When in the pregnancy will i start showing

Q: How early do you start showing with first pregnancy?

Typically, though, you wont have a baby bump in your first trimester — especially if its your first pregnancy. Youll likely notice the first signs of a bump early in the second trimester, between weeks 12 and 16.

Q: Can you start showing at 8 weeks?

Your body at week 8 of pregnancy At week 8, youre still not showing yet. Most first-time pregnancies dont show until around week 12. If youve had previous pregnancies you may show earlier as a result of stretching of the muscles in your uterus and belly. Until then, enjoy your svelte figure.

There isn't a set stage when mums-to-be begin to show a pregnant belly. Every woman is different.

If you're a first-time mum, you'll probably notice your waist starts to be a bit thicker around 11 weeks, but other people won't see any difference just yet. At about 13 weeks, you may see a small bump.

If you're already a mum, you may start showing sooner. This is because the muscles in your womb (uterus) and belly may be stretched from your previous pregnancy.

In the early days of pregnancy, your womb is the shape of a pear. Over the first 12 weeks, it gradually becomes more rounded, until it is about the size of a grapefruit. This is when your bump may begin to form.

This early growth of your bump is only partly caused by your growing baby. Before 11 weeks, your baby is still an embryo. He doesn't need much room yet! Your womb thickens out to support your tiny baby, which is why you may feel a bit bigger round your middle.

At 16 weeks of pregnancy, your womb will be stretching to fit your growing baby. This is when your bump may really begin to show to other people.

However, there are all sorts of factors that may influence when you can start shopping for maternity clothes.

Your age can influence when you start to look pregnant. Older mums often start showing earlier than young mums. This is because younger women are more likely to have stronger stomach muscles, which can disguise their bumps.

Your genes can affect when you start to look pregnant, too. Ask your mum, sister or other female relatives on your mum's side when their bumps began to show. This may give you some idea of when your bump will appear.

Your pre-pregnancy size can also play a part in when you will start to show. If you are carrying a little extra weight around your tummy, your bump may be hidden in the early stages of pregnancy. But as your baby grows, you will soon notice a growing bump!

If your belly is expanding sooner than expected, it could be due to:

your body laying down fat for your baby
water retention
bloating from wind
constipation, a common pregnancy side-effect

Another possibility is that you may be pregnant with twins.

If you're showing later than expected, try not to fret. You may have a retroverted womb. This means that your womb tilts more towards the back than the front. This won't affect how your baby grows. The backward tilt is usually corrected around 17 weeks, as your expanding womb moves out of your pelvis and into your abdomen.

If there's any reason for concern about the size of your bump, your midwife will arrange for an ultrasound scan to make sure you've been given the right due date, and to ensure your baby is about the right size for your stage of pregnancy.

Check out our beautiful bumps slideshow to see other proud mums and their bumps.

If it's your first pregnancy, you'll probably start to show at 12 to 16 weeks.

You'll likely show early if you're short, carrying multiple babies, or you've been pregnant before.

By week 20, your doctor will start measuring your baby bump to track fetal growth.

Table of Contents Show

You start to show in pregnancy at 12 to 16 weeks
What causes some to show early in pregnancy?
How doctors track baby bump progression
Insider's takeaway
How early do you start showing with first pregnancy?
Can you start showing at 8 weeks?

Pregnancy bumps are as diverse as the babies they produce.

You start to show in pregnancy at 12 to 16 weeks

If it's your first pregnancy, you'll probably start to show between 12 to 16 weeks, around the start of your second trimester. But this initial bump is not from the baby. In fact, at 15 weeks, the average fetus is 4 inches long, or about as large as an orange.

So that "baby bump" isn't from the baby's size, but rather the expansion of your uterus.

"As the uterus gets bigger with a developing pregnancy, the loops of bowel which fill the abdomen are pushed upwards and out to the sides," says Meg Wilson, MBBS, an OB-GYN at London Gynaecology.

What causes some to show early in pregnancy?

There are a few factors that might affect when you start showing:

Height: If you have a short abdomen, your bump will likely pop out sooner than for taller women with a longer abdomen. "Women who have a long abdomen may have more space for their uterus to develop upwards rather than outwards, which can give the appearance of a smaller bump," Wilson says.
Weight: If you're smaller with less body fat, you'll probably show much earlier than someone with more body fat.
Multiple buns in the oven: If you're carrying twins or multiples, you're more likely to show earlier — as early as 6 weeks. That's because your uterus will expand more to create space for the additional fetuses.
Not your first rodeo: You're more likely to show early if this isn't your first pregnancy. "The uterus is held in position at the front by the abdominal walls: skin and muscle strength," says Wilson. "For women who have had several pregnancies, the skin and muscle become weaker and the pregnant uterus can fall forward more."

How doctors track baby bump progression

By week 20, your doctor will start measuring your fundal length — that's the distance between the pubic bone and the top of the uterus. Typically, this number should correlate with your week of pregnancy.

So, for example, if your fundal length is 25 centimeters, you should be in or near your 25th week of pregnancy.

If, however, your fundal length is too high, it could indicate growth problems with the baby, like fetal macrosomia, which is when a baby is significantly too large.

On the flip side, if your fundal length is too low it could mean restricted growth, which is when the baby isn't large enough. While not all small babies suffer from restricted growth, it's worth checking in with your maternal health practitioner if you are concerned.

Note: Doctors caution, though, that the fundal length isn't a perfect measurement, and variables like weight or carrying multiple babies can change your numbers significantly.

Insider's takeaway

There are several factors that affect when your baby bump will start to show during pregnancy.

When it's your first pregnancy, it's common for your bump to start showing between 12 and 16 weeks. The initial baby bump is caused by the expansion of the uterus, rather than the size of the fetus.

If you have a short abdomen, less body fat, are carrying multiple fetuses, or it's not your first pregnancy, then you are more likely to show early.

Your doctor will begin measuring your fundal length by week 20. This measurement helps doctors track fetal growth.

How early do you start showing with first pregnancy?

Typically, though, you won't have a baby bump in your first trimester — especially if it's your first pregnancy. You'll likely notice the first signs of a bump early in the second trimester, between weeks 12 and 16.

Can you start showing at 8 weeks?

Your body at week 8 of pregnancy At week 8, you're still not showing yet. Most first-time pregnancies don't show until around week 12. If you've had previous pregnancies you may show earlier as a result of stretching of the muscles in your uterus and belly. Until then, enjoy your svelte figure.