Why can’t Meghan keep her hands off her bump?

Pride, vanity, acting – or a new age bonding technique? Our experts tackle the burning question…

It’s the subject that has got everyone talking: why does Meghan constantly cradle her baby bump? Here we identify the different types of embrace... and ask experts to explain why they think she does it.

IT’S LIKE THOSE IRRITATING BABY ON BOARD CAR SIGNS

Liz Jones, M S COLUMNIST

FairOhas SOMETIMES it’s a single-handed cupping. At the British Fashion Awards last month, it was a smug encircling, causing much opprobrium – ‘You’re pregnant. We KNOW!’ – on Twitter.

Not since Demi Moore was naked on the cover of Vanity a mum-to-be stirred such ire. Is the gesture a signal to everyone in the room (Harry, the Queen, minions) to treat her like cut glass? Does she not want to be accused of spending even more money on bigger coats that do up, so is opting to leave her existing coat open instead? Personally, I find the cradling a bit like those signs in the back of cars: Baby on Board. Virtue signalling, as though the rest of us barren harridans deserve to burn alive in our cars. I do wonder what is to come once Meghan begins to breastfeed… will she milk it for all she’s worth?

SHE’S BUILDING A BOND WITH THE BABY... IT’S JUST BIOLOGY

Katharine Graves, HYPNOBIRTHING EXPERT

CRADLING a bump is something that’s hardwired into women from a biological perspective. Women are instinctively drawn to touching their babies because, even when they’re in the womb, it produces a hormone called oxytocin. This is known as the bonding hormone, but it also affects the strength of your contractions in labour. The more oxytocin in your system, the stronger your contractions, which can lead to an easier birth. Placing your hands on your bump comforts the baby, comforts you, and helps create the optimum conditions for labour.

DUCHESS OF SHOWBIZ IS JUST SEEKING A PHOTO OP

Jo Elvin, EDITOR OF YOU MAGAZINE

I’VE tried not to find it annoying, but I’m sorry, it just is. A casual cradling of one’s bump is to be expected. It’s new, it’s exciting and there really is nothing like feeling that thing kick and jump around in there.

But Meghan’s positioning is always so fixed into one singular, rigid pose that it’s becoming uncomfortable to watch. I’m getting arm aches just looking. It’s all very Baby Bump Barbie. Kinder people would point to an excited new mother’s natural, unconditional love already blossoming. True enough, in which case I hope its sibling isn’t far behind, or that poor kid’s clearly in for a smothering.

But come on, this is the Duchess of Showbiz we have here. It smacks to me of a focus that’s contrived and relentlessly photo-op ready. Meghan would be well advised to take the ‘world’s only pregnant woman!’ vibes down a notch or two.

IT’S MEGHAN’S CLOAK OF INVULNERABILITY

Linda Kelsey, FORMER EDITOR OF COSMOPOLITAN

EVERYONE else constantly paws you when you’re pregnant, so why shouldn’t Meghan take things into her own hands? Personally, I’ve never felt as strong and invulnerable as when my belly was ballooning. I would march into meetings with my doctor, feeling nothing he could say could burst my sense of wellbeing. Meghan has had a hard time of it lately with attacks on a number of fronts. But when you’re pregnant and loving it nothing else really matters. Every time she cradles her bump, it’s a case of you and me against the world, babe – and she’s rocking it.

IGNORE BACKLASH, IT’S A BIG POSITIVE Julianne Boutaleb, PSYCHOLOGIST

IT’S interesting to see such a backlash

against a woman who is interacting with her bump in this way. But I see it as a very positive thing. It indicates a good attachment to the unborn baby. I work with a lot of women who struggle to develop a bond with their child, whether due to difficulty conceiving, miscarriage, or birth trauma. But a woman who is cradling her bump is showing that she’s very engaged, both emotionally and physically, with her unborn child.

SHE LOOKS AS DEMURE AS THE VIRGIN MARY Alison Jackson, PHOTOGRAPHER

MEGHAN’S arms framing the bump very clearly shows that she is pregnant, rather than just looking large. I think she’s also very consciously making the effort to break up the solid colour of her outfits. After years as an actress, she’ll be very aware of camera angles and how to work them, and how to create flattering shapes with her body.

I also think she resembles the image of the Virgin Mary: demure and regal, carrying the most precious cargo. She’s definitely very pleased with herself about that.

A SIGN OF HER DELIGHT AT BEING PREGNANT Alexandra Shulman, MOS COLUMNIST

A LOT of women feel comforted by touching their baby bump but Meghan appears to indulge more than most. It happened even before she had a discernible bump, and I imagine some of this is because she is so delighted to be pregnant. Possibly, at 37, she wasn’t sure it would happen so quickly. But there may be another story. All royals have a method of preventing their arms from flailing around in a chaotic fashion when they are out. Meghan is using her bump as a way to keep her hands calm, while showing how protective she is.

IF THIS IS HER ACTING, IT’S A MASSIVE CLICHE Dee Cannon, ACTING COACH

WHEN you’re teaching an actor to ‘play’ pregnant, the preparation involves holding the back. Cradling the bump is not really something you’d ask an actor to do – it’s such a demonstrative gesture that it could be seen as a cliche. So when a woman is doing that in real life, you can choose to interpret it in either a positive or a negative way – either it’s a subconscious, instinctive, nurturing, maternal gesture, or they’re proud and overly protective.

CONSTANT STROKING IS HELPING BABY LEARN Tamara Bugembe, PAEDIATRICIAN

BABIES respond to voices and sounds from outside the womb, and they also move more when the bump was stroked. Some babies would reach out and touch the walls of the uterus. Meghan’s stroking is helping develop the baby’s co-ordination and movements.

WHAT’S SO UNNATURAL IN LOVING YOUR BUMP? Bonita Turner, EDITOR OF JUNIOR MAGAZINE

I DON’T think she’s touching her bump to show off. It’s natural to be proud of your bump. You only have it for nine months and it is quite special.