The Mommy Tummy for Men
Posted on Jun 5, 2012 | Blog Posts, Pregnancy Symptoms Category | | Print This Article
photo credit: Jamila Costa
Empathy isn’t something that many husbands are good at. Let’s face it: they’re not ever going to have to face the aches and pains you feel during pregnancy. They won’t know what it’s like to have morning sickness, varicose veins, sciatic nerve pressure, or more. However, thanks to a new device developed in Japan, men can now experience what it feels like to have the baby weight in a way that’s more accurate than ever before.
These researchers have put together something that the call the “Mommy Tummy.” This inflatable vest is nearer to any previous device to representing what it feels like to be pregnant. In fact, while it was being developed, they had moms try on the Mommy Tummy. Four out of five said that it was a reasonable approximation of what it feels like to be pregnant.
Not in production yet
Much to the relief of many dads-to-be, the Mommy Tummy is still in the prototype stage. In addition, the item is expected to have significant enough production costs that it’s not likely that they’ll become something every expectant couple purchases.
It will be interesting to see how the market for the Mommy Tummy develops. You can certainly envision a sort of rental system where sympathetic husbands (or more likely husbands who aren’t particularly sympathetic) might be asked to wear a Mommy Tummy by their expectant spouse for a couple of weeks.
Stops short of the full experience
There are, of course, aspects to pregnancy that the Mommy Tummy can’t replicate. For example, your spouse isn’t going to experience the fluctuating hormone levels that can lead to severe mood swings. He’s not going to have weird cravings, and his breasts aren’t likely to swell. Morning sickness is right out.
He also will miss out on some things that are only yours to experience. For example, feeling that growing life inside of you is something that just can’t be duplicated. Your baby’s every movement – from the first flutters to an elbow poking out in your belly – is yours and yours alone.
So, what do you think? Is the Mommy Tummy something you’d ask your spouse to wear?
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