Goofy pregnancy/anatomy question

Passanie

I can't get a good answer to this at work so I'll ask you guys.

I have a co-worker who just had a baby. Early on she was carrying the baby really high. As in, her belly came out directly underneath her breasts. OK, put your hand directly underneath your breasts. What's there? Your rib cage. So... where does the rib cage go? I mean, it looks like firm belly all the way. Does not compute. Can someone explain, please?

StefandTodd

Check this out...it's pretty cool

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive

In the beginning, the baby is always suuuuuper low, but the uterus pushes up on other organs.  It's kind of funny b/c when I was just starting to show and I knew my uterus was lower than my belly button, but my bump was up high-ish, and people would rub it, I would be like..."yeeeeah, that's intestines and stomach being pushed out by the uterus...not the baby." 

abvernon

that is a cool picture! But really creepy when all of a sudden the baby "disappears" HA!

StefandTodd

Also, this is kind of interesting.  (I had a hard time finding one that was SFW...they all showed a naked woman and breasts, lol)

Basically where the top of the 20 is is where your belly button is.  So, a pregnant woman's uterus isn't even to her belly button yet until she's halfway through the pregnancy.

So your friend's super high baby early in pregnancy was baby down low, organs pushed up by the uterus up high.

StefandTodd

abvernon:

that is a cool picture! But really creepy when all of a sudden the baby "disappears" HA!

Yeah, the birth is kinda funny huh?  ha.  I love looking at that though and seeing how all the organs squish and move around to make room.  Totally trippy.

secretkeeper321

The Health lesson portion of the day provided by Stef! love it!

I swear my rib cage spread out a bit too...and never (or just not yet) went back. Bra size changed even after the cup sized settled out. Maybe it didn't really spread out, but sure seemed that way.

My feet changed sizes too. =(

hannikan

StefandTodd:

Check this out...it's pretty cool

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive

Ah! That was cool! I knew the organs moved to make room but to see it was cool.

aj0915

StefandTodd:

Check this out...it's pretty cool

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive

In the beginning, the baby is always suuuuuper low, but the uterus pushes up on other organs.  It's kind of funny b/c when I was just starting to show and I knew my uterus was lower than my belly button, but my bump was up high-ish, and people would rub it, I would be like..."yeeeeah, that's intestines and stomach being pushed out by the uterus...not the baby." 

that is SO crazy yet super cool how that works!

dani2480

StefandTodd:

Check this out...it's pretty cool

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive

Awesome link, Stef!

Passanie

But what happens to the rib cage? Is it moving outward too? Or is it just more skin and superficial stuff being shoved up on top of it?

pkw

My rib cage is wider now than Pre-baby.  

But, that said if you feel along your ribcage you will feel the distance and separation.  Your ribs can and do expand a little but the baby is mostly between the opening. 

StefandTodd

Passanie:

But what happens to the rib cage? Is it moving outward too? Or is it just more skin and superficial stuff being shoved up on top of it?

I found this:

http://community.babycenter.com/post/a21797655/does_your_rib_cage_move

Basically, yes the rib cage spreads out to make room for the belly to grow between it (like, inside), the same way hips spread and all that.

 As the uterus grows UP into the inverted "V" of the rib cage, it would cause it to spread and stretch out to accomodate it.  All you'd feel is the belly/organs/uterus/baby because it forces the rib cage out to the sides rather than out in front.  I think that's what I'm reading (and feeling on my own body, lol).

hannikan

The human body really is amazing!

Passanie

Thanks guys. It's like that show The Doctors on daytime TV. Heehee, thanks Dr. Stef and Dr. PKW. That makes sense now.

mandy0505

StefandTodd:

Check this out...it's pretty cool

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive

In the beginning, the baby is always suuuuuper low, but the uterus pushes up on other organs.  It's kind of funny b/c when I was just starting to show and I knew my uterus was lower than my belly button, but my bump was up high-ish, and people would rub it, I would be like..."yeeeeah, that's intestines and stomach being pushed out by the uterus...not the baby." 

super cool link! 

mrs.moosie

very interesting. So after you give birth, are your guts/intestines just kind of dangling in there for a while?

StefandTodd

mrs.moosie:

very interesting. So after you give birth, are your guts/intestines just kind of dangling in there for a while?

They *generally* are supposed to go back to where they were.  It kind of shows that in the animation I posted (the link)... I've heard this is why you should get up and walk around as quickly as possible after giving birth though...to get everything kind of shifting back to where it once was and all that.

Passanie

mrs.moosie:

very interesting. So after you give birth, are your guts/intestines just kind of dangling in there for a while?

The way you phrased this made me lol.

So when your tummy/intestines gurgle when you're really pregnant, does it seem louder because your digestive system is closer to your ears?