Belly Geography

Line up a half-dozen similar-size pregnant women who are all at the same point in their pregnancy and who have all gained the same amount of weight, and you're likely to see a half-dozen different ways of carrying the pregnancy. One woman will carry low, another will carry high. One will be carrying only in front, and another will look pregnant from the sides, front, and back. One woman's entire front will stick way out, and another's will look more like a wide, flattened ball. All are normal.

The contours of a growing belly vary based in part on your baby's size and position, your height and build, and where your extra weight happens to settle. Carrying a certain way doesn't indicate the gender of your baby, even though people will swear that they know whether you're having a boy or girl based on how high or low you're carrying.

Originally published in You & Your Baby: Pregnancy.

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