This disappearing baby bump video has us questioning everything
This might be one of the strangest things you’ll see all day – pregnant baby bellies here one minute, then gone the next!
It’s called Belly Pumping, a breathing exercise promoted by The Bloom Method that thousands of women swear by.
The disappearing belly act
Amazing videos of pregnant women and their bumps appearing to vanish altogether, are doing the rounds on social media and it’s not hard to see why. They’re incredible! Women go from looking heavily pregnant to completely normal in a matter of seconds. See you for yourself.
Belly Pumping aka Diaphragmatic breathing with Deep Core Engagement! Why do we think EVERY expecting mother should be adding this to her daily regimen? 1️⃣ Helps to maintain a connection to the deep core muscles throughout pregnancy {pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, & Multifidus} 2️⃣ Decreases low back & Pelvic pain due to the deep cores ability to stabilize the spine & pelvis 3️⃣ Decreases your chance of abdominal separation by creating a balancing effect of the Inhale- creating space for the baby & the Exhale – maintaining strength in the muscles of the deep core 4️⃣ Helps teach women how to effective PUSH during labor. Knowing how to use your deep core during the pushing phase of birth speeds up pushing time by over 70% 5️⃣ Provides more stability postpartum while speeding up healing times during this rehabilitative stage 6️⃣ Keeps the expecting woman in parasympathetic nervous system, providing de-stressing signals to her and baby {this is much healthier than the Fight or Flight space most people currently live in} ::Add belly pumps to workouts or do throughout your day to create more balance and strength to your pregnancy. Try while driving, siting at your desk, brushing your teeth, cooking, etc :: The Belly Pump follows your breath with an inhale as the belly expands, Exhale as you activate your PF & TA together. Keep the breath slow and controlled throughout the exercise! #fitpregnancy #prenatalexercise #birthprep #prenatalworkout #prenatalfitness #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyexercise #birth #labor #expecting #prenatalcore #pregnant #pregnancy #maternity #thebloommethod #boulder #colorado #aspen #aspencolorado #fitness #fitmom #exercise #core
Posted by The Bloom Method on Monday, January 30, 2017
So what is going on here?!
The fascinating videos have been posted by The Bloom Method, a pre and post-natal exercise program based in Boulder, Colorado in the United States. They show pregnant women breathing deeply and sucking their bellies in and out, a technique called Belly Pumping or Diaphragmatic Breathing with deep core engagement.
Not surprising, the footage is gaining a lot of attention with many women also posting comments in high praise of the method which they personally found significantly helpful during pregnancy and labour.
Why Belly Pumps are a good idea
According to The Bloom Method’s founder, Brooke Cates, Belly Pumping does in fact have many benefits for expecting mothers and she recommends doing it daily. In her social media posts she goes on to discuss exactly what makes these bizarre breathing exercises so good, stating that Belly Pumping:
- Helps to maintain a connection to the deep core muscles throughout pregnancy (pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, and multifidus).
- Decreases low back and pelvic pain due to the deep core’s ability to stabilise the spine and pelvis.
- Decreases your chance of abdominal separation by creating a balancing effect of the inhale, creating space for the baby, and the exhale, maintaining strength in the muscles of the deep core.
- Helps teach women how to effectively PUSH during labor. Knowing how to use your deep core during the pushing phase of birth speeds up pushing time by over 70 percent.
- Provides more stability postpartum while speeding up healing times during this rehabilitative stage.
- Keeps the expecting woman in parasympathetic nervous system, providing de-stressing signals to her and baby.
But is it safe?
Although it looks insane, Belly Pumping is apparently completely safe with the baby disappearing into the pregnant woman’s ribcage on the deep exhale. The Bloom Method suggests expecting mothers add the technique to their normal workout to create more strength and balance to their pregnancy – both intriguing and enticing that’s for sure. You can even do Belly Pumps while driving, sitting at your desk, brushing your teeth or cooking!
Are you game to give Belly Pumping a try? If you’re unsure about how it works or how to safely practice the exercise, perhaps speak with your doctor first.
