Niamh Spence
When it comes to labour, the body does some brilliant (and some weird) things to get babies here safely - and a woman's cervix is no different.
A video on TikTok has caught the attention of many for demonstrating how much the cervix can stretch in the stages of labour to let a little one's head through.
You can watch the video below:
The video, set to the soundtrack of 'I Can't Stop' by Flux Pavilion, shows the cervix stretching from 1cm right through to 10cm; the stage when a baby would be born. Throughout, the video also showcases the different sizes next to fingers and a baby doll to show just how much the body goes through.
The end shot at 10cm features the baby 'crowning' as its head pushes through. The parting shot features a 'You Got This!' message for all mamas to be.
The video was uploaded by a user named 'thegansettgal', and has since earned over 78,000 likes and over 700 comments. The account, ran by postpartum nurse Ashley Derderian Sou, regularly shares insights into pregnancy and gives advice for pregnant women and new mothers.
Many TikTok users were quick to comment on how much the body changes, with one user commenting: "Respect to my mother and for all women that gave birth".
Others have been sharing their experience from childbirth, and remembering when their own bodies went through the various stages. One user wrote: "I dilated from 3cm to 10cm in 10 minutes when I had my son."
Another commented: "Am 40+5 weeks today and 3cm dilated."
The video has also had shocked some users, who swear they won't be having babies again. One user even commented: "I’m never having babies!"