Why is my belly not growing?

I'm just about 18 weeks and the lower part of my stomach is somewhat hard but the top is normal. Sometimes it doesn't even look like I'm pregnant but rather flabby. I'm starting to worry why I'm not showing more and when will I start. I worry if my baby is growing as it should be? Can anyone advise me on what I should be expecting right now?

I wouldn't worry. With my first pregnancy I didn't really get a belly until my 7th month. It seriously was like I "popped" overnight, then I was huge for the last 2 months lol

I didn't show with either of my pregnancies until around 20 weeks, then I grew, grew, GREW!!! But, if you are worried, then contact your doctor. You aren't being paranoid or a worry wart, your being preggers!!

Hey there, congrats on the pregnancy! I am a nurse in a postpartum unit so I work with alot of pregnant and recently delivered mommies. With your first pregnancy your body has not yet "stretched out" (terrible I know) so your ligaments and everything are really tight still. Most first timers do not show until 20-25 weeks. Now when you have your second one, be prepared to show at about 15 weeks- the hormones pick up right where they left off with the first one! No need to be concerned, just make sure you are eating enough and aren't having any changes related to the pregnancy such as bleeding, leaking of fluid etc. Can't wait to see you post some pics when you do get your tummy!

I was tubby (not nearly the size I am now) and didnt show till about 7 months.. then like the poster above, totally just burst out there.

I wanted the baby bump too.. if you wear maternity clothes you will look more like you are preg and less like you are chubby.... faking it takes on a whole new meaning LOL.

First child is like that, just make sure you eat enough and drink plenty.  I'm having my 4th child and am 5 weeks along and my belly is already popping out :)

You'll show soon enough!!!!!  I'm sure you look great now-  as soon as I hit my third tri I popped out like crazy!!

I think it's just about body type and every body is different.   I too, was not showing until about the sixth or seventh month. The eighth and ninth month is when it really showed but even then people who didn't know were guessing I was only six months along.   

Earlier into it,  I sure felt pregnant and it was weird to me that people couldn't tell. I thought "don't they know, my stomach used to be flat as a board... "    So, I started wearing maternity clothes even though I didn't need to when normal clothes still fit. I just wanted proper credit for being a mommy-to-be. And it worked! I started getting congratulations (and also more people pointing out that I didn't really look pregnant but I just ignored that).  Don't make the same mistake I did ~ Try to eat healthy, don't try to get fatter.   

PS. don't worry about the baby not growing as it should be, I'm sure the baby is fine.  especially if you are a small or medium size person, not everyone has huge chubby babies. the doctors will tell you if you have anything to worry about.

At 18 weeks you should start feeling the baby move.  It's not big enough to make your belly stick out yet.  One day you have a flat stomach and the next it's hello belly.

My belly came overnight.  Then it just kept getting bigger.

I am the same way. I am about 22 weeks along and people can't tell--they just think that I am fat. I hate the way that maternity clothes fit me....I am a very tall girl and they just look funny! I have started shopping at motherhood maternity though....they have some good stuff. I DESPERATLY WANT THE BABY BUMP AS WELL!! HAHA Guess we will see what happens!

 

I felt the SAME way!  People kept looking at me and I just wanted to say "I'm pregnant not fat".  Though, I popped out and looked pregnant at about 22 weeks (I'm at 25 now).  I swear it happened over night.

everyone has left some really good advice and there right not worry your not that far along and if you have any worrys go to your doctor they will know if you have anything to be concerned about

Well you all were right. I'm definitely showing now! Before I wanted to show, now I'm not so sure. Nothing fits anymore. I have 2 bella bands and they help alot but I look so funny to myself in clothes but everyone else thinks I look cute! Go figure! I don't really see any extra weight anywhere else which is good I guess, but I do have 4 more months to go. I'm afraid of getting a huge nose and swollen face like people say they've seen others get.

Ahhhh, the pregancy face. i remember it all to well. did you read jenny mccarthy's book about being pregnant? it is really funny! my nose got a little bigger, my teeth seemed to be out of alignment and it seemed like i always had too much saliva in my mouth!!!! i know its gross but it happens i guess. i also felt like my eyelids were swollen and my eyelashes wouldn't curl when i used the curler! i remember reading an article about the actress kate beckinsale where she said when she was preggers everything was swollen or got thicker- even her scalp! it made me feel better to know that it happens to celebrities too. we just never see pictures of them when they are pregnant. all of that stuff seemed to go away almost immediately after i gave birth. so if it does happen to you it wont last after you have your baby. good luck!!

In addition to growing a baby; I grew an extra chin and feet the size of texas.  My shoes are huge now that I stretched them out; but the chin I haven't exactly given birth to yet....

how are you feeling nenewa?

I was overweight with my daughter and never really looked pregnant until the eigth month, just fatter. With my son I was in really good shape and I still didn't look pregnant, just a bit of a belly til the eigth month. My gyno told me that I have a very supportive pelvis. Aka my pelvis was big so the baby was able to stay cradled in it longer rather then be pushed up and out.