A woman has shared the bizarre experience of enduring all the symptoms of pregnancy - sans a baby bump.
Nikki Salazar, 23, found out she was pregnant two years ago - and was looking forward to proudly displaying her bump and wearing maternity clothing.
However, as the pregnancy progressed, Nikki's bump didn't grow - even though her baby was developing normally and appeared to be healthy.
'My doctor said some people show later on,' she recalled to Today. 'I didn't think it would be "never."'
Her doctor told her not to worry because she since she is tall - standing at 5ft9in - she may not show as much as other women.
Nikki Salazar, 23, found out she was pregnant two years ago - and was looking forward to proudly displaying her bump and wearing maternity clothing
However, as the pregnancy progressed, Nikki's bump didn't grow - even though her baby was developing normally and appeared to be healthy. Pictured: Her bump at one month
Her doctor told her not to worry because she since she is tall - standing at 5ft9in - she may not show as much as other women. Pictured: Her bump at three months (left) and four months (right)
However, the mom-of-one admits was still nervous about her unborn baby.
Nikki - who wore crop tops throughout her entire pregnancy - documented her pregnancy on TikTok, with viewers stunned by how flat her stomach was.
'At eight months, I just looked bloated,' she recalled. 'What gave me reassurance were the ultrasound appointments, because I could see my son, and when I felt him kick at six months.'
'People say I was lucky... but I feel like I missed a big part of the experience,' she admits.
'That part is a little sad — I wanted a baby bump,' she added wistfully.
While she didn't look pregnant, Nikki assured people she still experienced other common pregnancy symptoms - but just didn't look like she was carrying a baby.
'By the end, I couldn't even walk because my back hurt,' she recalled.
'I felt so heavy and out of breath,' she added.
Nikki - who wore crop tops throughout her entire pregnancy - documented her pregnancy on TikTok , with viewers stunned by how flat her stomach was. Pictured: Her bump at six months
While she didn't look pregnant, Nikki assured people she still experienced other common pregnancy symptoms - but just didn't look like she was carrying a baby. Pictured: Her bump two weeks before giving birth
She added that some people assumed she was having a cryptic pregnancy - since she only started sharing her journey to motherhood online in the third trimester.
But Nikki says she knew she expecting a baby the entire time.
Thankfully, despite not looking pregnant, Nikki gave birth to a healthy baby boy in July 2022.
There can be a number of reasons why someone doesn't show when they're pregnant.
According to WebMD, every woman carries weight differently when they're pregnant.
'If you're a larger woman or you don't gain a lot of weight as your pregnancy progresses, you might not know you're pregnant,' the website reads.
'The same is true if you started dieting or working out early on during your pregnancy – you might lose weight instead of gaining it.'
Pregnant bellies may not be obvious on someone who carries more weight in their abdomen. Some people do not gain much weight or start to show until later.
