What does the stomach look like from 10 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. Photo

Pregnancy is an amazing time for every woman, when not only her appearance changes, but also her whole life. What changes await a woman when her condition becomes noticeable, whether folk signs are true about the gender of the baby based on the appearance of the abdomen - you will learn all this from our article.

Source: Instagram @Yiota Kouzoukas

Quite often, after learning about pregnancy, the expectant mother eagerly waits for the first signs of her "interesting position". Especially emotional pregnant women begin to look at their tummy already in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Doctors argue that the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy is an individual matter. How big and round your pregnant belly will be is influenced by a number of factors, among which are both genetics and the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy.

The belly begins to increase primarily due to the growth of the fetus, which in 9 months should gain an average of 48-54 cm in height and up to 5 kg in weight. However, the belly grows not only because of the baby growing inside you, but also because of the amniotic fluid, which can reach 1500 ml at the end of pregnancy, as well as the uterus, which increases in weight to 1 kg.

We invite you to learn about the factors affecting the size of your belly during pregnancy, as well as see in our Insta-gallery visual examples of what a pregnant belly looks like at different stages of pregnancy.

From our article you will learn:

When does the belly start to grow during pregnancy?

How does the stomach grow (by trimester)?

What factors affect the size of the abdomen?

When will the belly be visible already for sure?

What does the stomach look like from 10 to 40 weeks of pregnancy (photo)

Belly during pregnancy: folk signs

Source: Instagram@thebump

FOR WHICH TERM? WHEN DOES THE BELLY BEGIN TO GROW DURING PREGNANCY

According to experts, there is no clear answer to this question. However, on average, if a woman has her first pregnancy or simply has a sufficiently wide pelvis, her tummy will begin to round noticeably in 4-5 months. But during the second and subsequent pregnancies, women's bellies begin to round earlier.

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Women with an athletic physique, who lead an active lifestyle and regularly do sports, may not see a rounded tummy in the mirror for quite some time. This is due to the developed abdominal muscles, which can restrain the growth of the abdomen until very late.

A pregnant belly can be imperceptible even for curvaceous women. Doctors note that excess fat deposits in the abdominal area will "hide" the bulging belly.

HOW THE BELLY GROWS DURING PREGNANCY

The first trimester (12-13 weeks). In the early stages of pregnancy, the abdomen does not increase in size or increases very slightly, since the uterus is still too small and occupies little space in the pelvis.

By the end of the fourth week, it reaches the size of a chicken egg, and by the eighth week it increases to the size of a goose. During this period, the uterus still reaches the pubic joint, which is located at the bottom of the abdomen. That is why the tummy still remains invisible. Only at the end of the first trimester (after the 12th week) does the bottom of the uterus gradually rise above the womb and then the belly increases in size.

The second trimester (14-27 weeks). In the period from the 13th to the 17th week, the baby begins to gain weight and growth, due to which the uterus grows rapidly. At this time, the mother can already notice her "pregnant belly", but others are unlikely to. They will be able to see your beautiful position only after the 20th week — from the 24th week, the bottom of the uterus reaches the level of the navel.

By the way, after the 20th week, the tummy does not just become visible. The mother feels the baby's movements for the first time. Usually at this time he starts to move. Over time, these movements will become more intense, which can cause unpleasant sensations.

Third trimester (28-42 weeks). Well, it is already clear: are you pregnant? The belly is clearly visible, even if the mother wears loose clothes. On the 28th week, the uterus increases in size so much that it is already located above the navel. On the 32nd week, the navel begins to flatten, and the circumference of the abdomen reaches approximately 80-85 cm. And already at 40 weeks, the navel protrudes and the stomach becomes 96-98 cm.

Source: Instagram @JillianHarris

WHAT FACTORS AFFECT THE HEIGHT AND SIZE OF THE ABDOMEN DURING PREGNANCY

The first factor is the type of figure. Statistics show that thin, short girls have a much more noticeable tummy than fat and tall girls. However, even in this case there are exceptions. The press has described quite a few cases when small slender girls with athletic figures hid their "interesting position" almost until childbirth.

The second factor is the number of babies in the tummy. It's no secret to anyone that during a multiple pregnancy, the belly grows more intensively and looks much more voluminous. Despite this, intense belly growth is not a sign that you are having twins!

The third factor is nutrition. Improper nutrition and a sudden change in diet during pregnancy can cause excess weight and fat deposits in the abdomen. Although it will upset you - the common opinion that during pregnancy you need to eat for two is just a myth.

In addition, overeating and, as a result, gaining excess weight is extremely harmful for a pregnant woman. Do not strive for the appearance of a pregnant belly at an early stage, because it may not be a baby at all, but only excess weight, which will be incredibly difficult to get rid of after childbirth.

The fourth factor is genetics. If you are worried about the size of your pregnant belly, ask how your mother's or grandmother's pregnancy was. Heredity plays no small role in when your pregnant belly will start to grow and how round it will be.

The fifth factor is the particularity of the course of pregnancy. Doctors say that if a sufficiently large baby is expected, it may affect the growth rate of a woman's belly. The size of the abdomen is also affected by the type of fetal presentation. If the baby is located closer to the spine, then the belly of the future mother will be less noticeable, and if it is closer to the front wall of the uterus, it will become noticeable earlier and will be larger, rounder.

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JUST EXACTLY. WHEN WILL THE BELLY BE NOTICEABLE ALREADY PROBABLY?

Everything is purely individual, but doctors still lean towards a period of 20 weeks. It is during this period that the active growth of the abdomen will begin — its circumference will increase by an average of 1 cm every week.

Pregnancy calendar by week HERE!

HOW THE ABDOMEN LOOKS FROM 10 TO 40 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY

Scroll through the slider to see what the belly looks like from 10 to 40 weeks of pregnancy

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STOMACH DURING PREGNANCY: POPULAR SIGNS

Every mother-to-be will tell you how enthusiastically friends and relatives offer many ways to determine the gender of her child based on her appearance.

Even people who barely know each other cannot refrain from commenting and declaring that, judging by the shape and size of your belly, you are a boy or a girl, because they have never been wrong. If only it were so simple!

So, what are the folk signs about what they say and is it possible to believe them?

A big belly means a boy. It is a myth.

Some women have a big belly because they quickly gain weight. Fat deposits appear from habitual overeating. Everything eaten, as they say, "goes into the stomach." The mother gains extra weight, which means that the baby will be born heavier later.

Normal weight gain for the entire pregnancy is considered to be about 12 kg, and in different periods the expectant mother gains a different number of kilograms.

By the way, midwives advise to prevent a large fetus, and for this to correct your diet. It should be based on meat and plant food. Floury and sweet foods are practically excluded.

The mother-to-be lost her beauty - her daughter "took it away". Oddly enough, there is a certain amount of truth in this sign.

If the face swells, becomes puffy, pigment spots appear, they say that "the girl has taken away all her beauty." And with a boy, on the contrary, the future mother looks good. Doctors partially agree with this: girls "borrow" female sex hormones from their mothers, and boys do not need them.

Divination by the shape of the tummy. It is a myth.

According to folk signs, if a woman has a so-called "sharp" belly that protrudes forward, she will give birth to a boy. And the owner of a rounded belly, which seems to surround a pregnant woman, will become the mother of a girl.

What affects the shape and size of a pregnant woman's belly? Firstly, it is the size of the child. Indeed, boys at birth are on average slightly larger than girls, therefore, the stomach of the boy's future mother may also be slightly larger. But this difference in everything is so insignificant that it is unlikely to affect the shape of the abdomen.

Secondly, this is the location of the fetus. If the baby turned its back forward, along the mother's stomach, then the stomach will look slightly pointed. If the baby's back is closer to the mother's spine, her stomach will look flatter. But the location of the child is in no way related to gender.