How to Use an Empathy Belly

An empathy belly is a weighted garment that can be worn by men, women and teenagers to simulate the physical effects of pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy prevention programs use the bellies to dissuade teens from becoming young parents, while many birthing classes offer the bellies to men to help them gain a better understanding of what their partner is going through regarding lung capacity, bladder pressure, sore breasts and overall discomfort.

Instructions

1. Allow teenage girls to feel firsthand the discomfort and inconvenience of pregnancy by partnering with your local teen-pregnancy prevention organization. Health and life skills classes, health awareness clubs, and guidance counselors have access to the program, which comes with supplemental educational materials. This tangible learning resource is something teens can get up close and personal with, generating eye-opening conversations and impactful experiences.

2. Show your man the meaning of "Oh, my aching back. And breasts. And shoulders." The empathy belly simulates weight gain (30 lbs), "kicks", decreased lung capacity, increased heart rate and blood pressure, bladder pressure--generally everything that pregnant women complain about but until now men have felt detached from and skeptical about. The belly can also be used in domestic-violence prevention centers to provide men with the knowledge and experience they need to be there for their partner during frustrating times.

3. Give medical students the real-life experience that they need to relate well with their patients. No, a laboring mother may not care if the 25-year-old male nurse at her bedside once wore an empathy belly around the hospital for a day, but having experienced the physical discomfort personally helps nurses, physicians and volunteers be more sensitive and in tune into a mother's needs in a way that may never have been possible without the empathy belly.

4. Landed the lead role in "Look Who's Talking" and have no idea how a pregnant woman moves when she walks down the street or how she gets out of bed? The empathy belly can be used by theater departments both for preparation as well as costuming. The belly is so realistic that you may end up picking your next production just so you can use it on stage.

5. Order online or via telephone at the Empathy Belly Web site or by calling [phone]. The price (currently $449), suggested funding solutions, sizing and answers to other frequently asked questions can be found on the Web site as well.

6. Read the legal disclaimer carefully. The belly is sold only to educators, medical providers and social workers and can't be rented or loaned out.

Resources

• Learn more about the Empathy Belly at empathybelly.org!