For the past several weeks, some students have been walking through the halls carrying a little extra weight as students taking Child Development are experiencing what it feels like to be pregnant with each student wearing a fake belly for a day.

“This is a project for the students to get to know what it’s like to be pregnant,” child development teacher Kristi Swinnea said. “[The fake bellies] are very realistic, to ensure an accurate experience.”

The assembly of the bellies takes some skill in order to make sure it fits right. A large pouch about the size of a basketball is filled up around halfway with warm water, and put into a pocket on the front of a vest that students will wear.

“The bellies, including the vest and the weights, are around a total of 20-30 pounds,” Swinnea said. “So it can be tiresome for some students to wear for a whole day.”

There are a limited number of fake bellies available, so students are taking turns wearing them.

“The most interesting part of the project for me was the social aspect of it. A lot of people stared at me and a lot of people asked me about it. People also joked about it too,” junior Caroline Chandler said. “It actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was a little tired and uncomfortable since [the fake belly] was getting heavy at the end of the day, but overall it was a really cool learning experience.”

For students in Child Development, this project was a great way to introduce them to what it’s like being an adult, and what may come in the future, so that they are prepared.

“I’m glad that I chose to participate in this project,” Chandler said. “It was an experience that I’m sure to remember for a while.”