"Is she pregnant or did she just gain weight?" I can tell that's what people are thinking when they look at me these days. They don't say anything of course, but their eyes skim over my fuller face (lucky me, it's the first place I gain weight), then carry on to my little pouch and in some horrifying cases, my hips. Don't get me wrong—I don't look fat by any means but to anyone who knows me, I definitely look like I've developed a taste for beer and poutine. Unlike Victoria Beckham who claims to be due around the same time, I have gained 16 lbs but because my belly is still wee, it's not obviously pregnancy weight. 

Since most people are too polite to say anything and I'm not one to announce my business to all in earshot, I've noticed myself adopting body language to make it clear yet unspoken that no, I have not just let myself go. I've started rubbing my belly in casual conversations or just lightly resting my hand on it. I'll admit I've even stuck it out on purpose. I have become the stereotypical pregnant woman.

Truth be told, I wasn't anticipating the weight gain to be evenly spread throughout my hips and lower back. How silly of me to think it would only be my belly and finally(!) my boobs. That's not how it works, Sisters—your butt goes up in size along with the rest of it. 

I did a foolish thing the other day. I tried on a pair of pre-pregnancy skinny jeans and found I could not get them up past my knees. That was a dark day in my household.

On the bright side, preggie plump does have its advantages! I have been joyfully using the expectant mother's parking spot in front of stores, even though no one can tell I need it and are probably cursing me under their breath, and I've been making my husband carry everything. Like, even my purse. (There's a lot of heavy sh-t in there, ok?)

To all of the newly minted Moms-to-Be, I have a question: When you first started gaining pregnancy weight were you self-conscious about it? Did you feel the need to explain yourself to strangers?

XO, Mommy-to-be