When Will I Begin Showing?

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When Will I Begin Showing?
When Will I Begin Showing?
There are two distinct camps when it comes to women's eagerness for their pregnancy to become noticeably visible. The first: those who can't wait to "show" - who want the whole world to notice their baby bumps. The second: those who hope to make it to the six month mark without having to make the transition to maternity clothes.

Most first timers begin to notice changes in the abdomen around the 16th week, though those changes may only be obvious to those closes to you - like your husband or your mother. For second, third and fourth time moms, you'll probably notice that your bump has bumped earlier as the muscles are not as tight as they were with your first pregnancy.

If you want to look pregnant, break out those maternity clothes right away. Even if your belly is barely there, those full tops and expand-o waistbands will make you look pregnant. If maternity wear is not your cup of tea, some women hold off on wardrobe changes until the fifth month by wearing loose-waisted pants (like yoga pants or sweat pants) and fuller tops.

I believe that it's important that women feel comfortable with their bodies at all stages of their lives. Maternity clothing doesn't have to be frumpy. There are some very trendy options out there for women these days. There are designer maternity clothes and many mainstream retailers have maternity wear in their stores or online these days.

If you want to show off your belly, than do it. Some people feel there's nothing more beautiful than a woman who is doing what she is biologically created to do. If you're more comfortable being discreet, than go for it. The classic lines of conservative maternity wear can be very flattering and give moms confidence.

If you're anxious to show and feel like it's never going to happen, rest assured it will. Thinner women will show more conspicuously at first, but in the end everyone will know that you are pregnant just by looking at you.

How much will I gain and when will all that weight vanish?
The average weight for babies born in the Unites States is 7½ pounds, yet their mothers gain much more than that. How much are you supposed to gain and where are all those pounds going?

The typical mother-to-be gains between 18 and 35 pounds during her pregnancy (an 18 pound weight gain is consider the minimum for good health). If you are a healthy weight at the start of your pregnancy, expect to gain between 18 and 35 lbs. If you begin your pregnancy overweight, your doctor may advise you to aim for a weight gain of 15 to 25 pounds. If you are underweight at the start of your pregnancy, you should aim for a 28 to 40 pound gain.

The breakdown for weight is generally as follows.

• Amniotic Fluid - 2 pounds
• Baby - 7½ pounds
• Blood - 3 pounds
• Breasts - 2 pounds
• Fat - 7 pounds
• Uterus - 2 pounds
• Water - 4 pounds
• Placenta - 1½ pounds

And when will I lose this weight?
It kind of depends on you and your level of activity before, during and after pregnancy. If you lead an active life, the weight will disappear quickly. If you're sedentary, you may never lose that 'baby weight'.

There are a few critical points that should be mentioned here.

First, some new moms are so eager to regain their pre-mom shape that the go on a crash diet as soon as baby arrives home. Very bad idea, especially of you're breast feeding.

Fad diets, crash diets or diets that exclude foods from one of the basic food groups are dangerous any time. They're especially dangerous when you've recently given birth. You need good, nutritious healthy foods to better equip your body for a quick recovery.

Another key point: avoid really strenuous exercise until you've had your six-week, post-partum checkout. A regular routine of moderate exercise is fine. Take a nice walk around the block. However, hold off on next month's marathon until your doctor gives you the okay.