4 Factors That Can Affect Your Baby Bump Size

Babies are born with their own unique height and weight. Similarly, baby bumps also come in different shapes and sizes.

Your baby bump is determined by various factors, such as the position of the baby in the womb, the height and weight of the mother and the amount of amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac.

Several women anxiously compare their bump size with their friends’ and other women in general. However, there is no such thing as a perfect size for your baby bump that you need to aspire for. It is nearly impossible to tell the size of the little human growing inside you by simply assessing the size of the dent it has made in your belly.

In This Article

1. Position of the baby

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The position in which the baby rests in their mother’s womb can influence the shape and size of their mother’s belly. If your baby is in the anterior position, which means that the baby’s back is facing your belly while its head and eyes are facing your back, then you would have a perfectly round belly like a soccer ball. This is also considered as the optimum position for a baby to be delivered to ease the labor process.

If your baby is in the posterior position, which means that the baby’s back is facing your back while its head and eyes are facing your belly, then the bump may not be as round as in the previous case, and you would notice a small dip near your belly. Even if you find out that your baby is not in the anterior position, you should not be disheartened as there are several exercises that you can do to change the position of the baby in your womb.

2. Previous pregnancies

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The shape and size of your baby bump can be affected by any previous pregnancies that you may have had. After your first delivery, your muscles are unable to retain their original shape, which may make them looser thus making your baby bump appear a lot sooner during your second pregnancy. Not only does your bump appear sooner, but also may look much bigger than your first one.

3. Height and weight

Image: IStock

The height and weight of you as well as those of the baby affect your belly size. If you are a tall person, your uterus will grow upwards rather than outwards which would mean that your baby bump would not be visible until the latter stages of your pregnancy. On the contrary, a shorter person’s uterus would grow outwards, making the baby bump appear larger.

4. Amount of amniotic fluid

Image: IStock

The amniotic sac around a baby serves to protect the fetus from mechanical injuries as well harmful germs. The amount of amniotic fluid inside the amniotic sac can affect the size of the baby bump. The greater the amount of amniotic fluid inside the sac, the larger your baby bump would appear. However, this would also ensure that your baby is well protected inside your womb. On the contrary, the lesser the amount of amniotic fluid in the sac, the smaller your baby bump would appear, but this would leave your child more susceptible to accidents or infections.

Babies and baby bumps both come in different shapes and sizes. It does not matter whether your bump looks like you’re about to give birth to quadruplets or if it appears like you’re fibbing about the pregnancy itself! All baby bumps are equally beautiful and unique.

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