A Few Bump Pictures From A Girl Who Hates It

And as a real departure from things I am comfortable with, here are some bump pictures. 

After several requests from family and blog readers alike…

I forced the camera into my husband’s hands after Mass. Marched into the backyard, and posed awkwardly for a few shots showing my bump, belly, whatever.

I am 33 weeks right now and, well, feeling very pregnant. 

I could list all of my complaints here, but I’ve already done that, and even I’m sick of hearing about it.

This brings me to the general topic of Bump Pictures. 

Part of the reason why I broke down and took these pictures today is that even though this will be my 4th baby.

I have exactly 1 bump picture on file. And I hate it so much that I won’t even dig it out of the 5-year-old archives to share with you. 

No thank you. 

Sure, I’ve been in pictures while pregnant. But I prefer to crop their chest and up or have a child placed nicely on what is left of my lap. 

Well, I started to think it might be nice. In future years, to have a few pictures of me actually pregnant.

So, here it is.

That is my best “man, I feel awkward and I hate this, but let’s try and hide that” smile.

The reason I struggle with bump pictures is that all of our “bumps” look so very different. 

Some people don’t show for quite a while, some, like those of us on our 4th or more baby, show way too soon, some, like me, have a lumpy bump for a while, others can go the entire 9 months without looking decidedly pregnant. 

And each of these women feels slightly self-conscious about the bump, thus we don’t take and post bump pictures.

It’s hard to feel this way about your pregnant tummy.

And seeing all these perfect little bump shots on Facebook and Instagram doesn’t make it any easier. 

In fact, I would wager that MOST women don’t have perfect bumps, even though we all sort of feel like we should.

So, yeah, that’s my two cents on bumps. 

With all of the garbage that comes with pregnancy, it seems unfair that lots of us have to be insecure about our bumps as well. 

It sucks that we have to put up with people commenting things like, “Are you sure you’re not having twins, you’re so huge!” or “You’re pregnant?  I never would have guessed!” when we feel like moose. 

A perfect little bump communicates to the world that you are a happy, healthy, expectant mother.  The rest of us have to communicate this in other ways.

I don’t have a slender, perfect body to start with. So it makes sense that my bump isn’t picture-perfect either…

But I am trying to be brave and share it anyway. 

Sometimes I think I might be one of the most guarded bloggers ever–shy about sharing her bump, that’s crazy for a blogger. 

But I am, and hopefully, my daughter appreciates this effort I made!

And here, just to really close things out and come full circle on the whole bump picture thing, is a “classic” picture of an older sibling kissing the bump. 

Gus was totally not into this at all…well he was about as into it as I was.

And there you have it: the bump, my ranting, and a few awkward smiles.

What are your thoughts on bumps? 

If you are one of those lucky ones with a sweet little bump… Just know that that’s awesome and you look great and the rest of us are a tiny bit jealous.

All the best,

Nancy