11 Surprising Pregnancy Facts Every Expecting Mom Should Know
1. Your Sense of Smell Becomes Stronger
A heightened sense of smell can be one of the first signs that you're pregnant! It is believed to be an evolutionary way for pregnant women to avoid foods that might be unsafe for them and their baby.
2. Twin Births Are More Common Than You Think
1 in 250 natural pregnancies result in twin births. The rate of twin pregnancies increases with IVF with a percentage of 12.1. Factors like your weight, height, age, and diet can also increase the likelihood of conceiving twins.
3. You May Need to Buy New Shoes
During pregnancy, the body begins to retain a large amount of fluid which then results in swelling throughout the body. The feet and ankles begin to swell up, often a mom grows up to one full shoe size!
4. Your Baby Gets First Dibs on Food
Your baby eats first when it's in the womb. A developing fetus takes all the nutrients they need from the food you eat first before your body begins to absorb the nutrients it needs.
5. Your Heart Grows
During pregnancy, your heart actually grows, no really it literally expands! It gets bigger both in length and width, as your body's blood volume doubles and your heartbeat becomes faster & stronger to keep up with you and the baby.
6. Baby’s in the Womb Can Enjoy Music Too
A fetus begins developing its ears during the third week of pregnancy. Although they are not fully functioning until the 16th week of pregnancy, ultrasounds show that the fetus can hear and they actually are responsive to sound. Music can help you and your baby bond. By listening to relaxing music, chemicals that promote relaxation are released throughout the body and into the placenta.
7. Babies Can Open their Eyes in the Womb
Babies are able to open their eyes inside the womb and can even see light from outside. Of course, their eyes are not fully developed yet so their vision is blurry. Spending some time outdoors and in the sun may help a baby's eyes develop and reduce the risk of future eye disorders.
8. Babies can cry in the womb!
This discovery was made when Doctors played a sound on a mother's baby bump during an ultrasound.
The babies could be seen reacting to the sound, becoming startled and opening their mouths to let out a cry.
9. A Mom's Diet May Affects a Baby's Future Food Preferences.
Studies have shown that food preferences and aversions start in the womb. If mom avoids certain foods, the baby is likely to reject those flavors outside of the womb.
This continues after birth, too, since flavor molecules also regularly show up in breast milk.
10. Your Uterus Expands Up to 500 Times Its Size
Your uterus is about the size of an orange, but after your third trimester, it can grow to the size of a watermelon! Your uterus can grow up to 500 times its original size during your pregnancy.
11. Your Baby Will Recognize Your Voice Before They Are Born
By the time a soon to be mom reaches her third-trimester her developing baby is able to recognize her voice from inside the womb. Your baby will actively listen to your voice and will be able to easily identify who their mom is after they're born.