Sunday, May 25, 2014

Shape-shifting

After seeing a cousin's ten day old baby, I was reminded again of the magic of pregnancy and birth.  You look at a woman who has just given birth and you know that there isn't an empty space inside her where the baby used to be.  Her uterus has already shrunk back to its previous size and all of the organs have moved back into their normal positions.  But really, you can't help wondering how the baby you now hold was ever inside that magical body!  A friend just sent me this fabulous video, which shows how a woman's internal geography is dramatically altered as the baby grows and takes up more and more space inside her.  All of those organs that used to be comfortably spread out between your hips and your collar bone are now squished up underneath your ribs!  Not to mention the fact that in addition to growing a baby, your body is growing an additional organ (the placenta)! It's really just unbelievable!!