@meganbcall the ultimate baby bump challenge ##pregnant ##fyp ##pregnancy ##23weekspregnant ♬ som original - winningnhlbettorr
Then again, another TikTok video makes it to the headlines. This isn't like any of the usual videos you see, as this involves pregnant women.
Twenty-three-year-old Megan Call, who is now pregnant with her second child, uploaded a video of her making her baby bump disappear with the help of her husband, on Tiktok.
She captioned her video 'the ultimate baby bump challenge,' which they began as her husband pretended to pull a fake 'plug' from her pregnant belly, followed by a popping then deflating sounds as her baby bump started flattening out.
Many social media users were shocked by what they watched as comments of dismay poured on Call's comment section. One joked that she successfully pulled out the 'reverse card' on her pregnancy. Another said that she turned her baby into a thin sheet of paper.
However, there were some people who voiced out their concern as to whether her 'disappearing baby act' was safe.
Also Read: A Stressful Pregnancy May Reduce the Chance of Having a Baby Boy
Is it Safe to Flatten Your Pregnant Belly?
As a matter of fact, experts say that it could be quite beneficial. The action is actually part of an exercise routine to improve deep core muscles meant for pregnant women. This move is called the "Bloom Method," which is invented by Brooke Cates, a personal trainer from Colorado.
Cates explained how the move didn't involve 'sucking' the baby in, but it allowed the baby to temporarily slide up further into the rib cage to strengthen the mother's inner core.
Back in 2017, belly pumping videos, such as Call's, went viral on Instagram. Thousands of women swear by it and say that it had helped them develop their core muscles, which helped in the delivery room when it was time to push.
Cate says that the method helps pregnant women to alleviate countless of pregnancy's undesirable symptoms. The move involves inhaling through the diaphragm as the stomach expands, then lifting the pelvic floor on the exhale to wrap the transverse abdominal muscles.
She says it could help relieve back pain, incontinence, and could even prevent stretch marks and loose skin. Medical experts say that there's not enough evidence to support her claims, although feedback coming from countless pregnant women who practice the method says nothing but good things about it.
Dr. Jacques Moritz, an OB-GYN at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, says that she thinks the idea of controlling abdominal muscles is excellent. She adds that these muscles are crucial for pushing a baby out, so she doesn't think it would hurt to tone them.
Dr. Donnica Moore, a New Jersey-based OB-GYN, agreed and urged pregnant women to first ask their health care providers before starting a new fitness program.
What are the Benefits of Belly Pumping
Babyology lists how belly pumping can help expectant mothers throughout the course of their pregnancy and beyond.
First of all, it helps to regulate a connection to the deep core muscles throughout pregnancy. These muscles are essential as they are responsible for holding the pregnant belly and pushing the baby out during delivery.
It also lessens low back and pelvic pain since the deep core muscles can stabilize the spine and pelvis. It also decreases the chance of having a "belly pooch" postpartum caused by diastasis recti or abdominal separation. It also speeds up the process of healing after giving birth.
