The INSIDER Summary:"Six-Pack Mom" Sarah Stage ispregnant again, and people keep criticizing her workouts and her small baby bump.But doctors saysmall bumps can be healthy and normal.It's time we stopped commentingpregnant women's bodies.When lingerie model Sarah Stage was pregnantin 2015,she posted a few Instagram selfies showing herbaby bump. Her bellywas smaller than average, and her abdominal muscles were still defined. The photos earned her national media attention 'and the nickname the "Six-Pack Mom."People on social media shamed Stage oversize of herbump, accusing her of prioritizingvanity over the health of her child. But she stillgave birth to a healthy, 8.7-pound boy.Now Stage isnine months pregnant with her second child, and little has changed.Once again, her baby bump is small and her absare visible. Once again, she's been documenting her pregnancy on Instagram. And every time she posts a photo or video, a familiar cycle repeats: People shame her. People defend her. She defends herself. She makes headlines.It's true that Stage's bump looks smaller than many other women's bumps, but that doesn't mean it's abnormal or that her baby is in danger. For one thing, allsigns indicate that Stage's last pregnancy was perfectly healthy. She said she gained 28 pounds, which is well within the normal range, and her son was born at a normalweight.And there areare a few possiblereasons why her bump looks so small. Here's a quick overview.1. "Normal" isn't the same for every pregnant woman."Women come in all different shapes and sizes, and carrydifferently," obstetrics and gynecology professor Dr.Jessica Kiley told Health magazine in June. "Pregnant women always feel like they look bigger or smaller than their friend, sister, or neighbor. It's our job as doctors to explain that what's normal for them might not appear normal for other women."There are somespecific characteristics that might make a difference.Insome women, the bone structure of the pelvis allows the uterus to expand inward as well as outward, according to gynecologist Dr. Alyssa Dweck. Also, asDweck explained to Women's Health in 2015, some babies might be in a position that makes the belly stick out less, and that doesn't always indicate a problem.2. Stage'smuscles might be really strong."She's obviously in excellent shape, and her abdominal muscles might have remained so strong during her pregnancy that they simply mask her growing uterus from view," Dweck told Women's Health during Stage's first pregnancy.And having that famous six-pack could help out when Stage's due date arrives. "Pregnancy is an incredible physical feat and labor and delivery are athletic events so training for them isn't such a bad idea,"gynecologist Dr. Jennifer Ashton once toldABC News. "Having stamina, strength and muscle tone are good for both mom and baby."3. Stage's poses and clothes make her bump look smaller sometimes.Stagesimply does not look pregnant in this photo, even though it was taken nearly nine months into her pregnancy. But the forward-facing pose and the high-waisted leggings are doing a lot of work here to conceal her bump. A post shared by MY FITNESS E BOOK AVAIL NOW'' (@sarahstage)on Sep 19, 2017 at 11:32am PDT Now checkout this side-view, semi-nude photo she shared at the eight-month mark. Maybe it's small, but that'san unmistakable baby bump. A post shared by MY FITNESS E BOOK AVAIL NOW'' (@sarahstage)on Sep 1, 2017 at 8:36am PDT No matter why Stagehas a small bump,her health isn't our business.As Stagehas mentioned in many Instagram captions, she is being cared for by an obstetrician.That doctor is really the only person who's qualified to counsel Stage about her healthduring her pregnancy."Since I've announced my second pregnancy, I've had certain 'Instagram medical experts' tell me what I should and shouldn't do," Stage wrote in a recent post. "And while I find some of the comments hilarious, I choose to only listen to my OBGYN and of course I also listen to MY body."Sure, maybe she's inviting both positive and negative attention by sharing these photos on such a public forum.But that's still no justification for writing body-shaming Instagram comments. Even seemingly well-intentioned comments("I wish I could be that skinny when I'm pregnant!") can be problematic.Being pregnant is already stressful enough. Inputfrom strangers does little exceptaddstress, and that's not good for a mom or her developing baby.As pregnant women have told us again and again and again: Thebest comment on a pregnant woman's body is usuallyno comment at all.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: A yogi and new mom documented her pregnancy through beautiful yoga videos
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