Watching your pregnant belly grow and change can be fascinating. However, many questions and concerns can also accompany the changes in your abdomen during pregnancy.
Artem Varnitsin / EyeEm / Getty Images.
Some pregnant bellies may look like basketballs, others like watermelons, and others may not show at all. Some are carried high, and others low or even wide. Your pregnant belly is unique and will change throughout your pregnancy depending on factors like your height, weight, pre-existing conditions, muscle mass, trimester, fetus size, and more.
There is no one “normal” pregnant belly shape, size, or appearance. Still, there are some general things to know about how your pregnant belly will develop throughout your pregnancy.
Trimesters
An average full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks, but this can vary. Your pregnant belly will change significantly over that time period.While every person is different and there is no universal chart to monitor pregnant belly shape or size, it can be helpful to use pregnancy trimesters to gauge changes in your pregnant belly.
Trimesters are defined as:First trimester:First day of your last menstrual period to the end of the 13th weekSecond trimester: 14 weeks to the end of the 27th weekThird trimester: 28 weeks to end of pregnancy
Trimesters are defined as:
First Trimester
You may not know you’re pregnant until four weeks or more through your first trimester, so you may not notice any changes in your pregnant belly during this time.
Some people may notice a small bump one day and a normal belly the next. Don’t let this concern you. Due to hormonal fluctuations in your first trimester, you may experience bloating, gas, orconstipationthat can all create the illusion of a bump.
While your belly may not change much during the first trimester, you may notice other bodily changes in your skin and breasts.
Average weight gain during the first trimester is 1 to 4 1/2 pounds.
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Second Trimester
Your pregnant belly will begin to “show” at the end of your first trimester and the beginning of your second trimester. For most people, this happens around weeks 12 to 16, but everyone is unique.
Certain factors may impact whether your pregnant belly shows earlier or later. Those who have had a previous pregnancy tend to develop a noticeable pregnant belly earlier, due to looser muscles and ligaments. Lower body weight and shorter stature also may lead to showing earlier. People who are taller or have more developed abdominal muscles may show later.
At the beginning, your bump will only be noticeable when you aren’t wearing clothes, so you and your partner will be the first ones to notice it. Around week 20, it will be visible through your clothes to others, too.
Around this same time, usually weeks 16-20, you may start wearing maternity clothes to accommodate your pregnant belly.
Average weight gain during the second trimester is 1 to 2 pounds each week.
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Third Trimester
Most people will have an apparent pregnant belly throughout theirthird trimester,but the size and shape can be very different for each person.
Your belly will also feel at its heaviest during the third trimester. Up to 78% of pregnant people may experience ongoinground ligament painor other pelvic pain.If this happens to you, talk to your healthcare provider. They may recommend multiple solutions, such as a belly band for support.
Average weight gain during the third trimester remains steady at 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Common Concerns
You may wonder whether your pregnant belly “should” have shown yet, whether your belly button changes are normal, if your weight gain is typical or atypical, and more. Know that everyone is unique and there is no single set of rules or expectations for how your pregnant belly should or should not appear.
Belly Button
You may noticechanges in your belly buttonthroughout pregnancy. These changes will likely not be painful, but they may still concern you.
In some people, a belly button that was formerly an “innie” may “pop out.” There is not much research on this phenomenon, but it is a common anecdotal change. This occurs when the uterus enlarges and places pressure on the abdominal wall. It is most likely to occur in week 26 or later, in your third trimester.
If your belly button becomes painful during pregnancy, consult with your healthcare provider to rule out anumbilical hernia.
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks, also called striae gravidarum, are common and natural occurrences throughout pregnancy that affect up to 90% of people.However, the possibility of stretch marks may be concerning to some people.
Stretch marks result from connective tissue changes as your body’s size rapidly changes throughout pregnancy. These occur most commonly along your belly, as well as your breasts, thighs, and other areas.
Risk factors for developing stretch marks include:
Keeping your belly moisturized throughout pregnancy can also help treat stretch marks if they develop. A randomized placebo-controlled trial among pregnant people found that moisturizers that contain rosehip oil, vitamin E, hydroxyprolisilane C, andCentella asiaticatriterpenes were most effective at reducing the severity of stretch marks.
Weight Gain
Everyone will gain weight throughout pregnancy, but the exact amount will differ from person to person based on factors such as your pre-pregnancybody mass index(BMI).
Note that BMI is increasingly considered to be a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently uses BMI to guide expected pregnancy weight gain.
You may also notice that you are gaining weight but your pregnant belly is not getting bigger. Don’t let this worry you. Although you gain weight throughout pregnancy, this is distributed to areas of your body other than your belly.
These areas include:
B Belly vs. D Belly
Not all pregnant bellies look the same, and this is true for the silhouette of the bump as well. Those with a “D”-shaped belly may be told they look like they’re carrying a basketball. The outline of the belly is smooth and round, like the letter “D.”
Dark Line
Some people may be concerned about a dark line that develops along the belly during pregnancy. This dark line is called the linea nigra, and it is completely normal.
The linea nigra is a vertical line about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) wide. It typically runs from the belly button down to the pubis.It can appear in the first trimester as anearly sign of pregnancy, and then it thickens and darkens through pregnancy.
Body Image
It is very valid to feel your growing pregnant belly affect your body image and mental health throughout pregnancy.
Females, in particular, have a socially constructed ideal of thinness. For some people, a pregnant belly is seen not as a happy sign of their developing fetus but as an obstacle to good body image.
Qualitative research on first-time pregnancy found that some people become dissatisfied with their bodies early in pregnancy and feel that their bodies are “alien.”Another qualitative study found that factors that promoted positive body image during pregnancy included:
A Word From Verywell
For some people, pregnancy is a joyful time, and for others, it is a time of emotional upheaval and stress. For many, it is an emotional roller coaster of both.
Because your belly is the most apparent manifestation of your pregnancy, it’s easy to focus your questions, concerns, and stress on the appearance of your belly.
It’s important to know that no pregnant belly is the same. However, understanding the trimesters and the explanations behind common concerns, such as belly button changes or stretch marks, can help alleviate your worries.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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