It may (or may not) be a well known fact that during pregnancy, the cells of the baby migrate into the mother’s bloodstream and then return to the baby. This circle of cell travel is called Fetal-Maternal Microchimerism, or (FMc). Long after birth, these cells remain in the mother’s tissues, bones, brain and skin. This happens even if the pregnancy doesn’t go full term. Your child becomes a literal part of you.
In researching this fascinating topic, I found that an article stated that not only have fetal cells been detected in the mother, but also maternal cells in the fetus, and that the shared cells have been demonstrated to persist for nearly four decades after pregnancy. This, in part, is why mothers may be a suitable donor for their children and vise versa.
There are several definitions of Chimera (ki’mira) the root of this term.
In Greek mythology, it means a fire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail
An organism containing different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryos, grafting, or mutation. “the sheep-like goat chimera”
Essentially, a Chimera is a single organism that’s made up of cells from two or more “individuals”, that is, it contains two sets of DNA, with the code to make two separate organisms. Fraternal twins can be an example of this.
But in the case of fetal-maternal microchimerism, the mother and child are bonded in a way that I had never comprehended prior to reading this. Of course, it makes perfect sense. Some illnesses vanish during pregnancy because the baby’s cells rush to mend the mother while she’s busy building the baby. Cravings may be the result of the baby’s cells sending “messages” to the mother to consume the needed vitamins and minerals to build a strong and healthy child.
As a mother, isn’t it true that you can intuitively feel your child even when they are not there? You’ve just read scientific proof that we carry our children for years and years after we’ve given birth to them. They in turn carry a bit of us as well.
This carries significant meaning for me as a grieving mother. I was able to share some of this information in a Facebook group of grieving moms and the response was overwhelming that they found this a source of comfort, knowing that even a small part of their beautiful child remains in them, alive and well. So many of us feel that “a part of me died that day”, “a part of me is missing”, “I’m not the same person anymore”, etc. Now we know and can say for a certainty that this is the truth.
Now, let’s be real. I’m no scientist. I just know how I feel, and this information validates that the bond that exists between a mother and her child simply does not end the moment that the child dies. If the cells of the child are a part of the mother’s heart and brain, even in her bones, well then it stands to reason that the connection continues to exist. I’ve felt that anyway, because of the emotional attachment that Colton and I shared, and continue to share. This just validates that the physical attachment continues to exist as well.
My hope is that this will bring comfort to you, the will to carry on and to take those precious cells of your child with you on your journey.
♥️♥️♥️
You blow me away.