Pregnancy is an extraordinary process in ordinary human anatomy. As an expectant mother, it is natural to have anticipation throughout the nine months of carrying and nurturing a life inside.
Identify Your Uterus While Pregnant
One should be aware of the changes that pregnancy brings to the body.
As the pregnancy progresses, as a carrier, one would want to understand and feel the constantly changing uterus to hold the growing baby.
There are three ways to identify whether one is pregnant or not.
Accurate dependency can be either by using a self-test kit or by visiting the gynecologist.
The third option is self-examining one’s stomach to feel the uterus. Initially, this might be difficult to find the uterus, but as the pregnancy progresses to around 12 weeks, it can be more prominent.
Medically, an ultrasound examination is done to understand the gestational age of the growing embryo in the uterus.
These doctor visits can be exciting as well as a little anxious for an expectant mother to understand and get an idea about one’s uterus.
Knowing to self-examine the uterus can help one to connect with the growing baby as well as to be aware of the constant changes occurring during pregnancy.
How Can It Help?
Having a better understanding of the uterus helps us to examine our uterus more efficiently by ourselves.
The womb which is the uterus is a pear-shaped organ located in the pelvic region that performs a number of functions including gestation, menstruation, labor, and delivery.
Expansion of about 500 to 1000 times its actual size occurs in the uterus during pregnancy. Between 0 and 12 weeks, it remains low in the pelvis as little as a grapefruit, and gradually rises as the baby grows.
The uterus grows to the size of a papaya as it approaches the navel in the second trimester (14-28 weeks), and by the third trimester (28-40 weeks), it has grown to the size of a watermelon as it stretches above the navel.
To feel the uterus, make sure to find a quiet, comfortable, and relaxed place to lie down on one’s back. Take a few relaxed breaths, and remain calm and at peace. Gently touch the abdomen near the pubic bone.
Caress the fingers near the abdomen to feel a firm ball sensation which is the uterus. The round ball-like sensation is the tip of the uterus and is called the fundus.
This palpation method to feel our uterus is medically proven to be tested in the early stage of pregnancy.
As pregnancy progresses, the uterus changes its size and expands for the growing baby. One may feel the bump below the navel at less than 21 weeks pregnant.
Gradually at 21 weeks, the bump can be felt near the belly button such that in some cases the belly button can pop out with the expansion of the uterus and further, it rises above the navel at 22 weeks and more.
One can feel the baby’s movements in the uterus from the second trimester to the third trimester. Make sure to enjoy these little moments of the uterus as it is the best and most miraculous part of pregnancy.
Patience, consistency, and a calm approach are the keys to understanding and feeling your uterus.
In some cases, it can be difficult to identify the location of the uterus. This may be due to the very early stage of pregnancy, excess amount of fat in the abdomen area, or during the first pregnancy.
Nevertheless, there are benefits to feeling one’s uterus during pregnancy. It creates a sense of awareness of the physical changes that the body undergoes over nine months.
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During pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or weight gain that one undergoes, touching the stomach, and feeling the uterus can be rewarding for an expectant mother.
Feeling the quickening in pregnancy, that is, the first movements of the baby is a way of connecting initially with the baby before they are held in our arms in no time.
Feeling the uterus with your partner can foster a sense of togetherness as a family which enhances an emotional strong bond with the baby in the uterus.
Pregnancy can give an expectant mother a lifetime of memorable experiences. Embrace the emotional and physical changes by understanding and acknowledging the remarkable womb!