A pregnant woman has been documenting how big her baby bump is and shared some of the amusing reactions she’s gotten to it on social media.
On TikTok, Brooke Luney posts videos of her pregnancy journey, as she’s currently expecting her sixth child. During a recent interview with Today Parents, the mom discussed how her “very big” bump has started a conversation, both on and off social media.
“It’s extra noticeable because I’m 4-foot-11 and I have a short torso,” she said. “Strangers will stop me in a store wanting to know if I’m expecting triplets.”
She acknowledged how people have asked her if she has gestational diabetes, which is when a mother has a higher than normal blood pressure, causing “babies to grow to large,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Luney said that she not only doesn’t have that condition, but her baby is very healthy.
“I’ve had a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy,” she added.
She also noted that when she went to get a scan, during her 35th week of pregnancy, her baby was at six pounds, four ounces.
On social media, the mom-to-be, who’s baby was due on 2 March, has posted some of the many comments she’s received about her pregnancy.
“Someone told me my belly is so big - my baby is living in a loft and already has wifi,” Luney revealed in a clip posted on 20 February. “Nothing but the best for my babies.”
Although Luney made it clear in the comments that she was only carrying one child, viewers still questioned her.
“Triplets…that can’t be one baby,” a TikTok user wrote, while another said: “Wait, only one person lives in there.”
“Uhhhhhhh do you have 69 kids in there or is it 32 years old already like damn,” one viewer wrote on her YouTube video.
Many mothers on TikTok chimed in, as well, and compared their pregnancy stories to Luney’s.
“Girl this is the biggest baby bump I’ve ever seen and I had TWO 9lb kids,” one wrote.
“My belly was just like that when I had my baby too,” another added. “I thought she was going to be huge. Nope, just [an] average sized baby.”
Regarding the wide range of comments she gets, Luney said that she tries to find some humour in them.
“Lots of them are from teenage boys and I find them hilarious,” she explained to Today Parents. “They’re kids and they don’t know.”
Speaking to The Independent, Luney said that her belly is actually smaller with this pregnancy than any of her previous ones. “With my first pregnancy I was constantly being referred to ultrasounds to be sure the baby wasn’t massive,” she explained. “They estimated my first at just over 10lbs but he was just under 8lbs at birth.”
While she does find many of the comments on her TikTok to be hilarious, some of them have been quite hurtful, which she tends to avoid.
“I delete the hurtful comments,” she said. “I don’t want to interact or see them. I’ll respond to the questions and hopefully my positivity will reach others. I’m hoping we can change the expectations society has for women.”
“The [comments] I love are those from other women who’ve struggled with their pregnancy bodies,” she added. “I’ve been told it’s uplifting and they’re glad I’m staying positive!”
