Thoughts about pregnancy often lead to the appearance in the subconscious of a picture depicting a future mother with a big belly, where the baby is conveniently located. Having decided to give birth to a second child, each woman is puzzled by how much earlier than the first time, she will begin to corresponding changes in her appearance, and when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy.
What explains the woman’s interest in the volume of her abdomen?
These questions arise for several reasons:
- It is interesting when others find out about a woman’s pregnancy.
- By the fact that the tummy is indicated, it is possible to judge whether the pregnancy is proceeding normally.
- Some in size and shape of the abdomen hope to find out the gender of the unborn child.
- Every woman wants to know at least approximately what month she will need special clothes.
General features of bearing a second child
All this is very important for the future mother. You should understand what exactly affects the period when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy.
Photos of women who are expecting the long-awaited birth of a baby and are at the same time demonstrate differences in volumes. During the first pregnancy, an average increase in the abdomen occurs on the 16-18th week. Slender lovers of close-fitting clothing “declassify” immediately. But those around her may not be aware of the changes in the position of the magnificent woman until her departure on maternity leave, that is, almost until the 25th week. It turns out: despite the fact that the uterus increases in everyone according to the same laws, outwardly it manifests itself in different ways.
Why is the second time the belly is larger?
There are several other reasons that affect the increase in the abdomen in a circle and, as a result, a change in the appearance of a woman:
- The serial number of the pregnancy. For the first time, the tummy will appear somewhere around the 20th week, sometimes a little later. When the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy, many mothers are surprised. After all, the second pregnancy will become noticeable earlier: about 16 weeks. This happens because the abdominal muscles, which were stretched in order during the previous pregnancy, are no longer so elastic and are not able to hold on to an ever-expanding abdomen for a long time. Untrained muscles due to the lack of physical activity before pregnancy also contribute to the early appearance of the abdomen.
- Anatomy of a woman. In narrow-handed girls, the stomach appears earlier. This happens because the child simply has nowhere to sit in a narrow pelvis, so the uterus with all its contents (fetus and amniotic fluid) seems to bulge over the pelvis, and the tummy sticks out. But the woman ’s wide hips make it possible to “hide” the baby for the time being from prying eyes. In this case, the fetus can stay between the pelvic bones longer, respectively, and the stomach will appear later.
- The location of the fetus in the uterus. The baby in the mother’s womb is also not always the same. If he has chosen a place closer to the spine (posterior wall of the uterus), his stomach will appear later. In addition, the location of the baby in the uterus of the mother also influences the factor determining when the abdomen begins to grow during the second pregnancy after cesarean section. After an operable birth, the birth and development of a new life will again be noticed earlier than the first time.
- Amniotic fluid volume. Each woman has a different amount of amniotic fluid. If their volume is large, the stomach will appear earlier.
- Weight gain during pregnancy. Most often, pregnant women have a good appetite. And all the kilograms thus obtained decorate the tummy with pretty fat.
- The size of the fetus. We should not forget that the child in each woman develops differently: the intensive growth of the fetus will cause the tummy to grow earlier. But at the end of pregnancy, this factor loses relevance. The second, third and fourth of the above items will come to the fore.
- Hereditary factors. Oddly enough, this sounds, but heredity also to some extent affects the size, duration and shape of the abdomen. For each pregnant woman, this happens approximately the same as for her grandmother, aunt, and mother.
Anatomical specificity of a woman giving birth again
All of the above is fair and objective. Nevertheless, the scenarios of the development of the first and second pregnancy are different. The first births bring the female body irreversible changes. This fact allows us to highlight the causes that affect the change in the circumference of a woman’s abdomen.
If you want to know when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy, do not take into account the reviews of mothers who have already given birth again. As with the bearing of the first-born, in every pregnant woman the timing of the manifestation of the tummy can vary significantly. However, mainly during the second pregnancy, the abdomen will become noticeable about 4-6 weeks earlier, that is, others will be able to enjoy the changed position of the woman a month faster.
The reason for this is that the uterus after the first birth does not return to its original state, which is fully consistent with the norm. Therefore, in thin women, the tummy will begin to be seen for about 12 weeks. And let acquaintances and relatives in their form vying argue about the gender of the baby who should be born!
Uterus location
In addition, it is impossible to say unequivocally when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy (a photo by weeks helps to see a noticeable difference in the increase in volumes).
But changes in the position of the abdomen will certainly affect the timing. The uterus will now be located much lower than in the first pregnancy. As mentioned above, during the first pregnancy, the muscles of the pelvic floor, abdominal wall, and ligament were severely “damaged” before and during the first birth, and they no longer cheerfully hold the stomach. On the one hand, this facilitates the position of the pregnant woman: heartburn pests her less, nothing makes her breathing difficult. On the other hand, the lower spine and pelvic bones suffer. A bandage can help here, which you can buy only on specialized sites or in a pharmacy. And only the one advised by the doctor.
It's different for everyone: pregnant reviews
When the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy (reviews of women can become an invaluable source of information), many people also note differences in the shape of the abdomen. On the forums they write that basically, for the owners of a narrow pelvis for the second time, it sags more and looks flat, and it drops much later. This discourages lovers of fortune telling on the baby’s floor. None of them can suggest that not a girl, but, on the contrary, a male infant, comfortably develops in a round, strongly increasing mother's waist belly.
Moms themselves say that it is more difficult for them, pregnant for the second time, to hide their position, since the stomach becomes noticeable earlier than the first time. This is confirmed by the women themselves. They admit that when the stomach begins to grow during pregnancy, the second baby becomes an object of congratulations earlier for a whole month.
Negative previous pregnancy experience
It happens that the previous bearing of the fetus is interrupted, and the woman is unable to give birth to the baby. It is no coincidence that worrying about the current baby, the mother, being in the early stages, will wait impatiently for changes in her appearance, and at the next appointment the doctor will be asked when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy after a miscarriage. Usually, differences in the volume and timing of the appearance of the abdomen, depending on the outcome of previous pregnancies, are not observed.
Mandatory trips to the gynecologist
Women try to calculate when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy. And not always their desires are associated with the desire to find out the sex of the child or in time to get the appropriate clothes. The doctor is very interested in this information, whose attention to pregnant women should in no case be neglected. In order to give birth to a healthy baby, you need to regularly attend the methods of the gynecologist conducting the pregnancy, in which he will feel the tummy, measure it with a tape and a special device.
And all the signs stated above will help him not in guessing the sex of the child, but in solving the question of how the pregnancy proceeds, whether there are any reasons for concern and threat to the baby. This was the first time and will be so in all subsequent pregnancies. Every mommy, regardless of whether this happens for the first or second time, must go through this period under the supervision of a doctor: take tests on time, observe the diet and motor activity.
A few words in conclusion
If the changes that occur with the uterus comply with accepted standards, neither the size nor the shape of the abdomen will in any way affect the health of the mother and her baby, and even less will in any way affect his sex.
For parents who are looking forward to the birth of a baby, it does not matter at all whether it will be a girl or a boy. And when the stomach begins to grow during the second pregnancy with twins, the happiness of expectant mothers and fathers definitely has no limits. By the way, this happens quite early, and guessing why is not a huge deal. And yet, the main thing for parents is to help every baby be born healthy and on time.