Looking pregnant without being pregnant is often due to abdominal bloating from gas, food intolerances (like gluten/dairy), constipation, IBS, or hormonal changes (like during your period or menopause), but can also signal conditions like diastasis recti (separated abs after pregnancy) or uterine fibroids, which push the belly out, requiring medical advice if persistent or painful.
A swollen belly that looks like pregnancy can be due to IBS or from a condition called ascites. This condition can be related to liver problems, so it is advisable to contact a doctor.
Functional reasons for a distended abdomen tend to involve digestive problems that cause gas and/or digestive contents to accumulate. Causes might include: Gas from functional indigestion, food intolerances or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Constipation causing a build-up of feces and back-up of digestive contents.
You may be feeling bloated and you might find yourself burping or passing wind – this is due to your hormones. The female hormone progesterone is just doing its job – relaxing the muscles in your womb so that it can expand along with your growing baby.
Cutting down on foods like beans, whole grains, fructose, and dairy products may provide some relief. Some common ways to reduce bloating during pregnancy include eating smaller (more frequent) meals, not drinking carbonated beverages, and exercising.
Common culprits: sugar, wheat, and dairy. Excess sugar in your diet, and/or you could have developed an intolerance to certain foods such as wheat and/or dairy. All of these can potentially cause swelling and bloating, as undigested food in your intestine is literally 'pushing' your stomach outwards.
See a GP if:
you've tried changing your diet but keep feeling bloated. you have a swelling or lump in your tummy. you have bloating along with being sick, diarrhoea, constipation, weight loss or blood in your poo.
Take a look at the signs and symptoms of the condition below. If left untreated, diastasis recti can cause increased back pain, an overactive pelvic floor, and tight glutes and hips.
A thyroid belly shows abdominal fat accumulation and fluid retention. These signs can look different on everyone. In women, thyroid belly is often more noticeable. This is because of hormones and how fat is stored.
Physical activity helps burn abdominal fat. One of the biggest benefits of exercise is that you get a lot of bang for your buck on body composition.
It may be the regular consumption of alcohol, stress, hormones, bad posture, recent pregnancy, or bloating. If you are determined to flatten your belly, you should exercise more and stick to a healthy diet.
You gain weight over 9+ months of pregnancy, so it's normal to take 9+ months to get back your pre-pregnancy body after your baby is born. However, a belly bulge that doesn't go away for months after delivery can be a sign of diastasis recti—a separation of your abdominal muscles.
Fast bloating relief
Peppermint, ginger and chamomile all have anti-bloating properties. Peppermint and ginger relax the stomach muscles, which reduces the spasms and the feeling of being bloated. Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory herb, which helps to reduce the swollenness of bloating.
'Endo belly' is generally characterised by having a tight, swollen belly, that's often hard to the touch. In some cases, it can even look like you're pregnant. For some people, 'endo belly' crops up around the time they ovulate. But it usually starts to develop a few days before you get your period.
Although a bloated stomach is a common symptom that is not harmless, it can actually be a sign of something serious. A bloated stomach that lasts longer than 2 weeks after taking medications, weight loss, pale skin, loss of appetite and yellowing of the skin can be warning signs of cancer.
The list of organic disorders that can cause bloating and distension also includes celiac disease, pancreatic insufficiency, prior gastroesophageal surgery (such as fundoplication or bariatric procedures), gastric outlet obstruction, gastroparesis, ascites, gastrointestinal or gynecologic malignancy, hypothyroidism, ...
Endo belly causes extreme abdominal bloating, which can make you appear pregnant, even though you aren't. If you have endometriosis and endo belly, you are also more likely to have other gastrointestinal conditions that can worsen your bloating and make your tummy swell even more.
Diastasis recti happens when the connective tissue between your rectus abdominis (six-pack) muscles is stretched, creating an abnormally wide distance between the muscles. This separation can present as a bulge, usually of the upper abdomen, that you may notice when you cough, sit up in bed or lift something heavy.
As fibroids grow, they can cause the uterus to enlarge, leading to a noticeable bulge that may mimic the appearance of pregnancy. Changes in Abdominal Shape: The fibroid belly bulge can alter the natural contours of the abdomen, resulting in a rounder or more pronounced shape, particularly in the lower abdominal area.
Diet Coke also contains a modest amount of caffeine, which has diuretic properties that can temporarily help reduce swelling and bloating in the body rather than cause fluid retention, explains Mayo Clinic.
“Avoiding inflammatory foods and following a low FODMAP diet is often suggested to help your intestinal tract move easily,” says Dr. Ross. As well as changes to your diet, managing endo belly can also involve medications, surgical interventions, and alternative therapies, says Dr. Sapan.
Some people are advised to take it for weeks, months, or even years. But while omeprazole can relieve acid-related symptoms, reducing stomach acid can have knock-on effects on digestion – including, in some cases, gas and bloating.