The Uterus:
Designed for Childbirth

Your uterus is at the center of your pregnancy. It is original and a fantastically designed organ. Your baby has nestled in and decided to call it home for the next nine months of development.

Pre-Pregnancy
Before you became pregnant, it was basically a small empty organ nestled down in your pelvis between your bladder and rectum. Imagine a pear upside down tucked down in your pelvis and you have a basic image of your pre-pregnancy uterus.

During Pregnancy
Then when you became pregnant, your baby attached itself to the inside lining and began its development process. As your baby grew, your uterus had to grow right along with it. Since there is not a whole lot of room down there in the pelvis it had to start pushing its way up through the organs above it and into the abdominal area. I still find it amazing how our bodies make room for a pregnant uterus. All of the organs give a little and, even though they get a little squished, they still continue to function close to normal. Your bladder may not hold as much, your stomach probably doesn’t either, and your rib cage may feel permanently bent but that’s ok, it just means your normal.

Imagine that little pear now blown up like a big balloon. By the time you reach nine months, it is many times its original size and is almost done harboring your baby. It is almost time to flex the muscles of this organ and push your baby out into the world. It is designed for this purpose. Just as breathing takes no extra effort from you but to simply let it happen, so the uterus knows how to do its job and will contract all on its own to give birth to your baby, you just need to be willing to let it happen.

Why You Must Learn to Relax
Whether you feel those practice contractions, Braxton Hicks contractions, or the “real deal” contractions try to relax. Don’t be afraid. Let your body do what it needs to do. When you get nervous or afraid, your body reacts to that fear by taking the blood supply away from your uterus and other non-essential organs. Where does it go? It is redirected to other parts of your body to prepare to fight or run away from whatever is stressing you out. But that is for a different article. The point is: Your uterus needs that blood supply and fresh oxygen. It gets it when you are relaxed. So stay calm and realize that your body is designed intelligently and knows exactly what it is doing.

Giving Birth
When everything is ready for birth your uterus will contract several times and push your baby down through the cervix, into the birth canal, and out of your body. Then it will work on detaching and pushing out the placenta. When this is all through your uterus will still contract mildly as it begins to shrink back down to its pre-pregnancy size. During the next few days and weeks it shrinks back down to its pear size and nestles back down into the pelvic cavity. Your other organs get some much needed room back and your now turn your full attention to your beautiful, new baby!

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