Many mothers remember their pregnancies very vividly, but not every mom can say that they still feel their fetus kicking years after they've given birth.
Scientific studies have made some interesting findings when it comes to women that experience so-called "phantom kicks" when they haven't experienced childbirth for a long time.
This is the kind of sensory nostalgia that those that have given birth may not have expected to ever feel again. Or perhaps even wanted to feel again.
For many of the women that experience these kicks, the sensation suddenly and inexplicably occurs one day without any other pregnancy side effects.
Some women feel confused about these unexpected symptoms and can even think they may be pregnant again, as the movement reminds them of when they were expecting a baby.
While many parents love their children, they usually appreciate the end of the pregnancy period, especially many of the moms.
However, some women still feel the presence of a developing little one.
According to the Independent, Australia's Monash University conducted a survey which consisted of 197 women who had given birth in the past. Approximately 40% of respondents reported feeling "flutters" or "real kicks" long after giving birth which they said felt very convincing.
In an op-ed piece for Scary Mommy, one woman described her phantom kicks, saying, "They feel so real, and I pretty much always start to believe I’m somehow pregnant when I’m clearly not. It’s totally bonkers."
According the the survey, about 27% of women reported that the feeling upset them, as many of them had experienced pregnancy loss before. However, 25% concluded that the sensations were positive.
While scientists have confirmed that numerous women experience them, they still haven't found any scientific reasoning as to why they occur.
Some believe it may be similar to amputee's experiencing the phantom limb phenomenon, in the sense that a part of a mother's body is missing and her body keeps the memory of having the fetus there.
Let us know what you think in the comments and if you or someone you know has experienced phantom kicks.
h/t: Independent, Scary Mommy
