One of the most noticeable differences between a first-time mom and a woman who has had several babies is that first timers tend to show less and show later than more experienced moms. The reason for this is that the first time a woman becomes pregnant, her uterus and abdominal muscles are quite tight. As the uterus stretches, it moves out of the pelvis and into the abdomen.

This begins to stretch the abdominals, which eventually loosen and allow the stomach to protrude. Typically, women start to show earlier with each subsequent pregnancy, meaning that a fourth-time mom might show as early as the ninth or 10th week of pregnancy.