PHOTO BY babygaga.com
We've already written the many physical changes that a woman's body amazingly goes through during pregnancy. We've detailed the good, the bad, the icky, even the weird, and the lifestyle changes that come with having a bun in the oven. But have you ever wondered what really happens inside when our organs move around to make room for the baby? It's mind-boggling, but there is now an interactive tool that shows you exactly what happens.
Developed by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Make Room for Baby helps visualize and explain what happens inside a pregnant woman's body month by month (there are even pregnancy testimonials from real moms). Perhaps one of the best parts is you can even see why some women are having a not-so-easy time being pregnant.During the first four weeks, your body produces pregnancy hormones. When you hit your fifth week of pregnancy, your estrogen increases a thousand fold. This is the time where most women experience nausea or vomiting, also known as morning sickness. Week 9 to 12 is the window when your heart starts to work double time.
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On your 13th week of gestation, you'll feel your baby move; the kick become more noticeable as your pregnancy progresses. At week 17, you'll start to crave for certain types of food. At this point, the interactive tool also shows how your food intake travels to the stomach to the placenta so your baby can get the nourishment it needs to grow.
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As early as the second trimester, your body has barely enough room for your organs, especially your bladder. Your uterus is actually pushing down on it; hence, you pee a lot. And that's not all: During the third trimester, your liver and small intestines are all cramped in the small space above your uterus. "The second trimester was great. I felt really good, like I had more energy. The beginning of the third trimester is when I started having aches and pains," said mom Joanna.
Lastly, giving birth, as seen through the interactive tool, also shows you how your organs scramble to occupy back the space vacated by your baby. We're secretly wishing pushing the baby out was that easy. It was so amazing that an Imgur user Emily Sarah46 made a handy GIF of the whole pregnancy, which alread has three million views and counting.
Watching how your body adapt to pregnancy is a weird but amazing experience -- and the phrase "miracle of life" just comes to mind. As one mom, Shelley, puts it: "You are really not controlling it in anyway, but your body can just take over and bring into the world a whole new life."Experience the full interactive tool here.
