Doctors Rarely Talk About These 9 Strange Facts About Pregnancy

Sep 04, 2018

Pregnancy is a joyous time, a time when women dream of nurturing and bonding with the beautiful child that they are carrying, a time when couples eagerly anticipate the birth of a healthy, vibrant newborn that they will cherish more than life itself.

Pregnancy is also a time of extremely weird occurrences and freakish moments. From feet and hands that swell to unrecognizable orbs on our extremities to cravings for sardines and strawberry ice cream, we find ourselves puzzled that growing another human being inside of us can cause these weird moments.

There are some unusual occurrences that happen during pregnancy that even doctors hesitate to talk about; while they are not necessarily scary experiences, they might be enough to cause some expectant mothers anxiety about the whole pregnancy and birth process.

For those of you with a curiosity that must be satiated, however, we have put together some strange but very true facts that do happen in enough pregnancies to bear mentioning. Buckle up your burp cloths and prepare for some strange and exciting times ahead!

It is not a myth: some pregnancies do last longer than the typical gestation period of 38 weeks, 6 days. Studies have documented that several pregnancies have lasted longer than 375 days--in these cases, there was nothing necessarily wrong with mother or child. In reality, the growth process just took a little longer. For those of us that have been pregnant before and are no strangers to the discomfort that is possible at the end of third trimester, this extra time seems a little cruel, doesn't it? It's a good thing our precious bundles are irresistibly cute!

Starting in the second trimester, a fetus can produce up to 0.25 gallons of urine a day, which they partially ingest as a result of the circulating fluids around their bodies at all times. Ewwwww. Mom, do you really need that extra glass of juice right now?

At the start of pregnancy, the size of an average uterus can be likened to that of a peach. By 39 weeks, it has swollen to the size of a large watermelon. No wonder we are so physically uncomfortable near the end!

Our bouts of desperate crying and euphoric happiness have biochemical origins; women produce more estrogen during one pregnancy than they would be capable of in a whole lifetime of not being pregnant. Buckle up, gentlemen, and ride the wave with us.

A woman's waist circumference is not the only thing to change during pregnancy. Often, feet and fingers will change in size too, due in part to the hormones circulating throughout her body, causing joints and tissues to relax and open. It is not uncommon for a woman's feet to grow from one to three sizes larger during pregnancy.

Babies are able to display crying behavior in the womb. This behavior usually appears during the third trimester, and is the response of the child to low decibel noise outside the womb.

The pigmentation of an expectant mother's skin can change during pregnancy. Fair skinned women develop darker patches of skin that are evident on the face, neck, chest, arms, and legs. Women with dark complexions find lighter patches throughout their bodies as their pregnancies progress. Most of these fade postpartum.

As a response to rising and falling hormonal changes, hair can thicken or it may also thin and fall out. Checking in with your own mother to see what her experience with hair and skin were will give you a pretty good indicator of what you are about to experience, as many of these changes tend to be hereditary.

A baby's fingerprints form between 10 and 19 weeks, and this is one part of our anatomy that doesn't change, even as we grow and age. We will have the same fingerprints that we had in utero until we pass on.

A fetus can taste, smell, and experience food that the mother consumes, and will develop likes and dislikes while still in the womb. Food is absorbed by amniotic fluid, and it can shape a person's future food preferences after they are born. Be responsible with your food and drink choices, Mom! I might not like tuna fish as much as you do!

Whatever your experience, be sure to cherish these moments as you begin bonding with your little one, and enjoy whatever comes your way. Life moves very quickly--before you know it, they will be in your arms, and you will be able to regale tales of your wild pregnancy. Show this to all your pregnant friends and family members!