll give you an idea of what you’ll see and feel, the size of your uterus, and the size of your baby each trimester.

While abdominal muscle tone may affect the size and shape of your pregnant belly, remember you don’t need super-defined, fitness-model muscles to be healthy.Ī gentle, safe exercise program during pregnancy is important, as is postpartum exercise. Having tight abs before you get pregnant might mean that you don’t show as quickly and that you carry your baby higher once the baby bump appears. Yes, your pre-pregnancy six-pack (or lack thereof) does affect how your bump will look! Why do pregnant bellies look so different if babies develop the same on the inside? Several factors can affect how you carry your baby, when you start to show, and how big (or small) your belly looks. If you feel worried about the size or shape of your bump, by all means, talk with your doctor about it! They will check it out and put your mind at ease.īut for now, rest assured that no matter how your pregnant belly looks on the outside, as they say, “it’s what’s inside that counts.” What Affects The Appearance Of Your Pregnant Belly? This is a better way to tell whether your baby is big or small for their gestational age and can be an indicator of conditions like slow fetal growth or too much or too little amniotic fluid. A healthy baby can grow regardless of how your belly looks.ĭuring your second trimester, your doctor will start taking fundal height measurements. What you see on the outside - the general size and shape of your belly - doesn’t have much to do with your baby, their health, or their size. Does The Size Or Shape Of Your Pregnant Belly Matter? Newton Baby is here to answer those questions! First, let’s talk about whether or not the size of your pregnant belly is something to add to your list of things to worry about.

Should you be concerned about the size of your belly? What affects the size and shape? When will you start showing? And what sort of growth should you expect each trimester? Just like our bodies, pregnant tummies come in all shapes and sizes, but you probably still have questions. Since you’re tuned in to all things baby right now, you’ve no doubt noticed the size and shape of your pregnant friends’ bellies and wondered about your own. While you’ll notice a change in your breasts, the urge to start nesting, and maybe even pregnancy brain, to everyone else, the clearest sign that you’re expecting a little one is your pregnant belly!

Fake pregnant belly