• Marriage

Wedding: hiding the baby bump?

By Chris Hart on

How can I keep my baby bump small for the first six months without affecting the health of my baby? I don’t want to look ugly in my wedding gown.

I will be getting married at six months pregnant. And the last thing I want is a huge baby bump. Help!


There’s a limit to what you can do because every woman’s unique – and so’s her bump! So decide to enjoy yours whichever way it turns out – and start thinking about a wedding gown that will complement it.

Diet

But good diet and exercise will definitely help. Obviously, the most important thing is the health of your baby, so it’s really important to get your weight right, rather than to minimise it.

A good nutritionist will help you choose the right nutrients, and also to find the right balance between eating enough for you and your baby, and staying at the ideal weight for your height and body type at every stage of your pregnancy.

Exercise: first trimester

After that, you need to work on strengthening your muscles, so that all the way through your pregnancy you feel toned and taut.

Strong abdominal muscles will support your growing bump better, and keep it more compact.

In fact, just remembering to walk with a good posture, and to pull your tummy muscles in tight will make a big difference. But you can also work out! Swimming’s good because the water supports your body and it works every muscle group. The best idea’s probably a combination of gym, swimming, and walking.

For your first trimester, also do the usual crunches and sit-ups. And some back extensions to strengthen your lower back muscles.

Exercise: second trimester

After your first trimester, any exercise which involves lying on your back is best avoided. So instead, do ‘cat curls.’ Start on all fours, hands in line with shoulders, knees in line with hips. Now mimic a stretching cat – dropping your head and lifting your back, while using your abdominal muscles to pull your bump in towards you. Return to a straight back slowly, carefully using your abdominals to control the movement. Do 10 reps and then rest.

Another good exercise from the all fours position is to lift your right arm and left leg at the same time, stretching right through to your fingertips and toes. Slowly return your arms and legs to the ground and repeat with your left arm and right leg. Do 10 reps, alternate sides, then rest.

Strong abdominals will mean that your bump is as small as it can be during your pregnancy – and so you might receive only a few critical comments about that!

Don’t worry about them though, smile inwardly, and feel happy that your hard work’s paying off!

What are your thoughts on bumps in gowns? Share your comments below or on Facebook.