Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Not Showing at 4 Months | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I'm four months pregnant and not showing at all. When can I expect to go shopping for maternity clothes?— Not Showing | | | ANSWER |
April 11, 2003 | | | Dear Not Showing,
How your shape changes in pregnancy is different for different women, and also for each pregnancy. Typically, first time mothers show later, since their abdominal muscles hold the pregnancy in tighter, for longer. A first time mom may be able to get away with wearing her looser clothing for the first four or five months of pregnancy, and if she was a big person to start off with, maybe even longer. Women having second babies usually show earlier, and often find themselves in maternity clothes as early as the third month.
While it is intriguing to think of getting new clothes that publicly acknowledge your special state, you may be surprised to discover how sick you become of those outfits by the time the baby comes. You might want to delay purchasing maternity clothing. That way you will have a shorter season in which to wear (and get tired of) those outfits. And speaking of seasons, don't forget to choose clothing that will work in the season of the year when your baby is due, and not just when you buy it. I was so excited to pick out maternity outfits myself that I bought a lovely winter dress in December, forgetting that the baby was due in July. I didn't even fit into it until the weather got warm!
Experienced mothers often recommend borrowing maternity clothes from friends and family who don't currently need them, rather than spending a fortune on new outfits that will probably be of limited use to you. Loose fitting non-maternity clothing can often get you though to at least the middle of pregnancy. Save those items for after the baby comes, when your shape won't be quite back to its pre-baby slimness. You definitely won't want to wear maternity outfits at that point!— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
|
