I didn't look pregnant until the start of my third trimester. It was terrifying

"The unspoken words, where people didn’t ask questions about my pregnancy, also weighed heavily on my mind... Often, it felt lonely."

I didn't look pregnant until the start of my third trimester.

It was something strangers felt compelled to tell me.

Yes, being tall often hid the fact that I was expecting a baby. It was a surreal experience where I knew there was a life growing inside me, but many people around me were completely unaware of it.

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"It was lonely when people didn't acknowledge my pregnancy"

While I felt relieved that I didn’t become the centre of attention because of my pregnancy, I also experienced feelings of loneliness because there was less recognition of this significant life event.

The unspoken words, where people didn’t ask questions about my pregnancy, also weighed heavily on my mind, which made me sometimes feel lonely on my pregnancy journey rather than it being a shared experience.

I didn’t realise my height would affect when I would start to look pregnant and how I would carry my baby during pregnancy.

It wasn’t until the third trimester that I actually looked pregnant.

During the first and second trimesters, being six feet tall seemed to camouflage my pregnancy because I have a longer midsection than average so there was more space for the weight to spread out.

When my bump popped out during the third trimester, it just looked like I had put on weight.

Dani in her third trimester. Image: Supplied

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“There were benefits of not looking pregnant and having a small bump”

Reflecting back on the pregnancy now, I can say that having only a small bump did have some advantages.

I didn’t have to buy any maternity clothes and I felt physically able to exercise during most of my pregnancy. I even felt comfortable enough to continue working in my computer-based job right up until my due date.

I could keep a low profile, which is what I preferred because I don’t enjoy being in the spotlight.

I also had more control over when I told others about my pregnancy because I was not showing for a long time. I waited until I was six months’ pregnant before telling my manager and colleagues.

Image: Supplied

“I thought something was wrong because people told me I didn’t look pregnant”

When I finally shared the news of my pregnancy, I could understand why people were surprised considering my body hadn’t visibly changed much.

But it still felt a bit disappointing when I was told that I didn’t look pregnant.

Over time, I started to worry that my bump was too small. It crossed my mind that maybe there was something wrong with me or the baby.

It was my first pregnancy so I didn’t know whether it was normal to lack more obvious physical changes.

My doctor reassured me that everything was going okay and the baby was developing well. They told me that height can affect how people carry their baby and when they start to look pregnant.

While some tall women have a small bump like I did, other tall women can look, well, more pregnant.

I certainly didn't look as though I was ready to have a baby as many other women do when my water broke at full term.

After I gave birth to a healthy, average-sized baby, some people told me how quickly I had lost the pregnancy weight. When, in fact, I hadn’t miraculously lost this weight – it was still there.

While not looking pregnant for most of my pregnancy seemed like some kind of magical illusion, it was just my body’s way of carrying a baby - and it's something we all need to keep in mind when wanting to make a comment about another person's body - pregnant or not.

For more information on pregnancy, speak to your health professional and see the Raising Children Network.

Originally published as I didn't look pregnant until the start of my third trimester. It was terrifying