Does Baby Bump Size Matters?

After finding you are pregnant and during your regular visit to your doctor, this might be a term the doctor will tell you after measuring and sizing up your belly.  ‘The baby inside you is small for dates.’ This can upset and make you worry.   Many pregnant women particularly first timers would be so conscious in observing how their bumps grow.  It was a natural feeling and observation that many pregnant mothers go into this phase.  Many are so eager and excitedly overwhelmed to see their bump grows and feel secured that their baby is really growing inside.  In fact many excited mothers would sport and capture every moments with their baby bumps.  By going into baby bump progression photoshoots, these women would like to immortalize every growth that was happening not only to their body but most especially to the thriving life inside their belly bump. 

But should you be alarmed if you see just a small bump in your belly?  Will the shape of your bump depend on how much nutrition and food you eat to nourish your baby? Or maybe it was because you have a thin body and slender body that your baby bump was likewise sexy? Maybe it’s something to do with the genes, the hormones, the chromosomes, a birth defect etc. etc. etc…

Stop, before you think further more! You’ll just tire yourself thinking about illogical things.  

The fact is that the size of your bump will in no way indicate your baby’s specific health condition. Do remember that babies come in varied sizes and no one, not even your doctor can predict how exactly big or small they will be once they come out of your womb.   Below are some pointers on the different myths that some people will say about your baby bump.  You might want to ponder in order to understand as you observe and relate it to your experience as you grow that little bundle of joy inside your bump. 

MYTH#1:  Low bumps are prone to miscarriages and early deliveries.



FACT:  Do remember that pregnancy bumps will only reveal itself in your body once you are on your second trimester.  This is largely due to the fact that the uterus is most likely hidden behind a woman’s pubic bone.  A bump appearing during this pregnancy phase can sometimes be construed as the bloating usually that usually appears during early pregnancies.  It can also happen to women due to the laxity of their ab muscles from a previous recent pregnancy term.

MYTH #2:  Carrying position can tell the sex of your baby. Some people believed that if the mother’s belly is positioned high, it was a baby girl she carries, otherwise the opposite low positioning of the mother’s belly indicate a baby boy inside.

FACT:  Muscle flexibility, body anatomy and symmetry are most likely the reason why pregnant women carry their baby high or low.  But it was a good indicator that pregnant women especially in the early terms of their pregnancy carry their belly high for good and safe positioning.  But if a woman has a slender or tall anatomy, they normally have narrow pregnant bellies. In contrast, shorter women project their baby bump wider due to their symmetry.

MYTH  #3:  Linea nigra indicates the gender of your baby.

FACT:  Linea nigra is that vertical dark color line that appears running up your belly.  It normally appears to dark skinned pregnant women as a result of the changes happening in her hormones. But such line will eventually disappear and fade after pregnancy.

MYTH #4:  The protruding belly button indicates weight and gender of the baby.

FACT:    Pregnancy involves a lot of changes in a woman’s body.  And during your term, your body adjust to the growing life inside you. You gain weight due to the nourishment you and your baby need.  Fluids will also retain in your body particularly in your belly area. And as your uterus expands, your belly button likewise adjusts and protrudes.  Thus your innie belly button turns into an outie. For first timers, they will most likely to have a tight belly whereas succeeding pregnancies will turn the belly muscles more lax for bigger belly pregnancies and the baby to have with much space to move and spread.  Belly sizes also adjust more for women carrying multiple babies in their womb.  Thus, size and shape are not really accurate indicator of the baby’s weight, gender or sex.  It is therefore an old adage and a misconception that, ‘Bigger baby bumps denote big baby inside.’

MYTH #5:  Shape can indicate gender of baby.  The old adage goes something like this:  Baby bump that shapes more like a watermelon indicates the baby was a girl, whereas a bump that resembles like the shape of a basketball was a boy.  Again, there are several reasons that rule out the shape of your baby bump.  Muscles and skin in a mother’s belly generally follow the shape of the fetus inside.  Our body anatomy plays a great role in shaping our muscles, flesh and tissues.  During pregnancy, a woman’s body greatly adjust to the growing fetus inside the womb.  And aside from the fetus, hormonal changes, along with the needed sustenance of fluid, substances and nutrients took toll in shaping the flesh, muscles, tissues and bones in the belly area.  Over the term of a woman’s pregnancy, these were the most likely determinants that can make the baby bump take it shape and not because of the baby’s gender.

MYTH #6:  Positioning can tell the sex of the baby.  The old adage goes something like this:  If a pregnant woman carries her baby high, the baby inside is a girl, otherwise, a low baby bump indicates a baby boy inside.



FACT:  Again, anatomy, muscle laxity and tissue build up as well as body symmetry plays a major role on how the baby bump will be carried by a pregnant woman.  Usually, taller women projects narrow-like bellies whereas, the bellies of shorter pregnant women tend to look and carry their baby bump narrower in symmetry.

The joy of having your precious one.

There are a wide array of myths and beliefs about baby bumps and those relating with pregnancies.  Some are really so funny and ridiculous just to hear about them but the best thing was that these myths seemed to be more of celebrating the excitement brought by pregnancy and the joy of the celebrating the coming of your very precious one.  That baby bump was a proof of your being a complete woman and one of your foremost purposes here on earth.  Having a baby is a woman’s fate and destiny.  Developing and carrying a bump in your belly that thrives, breathe and feels is the most ecstatic experience of all.  Many have tried having one but only a few were chosen.  That baby bump was something to celebrate for and must be proudly shown and flaunted for it was an achievement and privilege to carry a life in this world. The size of how your belly have become during the term of your pregnancy was just a welcome change that mothers like you is more than willing to undergo in order to give the needed space to the most important one thriving in your womb.