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When Does Your Belly Pop Out In Pregnancy? What To Know In 2025

Pregnancy can be an exciting period filled with lots of changes for the new mom. Some changes might be little while others like your growing baby bump are not so little.
Your bump will affect many areas of your life such as your wardrobe and styling options. You also cannot hide your pregnancy much longer once your belly begins to grow.
So, when does your belly pop during pregnancy, and how soon after your positive pregnancy test will you be needing to change your wardrobe?
When Does Your Belly Pop During Pregnancy?
Your belly might begin to pop out towards the end of your first trimester, around the twelfth to eighteenth week.[1] Your weight, height, Diastasis recti, multiple pregnancies, and previous pregnancies could influence how soon you get to see your baby bump.
Pregnancy is different for every woman, so there is not a fixed date for your belly to pop out. However, many women report seeing their bellies pop towards the end of the first trimester and at the beginning of the second trimester.
During the first few weeks of pregnancy, your little bun in the oven is far smaller than an actual bun and your uterus sits in your pelvis. As the fetus grows and develops in the coming weeks, your uterus rises to sit in your abdomen.
Your uterus also expands significantly to accommodate the growing baby. Eventually, at around the end of the first trimester, you might observe your belly protruding forward due to the new position of your growing uterus.
Some women first start noticing changes in their bellies from as early as the sixth week while others had their bellies pop out around the twenty-fourth week.
If you are yet to start showing by the end of the first trimester, no need to worry, you are still on track. You can consult your doctor for reassurance. Depending on your body, you could still have a few more weeks with your favorite pair of jeans.
Seeing your belly pop out during pregnancy is a reassuring sign that your little one is growing bigger. For lots of new moms, the first time they noticed a growing bump in the mirror was a memorable moment in their pregnancy journey.
What Happens During the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week marks the end of the first trimester and it is when lots of women first notice that their little one’s growth is showing on their bellies.
This period is pretty significant in your baby’s life too. Over the past weeks, the fetus grows in size and your uterus expands to accommodate this growth.
By the twelfth week, your baby is still pretty little at about two inches long[2] but they have mostly fully formed organs.
Their eyes move to the front of their face and their little limbs are taking form too. Usually, they develop their external genitals during this period but you might not be able to tell from your ultrasound.
If you have not already heard your baby’s heartbeat by now, then this might be the week you get to hear it. Your baby’s position can also affect when you first hear their heartbeat. So, if you do not hear it this week and the doctor says it is fine, you do not need to stress.
The twelfth week is an excellent time to start looking into your maternity wardrobe as your belly begins to grow. If you are not showing yet, you might only have a few weeks till you no longer fit into your favorite clothes.
Maternity fashion is still fashion. You can decide to show off your growing baby bump with clothing that highlights it or go for outfits that shield it. Either way, this is a great time to find out what works for you and go for what you are most comfortable in.
You might also observe growth in your other body parts like your breast from all the pregnancy hormones.
Factors Affecting How Soon You See Your Baby Bump
Pregnancy is not the same for every mom and it can be challenging to predict exactly when you will start showing. However, some factors might make your belly pop out earlier or later than others.
Pre-Pregnancy Weight
Your weight before pregnancy can determine how soon your belly pops.
Thinner women with less cushion around their abdomen would typically start showing earlier than women with a BMI over 25.
Height
What does height have to do with your baby bump?
Well, taller women usually have longer midsections. That means they have more room to spread out the pregnancy belly.
So, if you are on the shorter side, you might want to keep those maternity clothes handy, because you might need them sooner.
Multiple Pregnancies
If you are carrying multiples, then you can expect your bump to pop out earlier.
It is only logical that since your uterus will be expanding to accommodate double or triple its capacity that the signs would appear sooner than with a single pregnancy.
So, while moms with single babies might not show till after their first trimester, you might see your bump as early as six weeks if you are pregnant with multiples.
Previous Pregnancies
First-time moms can usually wait a little longer to switch to maternity fashion. That is because they do not usually show up so early.
Moms who have had a previous pregnancy can expect to start showing earlier. Your uterus never fully reverts to its pre-pregnancy size.
Your abdominal muscles also stretch out significantly with previous pregnancies and might not return to their pre-pregnancy size. Therefore, you will probably be switching to maternity clothes earlier than you did with your first pregnancy.
Uterus Position
The uterus does not stand straight but tilts forward or backward. This anatomical variation can affect how soon your pregnancy starts showing.
A forward-tilted uterus could push your bump forward a little earlier than a backward tilted uterus.
Diastasis Recti
Diastasis recti[3] is the midline separation of the abdominal muscles. This condition means your abdominal contents might not get the support they need.
Diastasis recti is not an unusual condition during avitnd after pregnancy and can cause you to show earlier when pregnant. The separated muscles do not provide as much resistance to your growing uterus.
The Wrong Due Date
Sometimes, the math can be a little off and you might get the wrong due date. You could see your bump progressing faster than you might expect for your estimated due date.
Simply checking in with your doctor might reveal that you are further along than you thought.
Baby Bump Care
As the feeling of excitement for your growing baby bump begins to subside, the fear of stretch marks might creep in.
Lots of moms are worried about how their bellies will look post-pregnancy and fall into the rabbit hole of using various products to prevent or get rid of stretch marks.
Up to 90% of women get stretch marks with pregnancy[4] and if you are one, it is nothing to be ashamed of.
Contrary to marketing schemes, most lotions are not effective in preventing stretch marks. However, you could ensure that your skin is hydrated and moisturized during this period.
Natural oils and butter such as cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil might not significantly reduce your chances of getting stretch marks but they can help keep your bump glowing throughout your pregnancy.
Belly massages and products with α-tocopherol, Centella asiatica, and collagen–elastin might help prevent stretch marks.[5]
Conclusion
For lots of women, their belly begins to pop out after the first trimester, between weeks 12 and 18. However, depending on your body, your bump can come out as early as six weeks or as late as 24 weeks.
Factors like your weight, height, multiple pregnancies, Diastasis recti, and previous pregnancies can affect how soon you get to see your bump.
When your bump pops out, you can care for your skin by hydrating and moisturizing it regularly. Natural oils and butter are helpful for healthy skin during this period.
+ 5 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- BabyCenter. (2021). When will my pregnancy start to show? | BabyCenter. [online] Available at: https://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy/your-body/when-will-my-pregnancy-start-to-show_10366573
- NHS Choices (2021). Week-by-week guide to pregnancy. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/1st-trimester/week-12/
- NHS Choices (2021). Your post-pregnancy body. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/
- Korgavkar, K. & Wang, F. (2015). Stretch marks during pregnancy: a review of topical prevention. British Journal of Dermatology, [online] 172(3), pp.606–615. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25255817/
- Farahnik, B., Park, K., Kroumpouzos, G. & Murase, J. (2017). Striae gravidarum: Risk factors, prevention, and management. International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, [online] 3(2), pp.77–85. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440454/