Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Tuesday 16 April |
Aleteia logo
Lifestyle
separateurCreated with Sketch.

The five wonders of pregnancy

Shutterstock

Cecilia Zinicola - published on 06/21/19

When you're carrying a baby in your womb, everything changes ...

Pregnancy always brings big changes. Each woman experiences them in her own way, and some of the changes can be difficult or uncomfortable. However, all things considered, it’s a very special and wonderful part of life. The marvels of human biology are reflected in the development of the living baby within a mother’s womb, in ways that can be surprising and memorable. Here are five of the wonders of pregnancy:

1The first ultrasound

One of the most memorable moments during pregnancy is when we see for the first time the image of that tiny and amazing being with all its potential, moving on the screen in front of us. How can something so small be so perfect?

Seeing your baby on the screen is clear proof that you haven’t suffered morning sickness in vain. It may be the greatest thing that’s ever happened to you: there’s a living person growing inside your body.

2Feeling the baby move

A baby’s movement is subtle at the beginning, but soon it can feel like he or she is doing cartwheels in your womb. Feeling your baby move is a very intimate moment between a mother and her child, which initially only she can experience. It will be a while before other people can feel that moving life as well. For many moms, it’s an unforgettable moment when they can lie on their bed and watch in amazement the ripples of the baby’s movement showing on their tummy.

3Pregnant mothers radiate beauty

It’s a very real effect: pregnant mothers radiate beauty. Their hormones play an important role in this, and their oil glands become more active and make them look glowing and bright. Also, the additional blood that circulates through pregnant women’s bodies is visible in certain areas of the skin, such as their cheeks, making them look rosier and healthier; it can even make some wrinkles disappear.

4Babies can hear their mothers, and smell them, too

Many mothers talk or sing to their babies while they’re in the womb, since their ears are completely formed half-way through the pregnancy, and their sense of hearing is rather good. In fact, they can be startled and jump in the womb if they hear a loud sound, like their mother sneezing, since their brain and their reflexes are well along the path of development.

Babies also smell what their mother smells. Science has shown that babies begin to smell strong odors around the 28th week of pregnancy, and it’s thought that the amniotic fluid improves their sense of smell because odors are stronger when combined with a fluid.

5Your heart gets bigger

Can love for your baby make your heart grow? Everything grows when you’re pregnant, not just your tummy and your breasts. Your heart can increase in size during pregnancy because the walls of the ventricles become thicker to pump the additional blood produced to nourish the baby, making your heartbeats more frequent as well.

Your heart also grows figuratively. Once you become a mother, your heart is never the same; it becomes a refuge of inexhaustible love; a beautiful place where your children can always find refuge, even as the years go by. A mother’s heart is the biggest thing in the world.


EMOTIONAL PREGNANCY

Read more:
Why you should take those “unreasonable” pregnancy mood swings seriously


MATKA Z DZIECKIEM

Read more:
How to recover from childbirth at your own speed

Tags:
MotherhoodPregnancy
Support Aleteia!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reach more than 20 million unique users per month!

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

Support Aleteia with a gift today!

jour1_V2.gif
Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.