Petite pregnant women, we know what you’re going through! Whether you’re getting tired of the million questions regarding your pregnancy and a short torso or fed up because of the myriad of damaging deets you hear from everyone around, we’ve got your back.
We’re here to answer the question of whether or not short torsos affect pregnancy after all.
Moms-to-be tend to freak out over the fact that short torsos are rumored to cause a bunch of complications, from harder pregnancy symptoms and rushed labors to stretch marks and baby bumps that start showing from the moment you get pregnant.
What’s the truth, though? We know that we’re bombarded with unsolicited, unchecked information on the internet every moment of our waking hour.
Miniature moms (we’re kidding!) have been going through pregnancies and births without problems for thousands and thousands of years. Moreover, every mom’s different, which means nothing good can come out of comparing your pregnancy and birth to other moms.
With that out of the way, we need to underline the fact that short torsos do affect pregnancy, but they don’t cause serious complications you would need to worry about. Down below, we’re bringing you everything you need to know about being pregnant and having a short torso!
What’s there to know about a short torso in pregnancy?
1. Does a short torso affect pregnancy?
Whichever torso you’re working with, there’s a chance you might experience complications throughout your pregnancy and birth.
Because of that, we could argue that there’s a chance that your short torso might affect the way your pregnancy pans out. But women with short torsos can endure the entire pregnancy without complications, too.
Now, how can a short torso affect your pregnancy? Right off the bat, you might suffer a few uncomfortable symptoms because your uterus happens to be too close to your rib cage because of your short torso.
Rather than allowing enough space for your baby to grow, your uterus might put pressure on your blood vessels and cause an array of problems throughout your pregnancy. Not to mention that you might end up with a bigger baby bump, too.
Other than that, your short torso might prevent your baby from dropping down during labor, which consequently might call for a C-section. Of course, even though you might not experience anything we mentioned beforehand, there’s nothing wrong with keeping your options open.
2. Do women with short torsos show sooner?
Having a short torso and being pregnant might cause you to grow a baby bump sooner than you might think.
Short torsos don’t offer sufficient space for the baby to grow upwards (because of that proximity we brushed over) which causes the baby to grow outwards. So, women with short torsos are believed to grow bigger baby bumps which might make them a little uncomfortable at times.
Short torsos can cause the baby bump to appear earlier even though other factors might affect the outcome more. Overweight women and women who are carrying twins are more likely to grow a baby bump earlier, too.
3. Does a short torso cause early labor?
Carrying a baby inside your short torso may come with complications that might not affect women with “normal” torsos. One of those complications happens to be early labor. One on hand, the baby might not have sufficient space to grow which could cause pressure on the cervix over time.
Of course, as the pressure grows bigger, the cervix might dilate before the baby’s ready to get out. On the other hand, the baby might not be comfortable with the environment and might want to get out sooner rather than on time.
Whether or not that’s going to be the case with you, you should reduce stress, go on walks, and focus on your health. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s something you need to do for the sake of your baby’s well-being.
4. Do women with short torsos get stretch marks?
Pregnant women get stretch marks for a million reasons, from hormones, dehydration of the skin, and decreased elasticity of the skin, to genetics.
A short torso, unfortunately, does affect whether or not you get stretch marks throughout pregnancy. At the end of the day, short torso bellies stretch more because of everything we mentioned beforehand – they grow bigger bellies, they don’t offer enough space for the baby to grow upwards, and they become thinner because of that.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that because you can wear comfortable clothes, munch on healthy foods, and hydrate your belly to prevent stretch marks from forming. And even if they show, embrace them and remind yourself that you’re growing a life inside you.
5. Does a short torso cause a harder pregnancy?
Women with shorter torsos might experience more problems throughout the pregnancy than women with “normal” torsos.
Because of the nature of a shorter torso, for example, you’re more likely to develop breathing problems because you might not have enough space to expand your lungs once the baby grows bigger. Thankfully, there are breathing techniques that allow you to breathe easily even with a growing baby bump.
And, when we’re focusing on birth rather than pregnancy, the baby might not be positioned the right way which might call for a C-section. Additionally, the umbilical cord might cause problems for the baby, too.
6. Does a short torso affect the size of the baby?
Short torsos produce short babies. Short torsos might struggle with providing the baby with sufficient space to grow, as we’ve mentioned beforehand. Short babies (or smaller babies) might experience digestive, respiratory, and weight problems from the moment they’re born.
However, that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can do to prevent your baby from staying small. Nutrition plays an even bigger part than your torso which means you need to focus on eating a delicious, nutritious diet throughout the pregnancy.
What can you do to make your pregnancy with a short torso easier?
1. Do wear comfortable clothes
Having a short torso and being pregnant doesn’t have to be a nightmare!
After all, there are too many things that allow you to have a happy and healthy pregnancy for you to spend the rest of your term freaking out over your short torso. Short torso or not, wearing comfortable clothes throughout pregnancy can change everything.
Stretchy, flowy fabrics that don’t make you sweat or aggravate your belly are the way to go. Throw away the tight-fitting dresses and tees that put pressure on the baby bump. Throw on a baggy button-down or a loose-fitting dress and go about your day without worrying about your baby getting squished.
2. Don’t wear a bra
We’re ready for bras to become a thing of the past! Whether you wear sports bras outside the gym, opt for cute, comfortable bralettes when you’re lounging around the apartment, or spice up the outfit with a push-up bra, we suggest stuffing them down the drawer while you’re pregnant.
When your baby bump starts growing bigger and bigger, wearing a bra might make you uncomfortable, restrict your movement, and put pressure right above the bump (at the bottom of the sternum). Who needs a bra, anyway?!
3. Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day
Pregnant women need foods packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats to ensure the baby’s proper development. Women with shorter torsos, however, might struggle to provide the baby with sufficient space to grow and that’s why they need to focus on nutrition even more.
We suggest munching on smaller meals throughout the day rather than stuffing your mouth with the biggest chicken salad you’ve ever seen. Pregnancy cravings might give you a tough time, but you’re going to be much more comfortable when you don’t overeat.
4. Don’t eat close to bedtime
When you’re dealing with a short torso and a not-so-short baby bump, you might suffer from heartburn and reflux much more than other women. We already suggested eating smaller meals throughout the day, but you might want to avoid eating close to bedtime, too.
Allow your body plenty of time to break down and process the food before you lay down. Additionally, shy away from laying down after a large meal for the same reason.
5. Do take relaxing walks, rest often, and focus on your health
Stress affects pregnancy more than you might think. When you spend every moment of the day stressing out over the possibility of your short torso having a negative effect on your pregnancy, you’re affecting much more than your mood – you’re affecting your baby’s growth and development.
We suggest going on walks, slowing down, and resting. Eating nutritious foods can be a great way to elevate your mood, too. Exercising can make you forget about the things you were stressed out over. Spending time with people who care about you and your health can make a difference, too.
6. Don’t get stressed out over your short torso
Pregnancy’s one of the most mysterious, magical experiences you’re ever going to go through and that’s the mindset that’s going to get you through the mood swings. So, cherish every moment of it and stop focusing on things you can’t control.
Short torsos might come with complications, but that doesn’t mean you need to waste the time you would otherwise spend cuddling your baby bump, singing songs to your baby, and running yourself a nice and relaxing bath. Stop worrying, mama – you got this!
