I'm in my second trimester now and my belly is starting to show. I'm curious about how much it typically grows throughout the entire pregnancy. Will it be a lot bigger by the end?
I remember measuring my belly and crying because I felt so huge and unrecognizable. In total, my waist grew by almost 15 inches! Please be gentle with yourself, your body is doing something beautiful.
My mother used to say a rounder belly means one thing and a pointed one means another, but scientifically, every body carries differently. As long as your doctor says the baby's growth is healthy, don't worry about the inches.
I think I gained around 12 inches on my waist by the end of my pregnancy. Looking back, I stressed so much about my body shape, but now with a toddler running around, I realize how temporary that phase was!
Everyone's body is different, so the exact inches don't matter as long as your scans are good. If your skin feels very tight or itchy, try massaging with sweet almond oil. But if you feel sudden, sharp stretching pain, definitely call your doctor.
Honestly, don't waste time measuring your belly in inches, it varies wildly. Just check if your clothes are comfortable and track your weight gain as per your doctor's monthly guidelines. That's a better metric.
I am currently 28 weeks and I feel like my belly is growing by an inch every week now! My normal jeans don't even go past my thighs. How much did you guys grow by the third trimester?
