Expecting Parents Losing Confidence in Their Bodies
44 posts across 4 communities in the last 30 days; 75% from r/BabyBumps.
“Hi everyone, I just found out I was pregnant a few days ago & a lot of the appetite issues / mood swings make sense now. I have not had my first US yet. Twins run in my family.. How did you know you were pregnant w/ twins? I just have no appetite or when I do I feel so sick like…”
“I’ve finally started to show at 6.5 months. Idk why but I feel almost self conscious about it? I feel most comfortable in baggy clothee. I don’t like the attention or people knowing I’m pregnant. I know it sounds weird but it just feels like something super private. And I hate…”
“I’m over 34 wks and everything aches so you would think I’d remember my belly is supposed to be huge. Glanced in the mirror and was like 😳 what happened to me?!! Has this happened to anyone else 😆”
Several posts reveal anxieties surrounding body image and physical changes during pregnancy. Expectant mothers express feeling self-conscious, unattractive, and overwhelmed by the transformations their bodies are undergoing.
SOURCES (60)
“A few days shy of 18 weeks and suddenly a small meal feels like I just gorged myself on a super size McDonald’s meal. Please tell me I’m not alone 😂🥲 submitted by /u/PineappleWolf_87 [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I just found out I was pregnant a few days ago & a lot of the appetite issues / mood swings make sense now. I have not had my first US yet. Twins run in my family.. How did you know you were pregnant w/ twins? I just have no appetite or when I do I feel so sick like I cant swallow it without feeling disgusted. This is my first pregnancy & I believe I am only about 4/5 weeks. When did you start showing with twins? How did you know it was twins before it was confirmed? s”
“Hello I guess I’m here to rant and just hear stories from others. I’m 30 weeks pregnant and I’m feeling very hopeless with how my body is and I know I’m pregnant I am so grateful for this opportunity and being able to conceive fast but I’ve always had body dysmorphia growing up. I’m a 30 year old female whose heaviest weight was 166 when I was 16 or 17 years old I started weight loss journey and the gym /weightlifting. I’ve always been easy to build muscle so any time I gained it would look like”
“I feel so sad looking at my 3 month olds bald spot on the back of her head 😩 I know it’s normal if they sleep on their back like they’re supposed to but it also makes me feel like “do I not pick her up enough??” “Does she lay down too much?” I baby wear her every single time we go out instead of having her in the car seat stroller. I do tummy time. I only have her in the car for an hour in a day at most. I hold her when I’m doing things so she’s not just lying down all day. 😢😢😢 it makes me f”
“i have always been skinny before getting pregnant. i found it hard to gain weight by and was an xxs in everything. most adult clothes wouldn’t fit me. i wasn’t like underweight, i was just small and super short. now that my body has changed and i am still 20 pounds away from my pre baby weight, i find myself having a hard time with food. and before you guys say anything, 20 pounds isn’t a lot but it looks like a lot on a small person. i am definitely bigger. none of my clothes fit. i feel so big”
“I’ve finally started to show at 6.5 months. Idk why but I feel almost self conscious about it? I feel most comfortable in baggy clothee. I don’t like the attention or people knowing I’m pregnant. I know it sounds weird but it just feels like something super private. And I hate the attention on my body. It’s the one time in a women’s life where there are always comments. anyone else feel this way? I even announced the pregnancy to work fairly late. In a way it was because I plan on not going back”
“I’m over 34 wks and everything aches so you would think I’d remember my belly is supposed to be huge. Glanced in the mirror and was like 😳 what happened to me?!! Has this happened to anyone else 😆 submitted by /u/tyfq [link] [comments]”
“Hi moms, not sure if it’s just me and why, but my tummy is a lot more comfortable and less heavy in the mornings. Whenever evening comes it starts to become HUGE and feels kinda tight / hard. At times it feels like a bloat, it’s exhausting for me to go out for dinners. So I thought I felt ok in the noon and got all prepared to head out, but once evening comes, that tight stretch starts and my bump turns into a watermelon and this really spoils my mood cuz it makes me feel exhausted. Im 28 weeks”
“I’m 3 months postpartum and my god I just feel so ugly. I am not coming here for “I’m sure you look fine!” encouragement, I need actual recommendations on how to feel cuter in my body and face ASAP- without Botox or GLP1’s which I can’t do while breastfeeding. I got my hair done, I spent money on clothes that fit my body which is 50 lbs heavier now, I’m doing personal training to get back into shape, but my skin and under eyes look atrocious and my eyes are dry and red, my hair is falling out… I”
“I got to my smallest prior to getting pregnant at about 137lbs and now at 18 weeks I’m 158lbs. 20lbs in that amount of time seems absurd. Everyone in my life keeps saying “you’re pregnant you’re supposed to gain weight” etc but literally what in the world.. i feel like i haven’t even been eating THAT much Is there anybody else who is in the same boat? Or maybe i need to be told a reality check. Help 🙃 I don’t even know what to do submitted by /u/maejasmine [link] [comments]”
“I'm 6 weeks pregnant with my second baby and I already feel huge lol. I haven't gained any weight but I feel like my stomach is extending and more round. I know it's because I'm bloated but I'm curious how early people started to show/have a bump with their second baby? submitted by /u/Sweaty-Economist2403 [link] [comments]”
“Guys!! Nobody warned me that being postpartum would make me feel ugly 😭 it’s not even really about my body changes. Yeah I’m bigger than I was and my jeans don’t fit over my hips, it’s that I’ve basically reverted to being a teenager! Hello! I’m greasy and acne prone and sweaty it’s so strange 😭 I guess this is just a normal thing at around three months pp but I really don’t appreciate it- if anyone else is experiencing this so far I’ve found a few things that are working for me!! - Apple cide”
“Dear Reddit, Pls share your pregnancy fatigue stories so I can feel better about what a sleepyhead I am. I am 7w1d and oh my god it is ruining me. I sleep probably about 14hours a day (broken up into something like 9h overnight and a few 2 hour naps). I'm queasy and tired when I am awake. I worked a demanding job and lead an active life prior to this and I don't know what to do! submitted by /u/cookiesforall_ [link] [comments]”
“I'm 35 weeks into my first pregnancy and really struggling with how different I look. I'm a petite person, so gaining 40 pounds with 5 weeks left to go is really stressing me out. Throughout my second trimester, I leaned into it and dressed up with emphasis on my baby bump. It helped me feel confident and I got a ton of compliments from family, friends and strangers too. But now in my third trimester, it's harder to keep up. I'm bigger, more tired, everything is swollen and nothi”
“I’m in my last few weeks of pregnancy, and I have really noticed my face has swelled up lately. Obviously some of this is weight gain, but I know some is water retention too (hands, feet, and ankles are also swollen). How quickly after giving birth do you feel like you started to look like yourself again? Obviously weight loss will not be my priority for the first few months. But it would be nice to at least like the way my face looks in a Christmas photo with my baby girl and husband! sub”
“Just discovered my partner’s likes on his tik tok page. It’s all thirst traps from women and women participating in the Mom bods do it better trend. I’m only 4 months PP and I have a little bit of bunched up loose skin above my c section scar. I’m really feeling down because I look nothing like those women at all. I have also caught him watching porn. We have only had sex a handful of times after I got the okay from my OB. I don’t know how to make myself feel better at this point. submitte”
“Why why WHY is this a thing?? I know it’s so vain and not a big deal at the end of the day. But one of my boobs is like a full D and the other is a B. It’s ridiculous. I got pregnant with my second while breastfeeding my first and got about 2 lovely months during pregnancy of having even boobs. And now they’re even more uneven than when I was nursing my first. I hate it!!!!! My baby is only 1 so I’m probably stuck with them for another 1-2 years 😭 I just want to be able to wear a normal bra som”
“I don't understand why people feel the need to comment on another woman's body, and it's like if you're pregnant they think it gives them extra license. I am currently 20 weeks pregnant, and this is my 3rd pregnancy. My first two pregnancies I was very thin so I KNEW the moment I had a bump which was not til my late 2nd trimester, later with the first, and I was still thin after those pregnancies as well. I am a bit heavier this time around before starting out, with plenty of jig”
“I'm a ftm and I've never been a person who particularly liked my looks or my body very much,yes people can tell me I look good and my husband can reassure me a million times but as a plus size girlie I always felt a bit insecure about my looks and body but when my kid was born everyone said he looked like my twin,the Dr literally took him out of me and her first words were "this boy is definitely his mother's child" and when I look at that little face how can anyone help bu”
“I’m 9 weeks pp. I hate looking at myself in the mirror. One thing I liked about my body was my butt. I’m back to my pre baby weight but my ass is gone. It’s flat. And now I look like I have jowls. I’m 38 so I know jowls are normal but this feels like it happened overnight. My eyes look sunken in and hollow under eyes. I only gained 12kg during pregnancy. Please tell me this is temporary. submitted by /u/annizka [link] [comments]”
“I’m only 18 weeks now so I have a long way to go and have dealt with the typical nausea, bloating, GERD, etc. but just wanted to share the unexpected or surprising pregnancy symptoms so far: ** they are very honest and personal lol At ~4 weeks right before my missed period I had these cramps that were oddly… satisfying??? It was like all the blood was pumping to my lower abdomen AND my vagina. TMI but it made me so turned on lol my husband loved it. I usually have really painful period cramps so”
“I’m 17 weeks and lately I’ve been having a really weird time mentally with how fast my body and identity are changing. My stomach is actually starting to look like a bump now, my boobs have literally doubled in size, and I feel like every time I look at myself something is different. I knew obviously that my body would change during pregnancy lol, but I didn’t expect the changes happening so fast to make me feel this disconnected from myself. It’s honestly making me kind of depressed. I’m also h”
“Hi everyone! I’m looking for some reassurance and to hear about other people’s experiences. I started my pregnancy at 64 kg (5’4”), and I’m currently 31 weeks + 4 days and weigh 72.4 kg, so I’ve gained about 8.4 kg so far. I feel like I haven’t gained much weight since entering my third trimester, and it’s making me a little worried. I had my 30-week ultrasound, and the baby was estimated to weigh around 1.4 kg. My midwife said there’s no reason to worry, but I keep hearing that you’re supposed”
“Welp. It happened. I (23f) have really been struggling with my body, as I used to be very small (120 lbs, 5”3) and now weigh close to 180 after two pregnancies back to back, my first one being twins. I just had a baby a month and a half ago and my stomach hasn’t fully went down yet/ been struggling with ab separation which leaves a pretty prominent bump still in my midsection, and also have a bit of an apron belly given i’ve had two c sections plus the fast weight gain and stretching more than m”
“This is my second pregnancy. I am 34 weeks and I feel like a whale. This pregnancy has absolutely humbled me. The weight I have put on is crazy, the stretchmarks are something else, I feel like it’s going to be hard to budge the weight I’ve put on and I feel so heavy, out of breath and uncomfortable, even the maternity clothes are running tight. With my first pregnancy I was able to keep relatively active and this time it feels impossible, I am questioning how I can do another 6 weeks of this. N”
“Hi guys! I’m new to this group but I’m hoping to find some comfort possibly as I’m truly at my wits end right now. To start off with some context I am 23 and currently weigh 279 pounds, I have a child born in January 2025 and I’m due to give birth again in February 2027 to a surprise baby and I am genuinely terrified. I am doomsday thinking this whole thing and it didn’t start to get bad until my original midwife’s substitute spoke to me. My first pregnancy was great. Lots of nausea at first but”
“Sorry just a rant… I had my daughter in November and she just turned 10 months old. I am still about 10 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight and have severe diastasis recti from this pregnancy (and stretch marks all over my entire stomach) so my stomach does protrude a bit. In June I started playing pickleball to get active again and have been really enjoying it. On Monday I had an assessment to try and move up from the beginner group in my pickleball club to a more intermediate group (2.5 to 3.0 fo”
“This is my second pregnancy and I never had much bloating the first time around. Looking for any tips to relieve me. I honestly don't even mind the fact that my stomach looks so distended, which it does; it's the fact that it's so uncomfortable. Things I've tried: Simethicone unfortunately doesn't really help relieve it (it never helped my first kid either, when he used to get gassy in the newborn phase, so I guess it runs in the family lol). Movement - I've been chasing”
“I feel like I have imposter syndrome about showing off my belly in clothes that cling to my belly. In my head I’m like, “I’m not pregnant enough” Or “im only 9-10 week pregnant, it’s too early to be baby”. But it’s not like my stomach looks flat like it did before! The only way to avoid it would be very over sized clothing or sucking in. I dunno - what do you guys think? I’m a pregnant enough?! submitted by /u/icewolf16d [link] [comments]”
“I’m 27 weeks and apparently my stomach has become public property for commentary. In the SAME WEEK I’ve had one person tell me “wow, you’re so tiny for 27 weeks, are you sure everything is okay?” and another person say “you’re already huge, are they sure there’s only one in there?” Like... which is it?? My appointments have been normal, baby is measuring fine, and I wasn’t worried about my bump at all until people started acting like they could estimate fetal growth by looking at me for six seco”
“Trigger warning : weight gain/weight loss So I was dealing with insecurity from my pregnancy from gaining 50 lbs, my face was swollen and I was just bigger all around. It caused me so much grief to see pictures of myself during pregnancy.. Fast forward almost a month post partum and I’ve lost over half the weight I gained already while not even trying. My face doesn’t look puffy any longer (didn’t even know I was puffy honestly) and I just feel mostly back to normal even with some weight I’d lik”
“I am pregnant with my second after my first just turned 1 last week. My body feels foreign. I worked out a veryyyy limited amount with my first in the beginning because I was worried about my supply, then we switched to formula when I went back to work at 3 mo. And so I started running again about 4 months because I had the formula to lean on. I reallllly want to try to breast feed exclusively again and I need to feel like myself again. This is less about a number on a scale and more just regain”
“To preface this, I’m pregnant and pretty tired all the time. It gets to the point where I wake up shaking from how weak and exhausted I am. I see a lot of moms on social media getting up at 6 am, 7 am, 8 am, super early in the morning to get their babies on a good routine. But with my 4 month old, we go to bed at around 9:30 every night and while I try my best to wake up early (8-9 am), we both end up sleeping in a good bit. Yesterday we slept until 11 am and today we slept until 12:30 pm. I kno”
“Obligatory, please don’t laugh at me LOL. I’m 25 weeks and change currently and I’m panicking about the shave situation postpartum. For background, I’ve been shaving down there every single shower since I was 12 for comfort. The feeling of hair regrowth causes me severe discomfort and some pain with poking and itching, PCOS hair is thick, coarse, and no joke. I am absolutely freaking out about how postpartum will go. I’ll already be sore, swollen, and in pain. PLUS not being able to shave causin”
“This is my second pregnancy and I heard you do get big faster your second time around but I wasn’t expecting it to be this fast. I look 6 months pregnant. I’ve been trying to hid it but I don’t fit in anything anymore and when I do try and hid it I just like massive like not pregnant big but just large. So today is the first day I have “shown it off” and I regret it so much. Nobody has asked if I’m pregnant so I’m starting to think I just look silly showing off my bump that might not even look l”
“woke up this morning (FTM) and my belly is noticeably less hard at the top by my boobs, when I carried high like a basketball all the way up there for my whole pregnancy. around my bellybutton is way more hard now on both sides than it has been. i am hoping this means she is engaging for delivery as im 37 weeks, but i also can’t help but worry that she randomly decided to go transverse after being cephalic occiput anterior for all of third trimester lol. just want to hear how people’s bodies/bum”
“I'm 31 weeks and honestly I cant remember what it was like to bend over without planning it first. Like I used to just drop something and pick it up without thinking. Now I have to assess the situation, figure out if I can squat or if I need to do that weird side-lean thing, and half the time I just leave it on the floor for later. Also sleeping. I know I used to sleep on my stomach but I genuinely cannot picture how that worked anymore. My brain is like nope, that position never existed. Sa”
“I went in for my 25 week appointment and I’m very sad and upset because my OBGYN said I’m gaining too much weight. Mind you I had a rough first trimester I went from 145 lbs working out for over 3-4years and in the best shape of my life to 131 lbs because I couldn’t eat. I’m 25 weeks and currently 158lbs. I’m super healthy and eat fruits and my protein I also weight train 4 times a week and walk 30 min each day. I just think she’s going by my STARVING weight and not how much I actually weighed b”
“I am only 7 weeks pregnant and my stomach looks like I could be 20. Is this normal for anyone else? I can google this of course but real humans would make me feel better. No familial history of twins but now I’m freaking out over that as well 🙂 submitted by /u/Important_Mousse9907 [link] [comments]”
“I know my body is making a baby and doing lots of hard work but I hate how it’s triggering my body dysmorphia badly. My confidence is like 0% and I’m not even at the halfway mark of pregnancy 😭 I’d appreciate no comments about getting therapy or being concerned for mental health plz. I am just looking for those who can relate or share their own experience with me. ❤️ submitted by /u/Whatsuphahaxdrawr [link] [comments]”
“Today, I didn't sleep last night and feel godawful. I'm a FTM and haven't gotten this far along in a pregnancy before. I've not thrown up yet which is something, but I'm experiencing exhaustion, insomnia, nausea, dry heaving, food/smell aversions etc. When I tell my mom or my dad how I'm feeling, they just come back and say "well women work through it and pregnancy" and it feels so invalidating with how I'm feeling right now. I cannot focus on my graduate le”
“so I am about 8 weeks. already feeling the weight gain. not big enough for maternity clothes but need SOMETHING. any recommendations? submitted by /u/Fit-Assistant-4272 [link] [comments]”
“Many have said it before, I'll say it again! Most recently, I peed myself while simultaneously throwing up. After that, I was unable to fall back asleep for 2 hours despite being exhausted. Finally, I fell asleep...and then had to wake up to pee. This is my second pregnancy and already seems so much harder than the first!!! I'm not ready. But just remember - ✨✨✨Pregnancy is beautiful✨✨✨ submitted by /u/throwaway3997 [link] [comments]”
“Ironically in the earlier parts of my pregnancy I couldn't wait to be showing. Now at almost 21 weeks I am definitely showing and pretty obviously pregnant. Somehow I feel... self conscious? Specifically at work. I think ark of it is that I've always preferred looser clothes that hide my frame a bit strategically but I dont have any good options for that at work. Like my maternity clothes are all very bump accentuating (or so baggy its like a ten which looks horrendous on me) and after l”
“I don’t know if this is normal or what, but I feel like after I hit the third trimester I have become a mean meatball. This is my second baby and it is a boy. My daughter was my first, and I never experienced with her until postpartum. I am currently on medication for anxiety, which I was on for my daughter too, and I feel like that is well treated. But recently I feel like I could start throwing things and freaking out over the smallest issues. Last night, my husband ordered food, and asked me”
“How do I make my face less puffy looking on a day to day basis? Any tips and tricks? I’m 35 weeks and this week started getting mild swelling in my hands and feet too. Nothing crazy, like I can still wear my wedding ring, but I notice it much more in my facial features and it makes me really self conscious :( submitted by /u/East_Industry_5930 [link] [comments]”
“FTM, and I’ve been moderately active and reasonably in shape for most of my life. I have gained more than the average recommended amount so far (about 14 kg, and we’re still miles from the finish line). I feel HUGE. I know this is nothing and I’ll just keep getting bigger but DAMN. This is not a hot take - I’m sure a lot of people feel this way. But my pants are tight and my boobs feel ridiculous and if I have a bite of food my tummy expands like a balloon and I look even more pregnant. I have t”
“Hey guys! So I am a FTM and have been told at my last appointment that I really should be gaining weight about now. It’s got me feeling anxious. I don’t wanna stress over it, but I’ve never been able to gain more than 115 my whole life. I’m 5’3 in height, so I’m tiny all together. When I was younger I wasn’t even on the height or weight chart for a good period of my growing up. I am 16 weeks 4 days pregnant right now. I’ve been able to eat pretty good, ( Even early on when I was getting sick ) f”
“disclaimer: FTM venting here 🥲 i do want to preface by saying i am extremely grateful to be pregnant. that is truly a blessing i’ll always appreciate ~ BUT currently at 11 weeks & i feel so miserable. i also am self employed where i service clients in the beauty industry and i cannot seem to function. i’m not sure if it’s the focus+chatting with clients for 2-3hrs at a time that builds up my nausea causing me to vomit as soon as they leave but it’s been horrible. i’ve been rescheduling &”
“I can’t. I’ve lost all my confidence in my appearance since I had my baby 19 months ago. I used to be in the healthy weight range, you could even say maybe reaching underweight, now I’m overweight, stretch marks, thinning hair, saggy boobs, you all know it. I mourn my pre-pregnancy body so much, i don’t have time to do my makeup or hair or even shower Soemtimes so I’m always in baggy clothing and greasy hair. I see pictures of my old self and I just want to cry, I’ll never look that pretty again”
“I’m currently 18 weeks (yay) and feeling so much anxiety about getting things done. Anyone else feeling this? We’re currently finishing up a bathroom remodel and after that going to paint the nursery walls to ceiling and replace the lights in there. All fairly simply weekend stuff my husband and I can knock out over several weeks. But I’m feeling so anxious for some reason. Like I’m ready to go out and buy toiletries to stock up on for baby, ready to have the nursery done, ready to have done all”
“I’m struggling to love my post c-section body. It’s hard to look at myself in the mirror. I hate the way I look now and when I see or touch the scar, I have flashbacks of my traumatic birth where I almost died. To my surprise, my postpartum hormones have skyrocketed my libido. I tried to be intimate with my husband last night for the first time postpartum and I was fighting tears the entire time. I know he still thinks I’m beautiful but I’m so painfully insecure that I felt embarrassed to be see”
“Hi everyone! I have pretty bad emetophobia. I recently got married and my husband and I have always wanted kids and the next step would be to get pregnant. I’m super nervous about getting bad morning sickness. If anyone who has emetophobia and has been pregnant have any advice or tips, tricks or simply would share their experience, I would really appreciate it. I’m mentally preparing myself one day at a time! Thank you in advance!!! submitted by /u/Empty_Dinner2478 [link] [comm”