5 Essentials for a Healthy, Happy Plus-Size Pregnancy

Wearing clothes that fit—and flatter—your changing shape can be a much needed self-esteem boost. Mare Solomon remembers feeling depressed after one of her coworkers did a double take when she casually mentioned her due date. "I still fit into some of my non-maternity clothes well into the second trimester. While I could see my belly growing, my loose sweaters and baggy pants hid this fact from the rest of the world."

That all changed when Solomon finally went shopping. "I loved the way I looked in my new maternity clothes, but what shocked me was how much positive attention I received from others just by wearing a fitted maternity top. It was nice to finally get some credit for being pregnant."

A Note about Plus-Size Bellies...

When will you begin to show? Will you develop a perfect round orb of a belly? Based on what plus-size women report about their own experiences, if you have given birth before or if you are currently pregnant with multiples, you may notice your belly begin to swell as early as the end of the first trimester.

Are you pregnant for the first time? You could see a noticeably rounder pregnant belly starting to show sometime during the fifth month. An apple-shaped woman who carried excess weight in her stomach area prepregnancy may notice this weight shifts downward as her pregnant belly expands. Larger women who gain a minimal amount of weight during pregnancy may find themselves starting to show much later than women with higher weight-gain goals.