Carrying High in Pregnancy

Carrying high in pregnancy is something many of us women want to understand. Every one of us has a different shape and this can have a major effect when your baby bump doesn’t look as you thought it would. Having a high baby bump isn’t necessarily any cause for concern but to understand why we have uncovered many factors.

Why Do I Carry High in Pregnancy?

Carrying high during pregnancy usually means that your abdominal muscles are tight. Also, you need to factor in your body shape, whether you are tall or short and your weight, can all determine the look of your bump. If you are expecting more than one baby this can also play a part in carrying higher than you expected.

We have all been there, looking at celebrities scrolling through the way society determines we should look. Yet being pregnant you expect to feel different. Your waistline expands to house your growing baby but feelings that your bump isn’t picture perfect can haunt your happiness.

Women all over the world carry their babies differently. Some find they are proud new owners of stretch marks whilst others are desperate for their bump to pop. Needless to say, the way you carry has rarely anything to do with the health of your baby or risk during pregnancy.

If you are wondering why you are carrying high in pregnancy look at some of the reasons we have found.

Why Is My Bump Higher Than Others?

Carrying a baby is no easy task, some women are prone to carrying high, low, or wide whilst other baby bumps are hardly noticeable. No matter which category you fit in you can be sure your bump is perfect for your body.

So why do some bumps look so different?

Muscle Tone

Your muscles take much of the strain when it comes to growing a baby bump. Tighter abs pre-pregnancy can affect the look of your bump. In fact when you think of it the stronger your muscles are the more support they can give to the extra weight developing. This can also be the reason why your bump seems higher than normal.

Comparing both my pregnancies I felt that on my first my bump started directly under my breasts, admittedly it was a wonderful table for my coco in the evenings whereas in my second pregnancy my bump felt as if it was a lot lower. In fact, I could place a hand width in-between where my bump started and my boobs.

In hindsight my muscles when pregnant the first time round would have been a lot tighter meaning my higher bump was to do with my muscle tone compared to my already stretched abdomen second pregnancy.

Height

Common sense proves that if you are taller you will have a longer torso than that of a shorter person. Obviously, with a longer midsection you may find that your bump has extra space whereas if you are on the shorter side your bump may feel high due to less space.

Weight

Yes, understandably many of us hate the pressures of weight gain, it is inevitable that the scales will read heavier the more you progress through pregnancy but pregnancy weight can look different on everyone.

I’m 5 foot 5 and around 172 lbs during pregnancy my bump was fairly neat but my sister being only 5 ft and around 130 lbs looked a lot heavier and rounder than me during pregnancy. Our weight can give us the overall illusion of carrying higher or looking rounder than our female counterparts but what’s important is to remember no two bumps will ever be the same and there is no right or wrong way a bump should look.

Placenta

The placenta could be the reason you’re carrying high in pregnancy. If it attaches to the top of your uterus then you can expect the umbilical cord and your baby to do the same. There is no harm if this were to happen and no risks are involved as a low lying placenta can make vaginal deliveries harder leaving many women no option but to arrange a planned c section.

Gestation

Your bump may seem high now which is common in the second trimester but as you head toward your due date everything heads south. You can expect your baby to snuggle their head into your pelvis which can sometimes signal the term “dropped.” If your bump is still high in the third trimester don’t worry your baby is coming up to term now so he/she may just be grasping all the space they can get.

At every antenatal appointment, you can expect your doctor to measure your fundal height. From 16 weeks they will measure from the top of your uterus to the bottom and as you hit the third trimester this will typically be from the bottom of your ribcage to the top of your pubic bone. This measurement usually coincides with your gestation. If your measurements are under or over then you may be required for a sizing scan to be sure your baby is growing at a steady pace.

Multiples

Carrying more than one baby can definitely make a difference to your bump. It is logical to expect your bump to look rounder and higher as you are hosting more than one growing baby.

Urban Myths of Carrying High in Pregnancy

It has been known that the way you carry can signal the gender of your baby. Carrying high is thought to predict your baby being a girl whilst carrying low is meant to predict you’re carrying a boy.

I can categorically explain to you that there is a 50% chance you can carry high and actually have a girl. According to Web MD Kirtly Parker Jones states there is no scientific evidence to prove any connection between the height of your bump and the gender of your baby.

As recently pointed out my bump was extremely high on my first pregnancy and yet I indeed had a girl however I carried low on my second and again had a baby girl. This leaves us no option but to consider the physical strength of abdominal muscles in first pregnancies compared to the second or third even.

Changes in Your Baby Bump

As you progress through pregnancy you will notice that your bump can seem to ‘pop.’ There is a stage where you may just look a little larger around your midsection before having a defined rounded tummy.

Your uterus is nestled behind your pubic bone during the first trimester and as your baby grows it will begin pushing your organs and abdominal out of the way.

From 16 weeks you may find that your bump is becoming more pronounced every day. As it starts to ascend, how high it will be will depend on your muscle tone and your baby’s positioning.

How Can My Baby’s Position Alter My Bump?

Carrying large

As we know carrying large could be because you have a smaller torso or weaker muscles. Carrying a bigger baby isn’t any cause for concern but your doctor will want to keep an eye on the weight gain of you and your baby. Typically if you are too large then you may be required to have a scan to get a better understanding of what rate your baby is growing. They can also assess the amount of fluid you are holding.

Carrying small

Having a smaller bump may not be one of your desires. This is your time to shine and glow through pregnancy doing this with a smaller bump may be perfect for you yet the fear of a hindrance in growth in your little bean can be worrying.

It is important to recognize that if you are athletically fit and have strong abdominal muscles your bump may be smaller and more contained.

First pregnancies tend to show a little later than if you have been pregnant before this is because your muscles have already stretched once before.

Carrying wide

You can thank your little bean for this look. No one wants to grow wider but with pregnancy sometimes you won’t have control.

Carrying widely depends on the position of your little bug. As he or she swishes around giving you those notifications to let you know all is well inside they may find a comfy spot, laying widthways across your abdomen. This is known as a transverse lie.

Is Carrying High a Problem?

Typically the way you carry has no bearing on pregnancy problems but it tends to be you as the host that could feel concerned. Each and every woman is different so there is no way to determine what is considered carrying high during pregnancy. What is high for you may not be high for others so this would be determined by how you feel.

Carrying high in pregnancy, problems stem from how you feel. Are people commenting on your shape? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Needless to say, there are several unimportant issues that can coincide with carrying your baby higher.

Other People

If this is your first pregnancy or not you may now understand that other people feel it’s totally acceptable to comment on your size and shape. Why? It is super frustrating to have strangers comment on how ‘big’ you look and having a high bump can exacerbate this.

Strangers and familiar people may stand by the urban myth of ‘it’s a girl.’ This in itself can cause anxiety especially if your gender reveal was blue. Mistakes in gender can happen which is why so many women avoid pimping out the nursery in either blue or pink but the way you carry has no significance on this whatsoever.

If you find other people’s comments are getting to you then stand your ground and simply ignore them. Or do what I did and shut their comment down by explaining “I’m growing my baby well, thank you.”

Wearing a Bra

Everything is growing at a fast-paced rate. 40 weeks may seem like a long time but it will flit past in a flash. As you grow, wearing a bra can become uncomfortable especially if you have an underwire.

The best bra to wear would be a good soft fitted bra. I lived in my sports bra, it not only housed my growing boobs well but it proved comfier than my usual bras.

Rib Pain

You don’t feel pain like it until your baby starts using your ribcage like a xylophone.

Unfortunately, your baby has found a comfy spot in your ribs causing you to be less comfortable, there is rarely anything that your doctors can do about this but they may suggest different positions to help you cope with the pain.

Breathing

As if carrying the extra weight wasn’t hard, carrying high during pregnancy can make this worse.

Your uterus has expanded over triple its size and has pushed all your organs out of the way, this includes your lungs.

Squashed lungs can leave you feeling breathless and you may find that shorter walks become a good cardio workout. Don’t panic, there is nothing to worry about but if you feel extreme breathlessness seek advice from your doctor.

Your Feet Have Disappeared

The joke of not being able to see your feet is a reality when you carry high. This makes shaving your legs and polishing those toes almost impossible. It won’t be long and you will soon be reunited!

Wrapping Up

Carrying high in pregnancy is not thought of as a risk to you or your baby. There will be times when you will feel out of breath by literally doing nothing and you may be sick of people commenting on your size. But all that’s important is to remember you are growing your baby well, pregnancy is hard no matter which way your bump grows. Being small or tall and having tighter abs all make up the reasons behind carrying high.

In all respects, you should feel proud your abdominal strength is on point to carry another human!

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