Lets talk bumps!
There is something so beautiful about growing a life inside you. I always used to look at women with baby bumps and think “WOW. How cool are women’s bodies that we create little toes and fingers, sweet little faces, and so much more in such a short period of time starting from nothing.” I always knew how cool it was but never truly understood how absolutely magical it is to actually be pregnant. Feeling kicks, tracking her progress, and seeing her ultrasounds are just some of the coolest parts of pregnancy, in my opinion!
Now don’t get it twisted – pregnancy is NOT always a “magical” experience. I was not a fan of my first trimester. For someone that couldn’t wait to be pregnant, I felt awful for hating a lot of my first 12 weeks. I was nauseous all day every day, I was getting migraines, and I had never felt so exhausted, ever… and I’m a teacher, I didn’t think I could get more exhausted than I already was. I literally could feel the exhaustion in every single fiber and inch of my being. I lost almost 10 lbs my first trimester because I couldn’t eat a thing, let alone drink water without thinking I was going to vom everywhere. Thankfully, after week 13 all my awful symptoms went away and I’ve been able to thoroughly enjoy my second trimester. I give a lot of props to the women who endure those symptoms their entire pregnancy & am envious of those who don’t and never have had any!
Aside from the expected pregnancy woes, is one in particular that I never thought would hit me. Whenever I heard pregnant friends say “I feel so fat,” my immediate response would be “You’re not fat, YOU’RE PREGNANT.” Yes, while that is true, watching your body change and grow beyond your control is a bit of a mind fuck. Excuse my french. For someone that already had insecurities about my body, it was hard, especially before I actually “looked pregnant” to feel good about my bump. In the beginning I didn’t take many pics because I was self-conscience of just looking fat. Even now, “looking pregnant” I have my moments of just feeling not my best self.
It can get especially hard to not compare bump sizes. Whether you’re in pregnancy groups and see pics of other cute bumps or you have friends pregnant at the same time, comparing bumps is one of the biggest thief’s of pregnancy joy there is. I am so lucky to have two of my lifelong friends pregnant with me at the same time. One is only two weeks behind me! I also have another lifelong friend who is just 10 weeks ahead of me. Both of these girls have smaller bumps than I do. Yes, even my friend who is 10 weeks ahead. It can get tough. It’s hard not to look at someone else and think “Am I too big for how far along I am?” or even “Am I too small?” The insecurities women feel pre-pregnancy don’t just go away when you’re pregnant.
No matter your size, nothing makes a pregnant girl feel more self-conscience than commenting on it. Whether it is “Omg you’re only X far along” or “Wow your bump is so small,” they both hit equally hard.
I’m 1000000% guilty of making comments on bump sizes prior to pregnancy because I never understood what it made the person feel like. Even the “nicest” of comments makes us ladies think about our appearance even more than we already do. If you’re struggling with feeling insecure about your body while pregnant and feel like you’re constantly comparing your bump to someone else’s, take a second to read these FACTS about bump size and repeat them to yourself whenever you’re feeling down.
- Your body size/shape prior to pregnancy makes a difference! I was already curvy to begin with, so I’m going to show differently than my friends with smaller frames!
- The shape and position of your uterus! If you have a tilted or anterior uterus you may not show as quickly.
- How many children you’ve had. The more babies you’ve had, the more likely you are to show sooner!
- The position your baby is in.
- The amount of fluid in your amniotic sac.
As long as you’re healthy and the baby is growing and healthy – this is the one time in life where you can honestly say, SIZE DOESN’T MATTER! Listen to your doctor, follow their advice, and embrace your bump! All bumps are beautiful and special just like your baby will be 🙂
