I haven’t seen that many larger women on the site, so I wanted to talk about my experiences. I was 255 lbs. before a got pregnant, and I am 5’4″. I’ve always been heavy, just like everyone in my family. Throughout my teenage years I had been about 170 lbs., and I was pretty fit for all that (my husband and I decided to get married while on a 50+ mile bicycle trip). After we married, though, I got a desk job and gained a lot of weight. When I hit 215 lbs. I decided I’d had enough and tried very hard to lose weight. I got back down to 200 lbs. briefly, but hit a plateau, became discouraged, and then went back up again. Every time I tried to diet, I would end up at least 10 lbs. heavier than I had started out. At least 40 of the pounds I carry are “failed diet pounds”. Several months before my pregnancy, I had finally gotten my weight stabilized, and was feeling like the healthier eating habits and increased exercise I was trying to slowly and carefully implement were starting to take hold. I wasn’t quickly dropping weight – but I also wasn’t gaining any. Every day felt like a victory because I felt in control for once. Though I knew it would take years and years, I was beginning to hope that I could once again have a 1 in front of my weight instead of a 2. My husband and I had been talking about getting pregnant for years, and despite being large I was in very good health. So, we took the leap and started trying. The first month we tried, I became pregnant! I was overjoyed, and I knew that I could grow a healthy baby. I didn’t know how complicated pregnancy would be (emotionally, not medically) for someone of my size. As soon as I became pregnant, I began eating better than I could ever have imagined I would. It was all raw vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy, fruits, and whole grains. It was much easier to eat well knowing that my baby was eating everything I was. My body responded to all this healthy eating, and by the time I reached the second trimester I had lost 15 lbs. As the pregnancy went further along, I began to feel upset at how un-pregnant I looked. I was still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans at 5 1/2 months. I had no roundness to the belly, just jiggly fat. I was so proud of my body and what it was doing, but no one could tell I was pregnant and it irked me. I was getting pretty insecure about it, and it was a relief when I went in for my ultrasound and they told me the baby was growing just fine. I could rest a little easier knowing that she was getting bigger even if I wasn’t. Finally, I started to show a bit in my sixth month. I am now seven months along, and still no one thinks I’m pregnant unless I tell them, but at least now they can believe me once I do. I have accepted the fact that I’ll never have the “perfect” round belly that makes pregnant women look so beautiful, but it can be hard seeing other pregnant women because they look so lovely, while I just look fat. Here are some pictures of my belly at 28 weeks. I have some stretch marks, but they don’t bother me at all. In fact, I kind of like them. My body is marked by my baby, and I think it’ll be nice to still have her touch on my body after the pregnancy is over. Of course, I’ve had stretch marks on my belly, hips, thighs, and breasts since I went through puberty and filled out very quickly. I guess having a decade or so to get used to having them makes it easier to deal with getting new ones. Overall, I am happy that this is a healthy, completely normal pregnancy. I try to remember how lucky I am that my baby is growing healthy and strong inside me. This is such a special time, and I’m trying my best to relax and enjoy it.
I don’t know what you’re talking about! You DO HAVE a perfect little round belly! You look gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your story! Good luck on your delivery and mother hood! Congrats!
I’m going to have to agree with the previous commenter, you seem to have a very round, beautiful pregnant tummy!
I know exactly what you mean. I too was/ am a plus-sized mama.
The worst part for me though was having to special order my maternity clothes (I was carrying twins).
You are beautiful and have wonderful curves.
Hey mama! I too am a plus size lady. I think your belly definately looks pregnant and so cute! I know it can be discouraging but I think we often times see ourselves very different from how other people see us. I love your baby bump!
I am going to disagree too… you do very much look pregnant! And lovely!
I hear what you are saying. I”m just in my 8th month, and when I wear clothes I look pregnant. Naked, staring at the mirror I do my lifting arms over head, and I am round. When I let them down I have 2 rolls. Even laying flat on my back I’m still not 100% round, but getting there. That is probably the only depressing thing about this pregnancy, was never getting to be cute and pregnant. Clothes make the difference, what you wear will make the belly. I had the hardest time with MAT pants, none fit because of my bottom roll- it would put too much preassure across, so in all honest I wear jogging pants and other stretchies when i can.
GOOD LUCK HUN… you look beautiful!
I just wanted to say that I was tearing up reading your post, because I was so proud of you!! What an amazing gift to be so careful about eating healthy for your little one, and caring so much about what you put into your body to nourish this precious baby.
I also want you to know that you SO look pregnant!! If I saw you in public I would most definitely think that was a pregnant belly, and a beautiful one too!!
Congrats, and great job!!
I am 5’10” and was around 235lbs when I got pregnant with my first baby. I didn’t look pregnant until maybe 30 weeks or so. I’ve since had two more babies, and each time I’ve looked pregnant sooner and gotten bigger. What also helped me was to wear full-panel maternity pants…the kind that go all the way over your belly. They don’t fall down and don’t dig into your belly and make lumps. You look great! Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy…it goes by way too fast!
I’m the one who sent this post in, and I wanted to thank you all for your lovely comments. I ought to point out that in the photo I am wearing pre-pregnancy jeans held on by a bella band (I finally can’t button the jeans, yay!). The bella band’s spandex sort of pushes in my lower belly roll and pushes upward and makes the upper part of my belly look a bit more round. I agree with Rachael – I look a lot more or less pregnant depending on what I wear. It’s so gratifying to have people acknowledge that I am pregnant, so thanks everyone!
I think you look great. Just remember that not every pregnant woman gets that soccer ball belly right away. Some women (thin women included) can wear their regular clothes almost through their entire pregnancy. I’m a plus sized pregnant mom and for this pregnancy and my last, I started to show early but didn’t get the BIG belly until about 30 weeks or so. Now I’m at 39 weeks and my belly has overtaken my the rest of my body! lol There’s no mistaking I’m carrying a baby in there!
Like the other commenters are saying, you do have a lovely round belly, but I know what you mean about feeling fat and not pregnant. Think of it this way- when you have your baby, you’re going to lose a fair amount of weight in one day, and be well on your way to your goal! You did a really smart thing by starting your new eating and exercise program before getting pregnant- that’s something I’m thinking about doing right now! Good luck with your birth!
I was/am a plus sized PG lady/momma. By 20 weeks, however, people were asking if I was ready to deliver. Your belly looks great. One day I’ll share my story!
I cried while reading your post and then again when I saw your photos. You are beautiful inside and out.
Thank you for sharing your story. As a plus size woman I have had a very difficult time getting pregnant. It’s encouraging to read your story. I think you look lovely.
Congratulations! You are not alone! I was 248 when I got pregnant with my daughter and lost weight throughout my pregnancy as well. I dropped all the way down to 201 and went back up from there in my last trimester. After my baby was born April 1, 2008, I am all the way back down to 200 (its only been 7 weeks). Let this be a jump start in confidence for you and know that no matter what you are so beautiful and to that little baby you will soon have, you are the strongest, most beautifully amazing person in the world. Nothing else should matter. You are already superwoman. :)
Im reading this because im searching every where for pictures of pregnancy that look like me and my pregnancy. im 5″2′ and pre-pregnancy i weighed 235 or so. im now 16 weeks and i feel EVERY bit of pregnant but i dont think i look it and every prenatal i seem to lose another pound. My stomach never poked really out before but its always been big at the bottom i have the gut at the bottom normally hid by a girdle. im all thighs and butt. everyone i know at 4 and 5 months are all round and all the pics we see online are and im yearning for my bump to come in. we need more sites for us…who cares how the skinny girls look pregnant. Ive had that belly since 18 lol.
I am 5’4 and started my pregnancy at 255. Thank you for your blog. It really has shown me that I am not the only one with the thought of wanting to look pregnant. I am 15 weeks and there is no sign of a baby when you look at me, but I hold out hope that someday there will be that infamous baby bump. Your picture is inspiring and beautiful. I hope for that instead of my belly at the moment which is 2 separate rolls… Thank you.
You look too Cute
Hello I am a plus size gal too. We have been trying to get pregnant for over four years. I went to the doctor two years ago and was diagnosed with PCOS. And never went back.. But I have finally made the decision to go and have an appointment for this monday. I was so glad to read all of your stories. and to know that there are others out there just like me. I want to be pregnant so badly… so after reading your stories I have high hopes now that I too as a plus size gal can be pregnant and happy. So wish me luck and I wish all of yout he same….
Thanks for the post, it was nice to read that what i am feeling is normal. I’m currently 28 weeks and i still barely show my pre pegnancy weight was 245 and after the second month i had reached 276 where i have remained since. I feel huge all the time.
I guess it doesnt help the my cousin was pregnant at the same time and was only 125 lbs pregnant lol she had this perfect little soccer ball belly and when we would go out she would mention us both being pregnant and people would be really shocked. It got to the point that my response was yea i’m not really this fat i’m just pregnant.
There really needs to be more resources for plus size pregnant women. I find you have enough emotional termoil with all the regular hormones, having to feel like you dont look gorgeous as a pregnant women just adds to it.
I am currently going through the motions of finding out whether im pregnant or not…but i was once told the one way that you can definately find out is if your belly begins to harden and grow…my belly is getting hard but on the top its also rounding but only on the top and mid belly….I was wondering how your stomach felt after the second month of missed periods for u
Thank you so much for your post its so crazy its like you wrote down my story so far….I was 230lbs when I found out I was pregnant. I am 19 weeks and can still fit in my old jeans. I look the same as I did before I concieved. I also lost 15lbs in the first trimester and when people here they all think its not a good thing. I go for my 20 week ultrasound soon and I am hoping to here the same thing you did. I live on fruit and veggies and I aquasize 2 times a week. So I am sure all will be well. Thank you for posting your story it made me feel like I am not alone.
Thank you so much for your post. I am 5’6″ and at my heaviest I was 331 lbs. My husband and I were working really hard at getting our weights down to a healthy range. I had gotten down to 256 when I found out I was pregnant. I had mixed feelings about the pregnancy because we had been told by our doctors that we only had a 4% chance of conceiving and that if I did conceive it would be a high risk pregnancy due to my weight. Fortunately, everything has been going very well and I’m 14 1/2 weeks in. I have been very concious of my weight and that because of the weight I won’t get that typical “pregnant body” that I find so beautiful. I truly appreciate your story and all the comments that have followed. I’m so glad that I’m not alone.
i have had one baby he is a year now he was very big and my stomach stretched alot i now have what i say is a saggy belly looks like a mans beer belly i think its awful it just hangs.i wanna have another baby but am scared i will just look fat instead of pregnant does anyone know what i mean? and am i correct in thinking i will just look fatter? my partner said so.hope to hear from someone soon.
by the way i think you bump is lovely if i have another one i hope mine will look like that
Thanks for sharing your story. I had a similar experience. I weighed 200 lbs before pregnancy and was 210 lbs at 9 months. I did not ned up buying any maternity clothes until the very end. Your baby bump looks awesome :)