Why Kate Middleton's baby bump is considerably bigger this time around

Publish Date: Tuesday, 20 March 2018, 3:58PM

She's maintained an impeccably streamlined figure, sporting a neat and tidy bump each time while expecting Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

And while this pregnancy is no exception, the Duchess of Cambridge, 36, is sporting a comparably bigger baby bump ahead of giving birth next month than she was at eight months pregnant with her first two children.

Photos show how the Duchess barely looked pregnant in the late stages of her previous pregnancies, however the royal has displayed a blooming figure during her recent official engagements.

According to Aly Dilks, a former midwife, who is Clinical Director at The Women's Health Clinic, said that most women who have given birth twice before will have bigger bumps in subsequent pregnancies.

'Essentially, each pregnancy will have its own differences and similarities but we do expect ladies to have bigger babies the more children they have,' she told Femail.

This is mainly due to the body simply knowing what it needs to do in terms of making space for the new arrival, and that is has become adept at making sure the baby is adequately nourished.

'During your first pregnancy the body uses hormones to make changes to accommodate the baby.

'As your rib cage widens and your uterus expands, it can take time to establish a real 'bump'.

'By the second pregnancy, the rib cage has already widened giving the uterus plenty of time to expand and baby to "pop" more quickly.

'In subsequent pregnancies the body has a sense of muscle memory, so patients often report digging out their maternity jeans almost as soon as the test turns positive.'

Aly added that some women may notice that their breasts are also become bigger in subsequent pregnancies.

'Our bodies really are miraculous, so regardless of whether or not you have breastfed previously your breasts will still prepare to feed again,' she said.

'Mothers who have breastfed before report that they usually experience earlier leakage simply because their breasts know what they're doing.

'Breast tissue is similar to tummy tissue, and if it has stretched previously then it is easier to accommodate enlargement for the next pregnancy.'

Another reason for Kate's different shape could be the way the placenta is sitting.

'The location of the placenta can change with each pregnancy as the egg can attach anywhere within the womb,' Alys explained.

'It might be that previously Kate had an anterior placenta - where the baby faces towards the woman's back - and this time she is having a posterior placenta, where the baby faces outwards and has a bit more room.

Daily Mail.

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