A mother who faced shame associated with pregnancy due to people staring at her “large” baby belly refuses to give in.
Eliana Rodriguez, who is 29 years old, recently gave birth to her second child, a son named Sebastian. Although Rodriguez’s pregnancy and unborn child were both healthy, people would stare at her larger-than-average tummy and make comments like, “You look like you’re expecting twins,” or “Have you looked to see if there’s another kid in there?” You must be really uncomfortable.
According to Rodriguez, the proprietor of a health and wellness company in Las Vegas, Nevada, “I wondered why my tummy was bigger than other ladies.” My doctors said that was typical because I am only 4’11” and have a shorter torso.
Rodriguez started showing up two months ago.
She continued, “I was so pleased that I wanted to share. We had been trying for a second child and hoped for a boy.”
During her pregnancy, Rodriguez carried a lot of amniotic fluid—the fluid that fills the amniotic sac and shields the developing embryo while allowing it to move.
“Polyhydramnios” is an excess that affects one to two percent of pregnancies, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most cases are not serious, though it can cause preterm labor.
Rodriguez told TODAY Parents that her doctors had determined she did not have polyhydramnios, despite having a significant volume of amniotic fluid.
She said, “They took measurements of the baby’s size and fluid intake.
Other causes of excess fluid include maternal diabetes and fetal structural anomalies, according to Chicago, Illinois OBGYN Dr. Kiarra King, who did not treat Rodriguez.
Furthermore, the primary cause of an enlarged stomach during pregnancy is not polyhydramnios. Due to factors including fetal macrosomia, maternal obesity, or Diastasis Recti—a condition in which the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy from previous pregnancies—a patient may appear to be further along in the pregnancy than they actually are. Rodriguez, fortunately, escaped all of these problems.
As she answered the invasive questions, Rodriguez said she wished people would stop body-shaming and making comments about pregnancy. She asserted that criticisms of a woman’s body image could put her “in a sad place,” especially if she is experiencing postpartum or perinatal depression.
Rodriguez said, “I know that some people don’t have much empathy for other people.” She remarked, “I feel so horrible for those who make harsh remarks because I am a woman of religion.”
