Ob-gyn Explains Why Some Pregnant Women 'Show' Earlier Than Others

Whether you’re 10 weeks along and already showing or nearing the third trimester without “popping,” every pregnancy looks different. While sometimes there’s no clear explanation for when a baby bump decides to make its debut, a viral TikTok from mom of three and board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Christine Sterling breaks down some of the underlying reasons why some women may appear pregnant earlier than others.

“A lot of people think that the belly you have in pregnancy is just baby. And that’s not the case,” Sterling explains. “In your first trimester, the uterus is barely getting outside of your pelvis, and it’s not even getting up to your belly button until closer to, like, 24 weeks.” Yet, some people appear to have a visible bump as early as 10 weeks. So why do some people look pregnant so much earlier? What’s going on?

“Pregnancy hormones actually relax your abdominal wall,” Sterling says. These hormones loosen the muscles, making it easier for the belly to protrude. “The other thing that relaxes your abdominal wall is your intestine. Inside your intestines, there’s a certain diameter that your intestines will get to if they get filled with gas or food, etc. They’ll get to that certain diameter, and then it will send a signal to the abdominal wall to relax even further.”

The connection between intestinal gas and a visible bump is significant. As Sterling explains, “For people who have bloating or a lot of intestinal gas, they will have a pooch and look pregnant even though they’re just, like, itty-bitty pregnant because the hormones of pregnancy are relaxing their abdominal wall. The hormones of pregnancy also cause more intestinal gas.”

Body type and physical fitness play a role as well. “If you have a shorter torso and more intestinal gas, you can look super pregnant even though you’re early,” Sterling notes. On the other hand, women with longer torsos or stronger abdominal muscles may show later. “If you start out pregnancy with really strong abdominal muscles, you can hold in a pregnancy for a long time,” she adds.

Commenters flooded the video with thanks to Sterling for normalizing all pregnancy bodies, and many shared their experiences. “So helpful, thank you for normalizing allll of the different ways our bodies can look and we can feel,” one commenter wrote. “Yes. I’m very short with a short torso—4’10”—so I looked super pregnant early on when I was pregnant. People asked me if I was having twins. Funny thing is my baby came out so small too. It’s good to know that how big your baby bump is isn’t about how big or small your baby is and has to do with so many other factors,” another commenter added.

Whether you’re proudly showing early or patiently waiting for your bump to appear, know that it’s all part of the incredible journey of pregnancy. Want to learn even more about how your body is changing and what to expect? Check out pregnancy week by week for an in-depth look and insights and photos from real moms.