Discussing when pregnancy starts to show can be quite misleading (if care is not taken). This is why certain things need to be made clear even as the time range is mentioned. Bearing this in mind, you should know that as far as this subject is concerned, it is different strokes for different folks. Having made this clear, let us discuss when pregnancy should start showing, as well as the factors that contribute to it.
Summary
When Pregnancy Should Usually Start Showing
Visible body signs are not only how to tell that women are pregnant. Other than the feeling of being pregnant such as morning sickness, first-time expectant moms should start to see small but visible signs of pregnancy by the thirteenth week or weeks around this period. This is roughly the start of the second trimester, or even as the first trimester is wrapping up.
For pregnant women who have experienced childbirth before, this should be soon than the thirteenth week. The reason is that abdominal muscles (in and around the uterus) and the stomach at large are already prepped by the first pregnancy experience.
As a result, they would have become stretched at this point and likely to cause the belly bump to show much sooner. More often than not, this would be (at least) a week earlier than for women that have not experienced pregnancy before – week 12.
But it is not always as normal as we have mentioned here. What you just need to understand is that women are different and this explains why they react differently to pregnancy. That includes when pregnancy starts to show.
Factors that Determine When Pregnancy Starts to Show
We have mentioned over and over again how pregnancy does not start showing around the same period for every woman. This is why understanding the things that influence when pregnancy starts showing is important. These factors include the following:
Previous History of Childbirth
Just as pointed out earlier, those who have birthed a child before are more likely to have their new pregnancy showing early. It would be slightly or a lot earlier than those experiencing pregnancy for the very first time. The womb muscles have experienced the stages before and are more stretched to make the bump show up on time.
Growth of the Baby
9 months is just the estimated period for the delivery of the child. It is not a definite period the birth will happen. Some babies stay much longer, around that time, and even before then. These are some of the things you might want to know about pregnancy. It might also interest you to know the signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away.
The whole point being made is that babies grow at different paces. Some are faster, while some are slow. For babies that grow faster, the belly bump will likely show early and vice versa. This is because of the baby’s weight and size, and its impact on the baby’s positioning in the belly.
Number of Children in the Womb
Those with twins and more will have their baby bump showing much sooner than others. This is because the womb needs to make more space for the growing children.
Pregnancy’s Effects and Side Effects
Of course, there are effects and even side effects associated with pregnancy. Effects such as bloating, constipation, water retention, and a few other things can influence when the baby bump starts showing.
Position of the Womb
Usually, the womb tilts towards the front part of the body. With the growth of the baby over time, the bump starts showing this way. However, there are situations in which the womb tilts towards the body’s backside as the baby grows. Usually, this would be naturally corrected as the baby grows to a certain point.
But if this is the case, the bump will be noticed much later. If the bump is not noticed eventually, there may be a need to see a doctor. This is especially if you also do not feel well.
Pregnant Woman’s Torso Length
This might not sound as much of a factor as the other ones discussed here. People with long torsos are more likely to have bumps that look smaller.
This is because such females naturally have space that accommodates the growing child until the body is stretched and the bump needs to emerge. The same also applies to those with core muscles that are strong.
Summary
Having read till this point, you now know the things that influence when women start showing pregnancy. You can check the IST Health sexuality segment for more related details.