Does your baby bump send you messages from time to time? “I’m craving ice-cream!” “I think you need to go to the loo again!” “Nope, you can’t sleep on your stomach any more!” Or the more serious ones, like, “Here’s a Braxton-Hicks contraction to freak you out!” or “I’m going to do a roly-poly and roundhouse kick all of your internal organs on the way!”
It’s funny how in early pregnancy, the symptoms you experience don’t really feel related to your bump at all — nausea, tiredness, sore breasts — and as pregnancy progresses and your tummy gets bigger, those physical messages start to centre around your bump. It’s almost as if your baby is sending you texts from the inside, except in a very simple language. Kicks, taps, wriggles, niggles. Hiccups, even.
The neat part of receiving these messages is that they’re so personal and deliciously secret. They’re like the bump equivalent of a private messenger. They’re messages between your baby and you — and you’re the only ones who share them. You can tell your partner (or other people) about the baby kicking or those annoying Braxton-Hicks contractions, and they can see the baby moving and sometimes even feel it for themselves. But you’re the only one who knows what it feels like, from the inside.
Pregnancy can be uncomfortable, sure. Particularly in the third trimester, when you might feel like you can’t possibly get any bigger and there’s just no more room for that baby to grow any bigger either. But it’s also magical. And through the heartburn, sore back, and swollen ankles, take some time to connect with those messages your baby bump is sending you. Your baby is starting to explore his home, which is very small and warm and comfortable, and when he leaves that nurturing environment of your womb, you’ll be his first tour guide and protector in the big, cold world.
And you can send messages back, you know. Massage your bump. Play music. Talk to your baby. Sing lullabies. Curl up on your side, holding your bump. Gently push back when you feel a kick. Send and receive those little messages of love and tenderness during this special, wonderful time.
Share this page
BUMP&baby
BUMP & baby is New Zealand’s only magazine for pregnancy and early babyhood. Our team of mums and mums-to-be understand what it’s like to be pregnant in this connected age, and that’s why BUMP & Baby online is geared toward what pregnant women and new mums really want to know.
Other articles of interest
11 Contraception Choices For Post Birth
After baby arrives, it’s time to think about contraception. Family Planning New Zealand (familyplanning.org.nz) shares info on your options
VTech BM3500 Baby Monitor
Stay close to your little one no matter where you are in your home! With the VTech BM3500 Safe & Sound Pan & Tilt Full Colour Video & Audio Monitor, you can hear every sound your baby makes, and watch every step they take
