What Happens When the Baby Drops in the Womb?
During pregnancy, women experience a number of symptoms that can be very uncomfortable. Some of these symptoms increase as the baby grows and begins to press against the mother's internal organs. At some point during the last two months, the baby will drop and the mother will notice that her symptoms have decreased or changed. These changes are signs that the baby and the mother's body are beginning to prepare for labor.
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Decreased Heartburn
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Heartburn is common in pregnancy due to the baby pushing upward on the mother's stomach and internal organs. When the baby drops, much of that pressure is taken off of the stomach, leading to reduced heartburn. Many mothers also experience an increased appetite once this happens, as they can then fit more food into their stomach.
Increased Urination
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When the baby drops, pressure is moved to organs in the lower body, such as the bladder. When a mother starts needing to urinate more often than she had her entire pregnancy, it is a sign that the baby has likely dropped. This change may also mean that expectant mothers urinate when sneezing or coughing.
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Increased Pressure
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Along with pressure on the bladder, mothers will also experience pressure on the rectum and vaginal floor when the baby drops. This can cause sharp pains in both the rectum and cervix, but both are common symptoms at the end of a woman's pregnancy. Expectant mothers often experience constipation at this stage of pregnancy.
Easier Time Breathing
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When the baby drops, most of the pressure if taken off of the expectant mother's lungs. This allows her to take deeper breaths and may also allow her to get less winded while partaking in physical activities such as walking. Pregnant women welcome this change, especially along with the ability to eat larger amounts of food and still have space to breathe well.
Dialation and Eventual Labor
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The baby dropping plays a large role in dilating the mother's cervix. Many women experience some dilation in the weeks after the baby drops, leading up to labor. This is due to the increased pressure on the cervix. Eventually, the baby's head will engage and active labor will begin.
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References
- Photo Credit pregnant #8 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
