100 amazing facts about pregnancy

We’ve put together 100 reasons why pregnancy is a weirdly wonderful time

1 MORNING SICKNESS DOESN’T OFTEN HAPPEN IN THE MORNING

Most women get all-day (or midday, afternoon or evening) sickness in the early part of the first trimester.

2 YOU MAY NOT ‘GET SICK’ FROM MORNING SICKNESS

Many women just feel nauseous (not much of a comfort, we know!). But in most women it subsides between 12 and 14 weeks. Many experts believe this is because the placenta begins producing hormones of its own at this time.

3 HORMONES PLAY A BIG ROLE IN PREGNANCY

Progesterone is nature’s sedative. It gives you a natural lethargy to make sure you do nothing strenuous that may affect the developing foetus.

4 LABOUR IS BROUGHT ON BY HORMONES

At the end of your pregnancy, the drop in the levels of progesterone helps initiate the start of labour.

5 HORMONES ALSO MAKE YOUR BOOBS BIGGER

Oestrogen stimulates the enlargement and development of your breasts for lactation.

6 TALL? MORE CHANCE OF TWINS

Researchers have found several genetic factors can lead to multiple births. These include: If you’re over the age of 35, have a history of twin pregnancies, there are twins in your family – or, weirdly enough, if you’re tall.

7 LOTS OF EGGS (POTENTIALLY) MEANS LOTS OF BABIES

If you’ve taken fertility drugs or used IVF to get pregnant, you have a far higher chance of carrying twins, or even more babies, because more eggs are released and/or implanted than during natural conception.

8 YOUR BODY IS RUNNING ON OVERDRIVE

The heart and blood vessels have to transport more oxygen, not just to the foetus, but also to all of the involved organs that have to start working a lot harder. These changes are the cause of many of the unpleasant symptoms of early pregnancy such as lightheadedness and dizziness, nausea, extreme fatigue, cravings, constipation, bloating and frequent urination. Although these symptoms are troublesome for you, they are also reassuring, because their presence usually means you’re having a healthy pregnancy.

9 STRETCHING SKIN

The average woman has 1.5 square metres of skin. This stretches to an unbelievable 1.7 square metres by the ninth month of pregnancy.

10 YOUR BLOOD LEVELS INCREASE

The amount of blood that is pumped by the heart increases by 40 to 50 percent.

11 YOUR HEART GETS BIGGER BOTH IN LENGTH AND WIDTH

Has this love for your baby made your heart grow? Well, sort of. The walls of the ventricles get thicker, in order to pump the extra blood.

12 YOUR HEART BEATS A BIT FASTER

With extra blood and relaxed arteries during pregnancy, the heart beats more often but does not have to work as hard with each beat.

13 EVERYTHING GROWS

It’s not just your heart (and breasts) that grow. By week 20, your chest below your boobs may also get bigger.

14 YOUR BELLY BUTTON MAY POKE OUT

If your belly button is poking out, don’t panic. As the swelling uterus pushes forward, so the belly button pops forward. It should return to normal after birth.

15 STRETCH MARKS ARE THE LUCK OF THE DRAW

A large number of us get stretch marks. If you’re carrying multiples, a big baby or have an excess of amniotic fluid, your chances of stretch marks are higher. Creams and oils may help reduce them. Also take care not to gain too much weight too rapidly.

16 BABY BUMPS MAKE PEOPLE SMILE

It’s not scientifically proven, but you just have to look at the number of people who smile when they see your belly to know it’s true.

17 YOU MAY GET SOME UNWANTED ATTENTION

Get used to strangers touching your belly, or small children asking you why you’re “so fat”.

18 YOU’LL LOVE SHOWING OFF YOUR BUMP

Surveys show that pregnancy is the only time in their adult lives that most women enjoy showing off their bellies, and that includes wearing bump-baring bikinis.

19 YOU’LL BE A MUSCLE WOMAN

Research has shown that pregnant women develop about five percent extra muscle. Perhaps to cope with the extra weight?

20 BREAST PREP TAKES PLACE FROM DAY ONE

Just days after conception, your breasts are already preparing for milk production. This may be the cause of those sensitive boobies in early pregnancy.

21 YOUR BREASTS WERE MADE FOR FEEDING

Small spot-like glands in the areola enlarge and will produce fluid that lubricates your nipples in order to prepare the breasts for breastfeeding.

22 BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE BREASTS INCREASES

You will notice that blood vessels are easily seen under the skin on the breasts.

23 PREGNANCY IS A METABOLISM BOOSTER

Pregnancy improves your metabolism to compensate for your weight gain.

24 YOU STORE EXTRA FAT FOR YOUR BABY

The body begins to store fat in the first trimester, and this ceases halfway through the pregnancy. At this time, the foetus begins to use the stored fat.

25 YOUR BABY CAN HEAR YOU

Ears are fully formed halfway through pregnancy, and baby’s sense of hearing is quite good, despite being muffled by amniotic fluid.

26 YOU ARE NEVER ALONE

Talk to your baby – from about six months he can hear you and already starts to learn his mother tongue.

27 YOUR BABY GETS FED BEFORE YOU

Baby gets to “help himself” to the nutrients from your digested food first. All you get is the leftovers. That’s why it’s so important to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need for pregnancy.

28 YOUR DREAMS MAY GET VIVID OR SCARY

Many women report an increase in vivid dreams or nightmares, especially during the final trimester. There’s no scientific explanation, but psychologists believe it’s your subconscious dealing with fears and insecurities about birth and motherhood.

29 YOU MAY NOT BE HAPPY

Aside from normal mood swings, everyone expects pregnant women to be happy. But that’s not always the case. Psychiatrists estimate that around 20 percent of pregnant women experience anxiety or depression.

30 DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Stress is believed to have an impact on the physical development of your baby, with some research showing babies born to stressedout moms tend to be underweight or arrive early. So take it easy.

31 AND YOU’RE SWEATING MORE

You will notice that you tend to sweat more readily, as you get rid of heat for two.

32 WHY SO HOT?

Your body transmits heat to the skin, where it radiates and evaporates, aided by dilated blood vessels near the skin’s surface. During pregnancy, this process works faster because of all the extra blood, harder-working sweat glands and increased surface area of the skin.

33 THE PLACENTA IS PRETTY BIG NOW

By the time you give birth, the placenta will weigh one sixth of your baby’s weight.

34 NATURE HAS GIVEN YOUR BABY A NATURAL DEFENCE

The placenta not only nourishes your baby, it also protects him from bacteria and infection.

35 YOU PROTECT YOUR GROWING BABY

Your antibodies are transferred through the placenta to the foetus from the 20th week. Your antibodies protect your baby from infectious diseases.

36 YOU HAVE THAT GASSY FEELING

Due to the go-slow in your intestines, a build-up of gas is very common. Embarrassing, we know – but often unavoidable. Drinking lots of water can help.

37 SUPERFOODS = SUPER GOOD

Several superfoods, such as avocados and apricots, are proven to boost physical health and vitality during pregnancy. Others, such as chia seeds, a grain rich in omega-3 fats, can help ward off depression during pregnancy.

38 YOUR BODY WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AT ABSORBING IRON

To aid this process, be sure to eat foods rich in iron, such as lean red meat, green veggies and fortified cereals.

39 YOU ARE USING ENERGY

You are using an extra 900 kilojoules a day to fuel all that baby-growing.

40 THERE IS A STRANGE TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH

This is probably caused by pregnancy hormones and can result in absence of taste or a metallic taste in the mouth.

41 YOU WILL BE A PROTEIN GOBBLER

During pregnancy you need about 79 grams of protein daily to help build bones, muscles and skin for your baby. Eat eggs, lean meat, milk and pulses.

42 YOUR SKIN IS MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SUN

Many pregnant women avoid the sun since they are prone to pigmentation changes during pregnancy. But the sun provides vitamin D, essential for calcium absorption. Get this vitamin through food such as milk, fatty fish and eggs.

43 THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SLOWS DOWN DURING PREGNANCY

The food you eat will travel slowly through the intestines to allow for better absorption. This can result in drier stools and constipation.

44 YOU WILL BURN

Heartburn and indigestion become a problem in the latter part of pregnancy as the stomach and intestines become displaced by the growing uterus.

45 DO YOU FEEL TURNED ON ALL THE TIME?

Heightened libido is normal during pregnancy because your entire pelvic region is engorged with blood, making you far more sensitive. But not all women feel this way, so if you aren’t feeling like a sex goddess, don’t stress about it either.

46 SEX IS SAFE

As long as you’re having a normal pregnancy with no complications, you can go for it as often as you like. And no, you won’t put your baby in harm’s way – he is well protected by amniotic fluid and your cervix.

47 YOU MAY BLEED

It is fairly common for women to experience a little spotting or bleeding during or after sex, especially in the first trimester. This is due to capillaries in your cervix being swollen and bursting when “irritated” by intercourse. Still, always report any spotting or bleeding to your doctor to be safe as very often it points to a bladder infection.

48 NO AIR BUBBLES PLEASE

The only no-no for oral sex is that your partner should not blow air into your vagina, as this can cause an air bubble to block a blood vessel. It’s rare, but better safe than sorry.

49 WHAT’S THAT SMELL?

Your sense of smell usually becomes more distinct. This may be nature’s way of making you avoid eating, drinking and inhaling potentially harmful substances.

50 BREATHING ISN’T ALWAYS EASY

Feel out of breath? As a result of the pressure from the growing uterus, the diaphragm can’t be drawn down as far during inhalation, leading you to feel that you can’t inhale deeply enough.

51 NEAR THE END YOU WILL BREATHE EASY AGAIN

As pregnancy progresses, you breathe less deeply, until lightening (when baby drops into the pelvis) occurs in the last days of your pregnancy.

52 YOUR SHOES MIGHT NOT FIT

Your feet may increase in size during pregnancy, due to the effect of the relaxing hormones on your bones as well as swelling.

53 TEENAGE SKIN IS BACK

Some of us experience acne-like spots. This is due to hormones and usually disappears after the first trimester.

54 WRINKLES CAN ACTUALLY DISAPPEAR

These hormones can also plump out your skin, making those creases disappear.

55 DADS CAN GET PREGGO TOO!

There is no scientific explanation for it, but there are many cases of men experiencing symptoms of pregnancy while their partner is carrying. Some men get morning sickness, others bloat, and some even feel cramps in their lower abdomen. Talk about really feeling compassion.

56 YOU REALLY DO GLOW...

The extra blood circulating through your body shows up in certain areas of your skin, like your cheeks, making you look pinker and healthier. Hormones cause oil glands to become more active, giving you a shinier appearance.

57 YOUR SKIN WILL CHANGE

Around 90 percent of us experience some sort of skin pigmentation change during pregnancy, from darkened freckles to the more extreme pregnancy mask.

58 YOUR HAIR IS THICKER

This is due to hormones preventing your hair from shedding. On the downside, a more-than-normal amount of hair may fall out after birth.

59 HAIR CAN GROW WHERE YOU DON’T EXPECT

Your hair usually gets thick and glossy – sometimes in areas where you don’t expect it. Watch for hair growth on your face and on your arms.

60 THE KIDNEYS WORK MUCH HARDER

They have to filter more blood. Your kidneys also make more urine as you get rid of waste for two.

61 PROBLEMS ‘DOWN UNDER’ ARE COMMON

You are more prone to urinary tract infections in pregnancy. Report any pain, blood or burning to your doctor.

62 AND SECRETIONS INCREASE TOO

An increase in vaginal secretions is normal. If it’s thick, offensive and smelly, visit your doctor.

63 YOUR BABY IS SAFE DURING EXERCISE

The circulatory system in your uterus becomes more efficient at extracting oxygen from your blood during exercise, making sure that your baby is never deprived during your workout. Be sure to work out at a comfortable, not competitive, level of exercise.

64 YOU’RE MORE STRETCHY

A hormone called relaxin makes your ligaments and cartilage relax so that your body is able to stretch as much as you need to during labour.

65 YOUR BABY CAN GET A FRIGHT

From around 23 weeks, babies can startle in the womb when they hear a loud noise – like mom sneezing or a door slamming. This is a normal part of brain development.

66 BABIES BREATHE UNDERWATER

From around 27 weeks your baby will begin to “breathe” in the womb.

Even though his fluid-filled lungs aren’t taking in any oxygen, they begin to expand and compress, like a practice run.

67 ENJOY THE SECOND TRIMESTER

It’s usually the best time of pregnancy because the nausea, tiredness and other unpleasant symptoms of the first trimester disappear, and you get flushed with all sorts of good hormones that make you look and feel vibrant. And you’ll start to feel those wonderful first kicks.

68 HAVING A GIRL? WELL, YOU’RE CARRYING YOUR FUTURE GRANDKIDS TOO

Girls develop all the eggs they will ever produce while still in the womb. That’s a lot of responsibility. Boys don’t develop sperm until they reach puberty.

69 THE ‘BIG O’ IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE… DURING CHILDBIRTH

Okay, it’s rare (0.03 percent of women), but a 2013 Australian study has confirmed that it is possible to have an orgasm during childbirth. It’s all thanks to the “love drug” hormone oxytocin, which is abundant during labour.

70 YOU MAY GET A DARK LINE DOWN YOUR TUMMY

This line usually appears in the second trimester and is associated with oestrogen levels and melanocyte stimulating hormone deposits under the skin. It usually clears up within the first year of you having your baby without any special intervention.

71 TINGLING FINGERS?

You may have carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a little tunnel that runs from the bottom of your wrist to your lower palm. It can be put under pressure by swelling in your hand due to fluid build-up. It’s usually not severe, and it doesn’t last long.

72 THEY SMELL WHAT YOU SMELL

Research shows that babies begin smelling strong odours from around 28 weeks. In fact, the amniotic fluid is thought to enhance your baby’s sense of smell because odours are more intense when joined with a liquid.

73 YOUR EYESIGHT MAY CHANGE

While it may change, it is advised not to change your prescription, as things may return to normal afterwards.

74 YOUR EYE SHAPE CAN CHANGE

If you wear contact lenses, they may no longer fit, as increased blood flow and water retention can change your eye shape.

75 YOU MAY BE SNIFFY

Your body produces more mucus, which can result in a stuffy nose, sinusitis and headaches. The hormone progesterone also causes swelling of the mucosa of the nasal passages and causes your nose to bleed and difficulty breathing.

76 YOUR GUMS SWELL

The same hormone affects the gums in your mouth, so swelling of the gums may cause bleeding when you brush. Be sure to visit the dentist during pregnancy.

77 GO WILD ON NEW BRAS

Your boobs are going to grow by one, maybe even two or three cup sizes while you’re pregnant. Invest in bras.

78 NO, NOT EVERYONE ELSE IS PREGNANT TOO

It may seem as if there’s been a pregnancy boom because everywhere you look, you see bumps, but that’s just what scientists call the frequency illusion. Much like when you’re looking to buy a specific car you

begin noticing that one everywhere you drive, when you’re pregnant, you’ll see bumps everywhere you go. You’re just more observant.

79 DON’T EXPECT BABY TO BE PUNCTUAL

In general, only around five percent of babies are born on their due date, while 10 percent of first-time pregnancies continue until two weeks past due date.

80 DOCTORS GET THE DUE DATE WRONG, A LOT

Around 70 percent of post-term pregnancies are estimated to be incorrectly dated from the start. That’s why there’s usually no reason to be concerned if you’re overdue by a week or two.

YOU’RE NOT REALLY PREGNANT FOR NINE MONTHS

Pregnancy is estimated at 40 weeks, which is nine calendar months and seven days.

82 COUNTDOWN DOESN’T START FROM CONCEPTION

Your due date is usually calculated by counting from the first day of your last menstrual period, not the date of conception. That means you’re not technically pregnant for around the first two weeks of your 40-week pregnancy. This is because you’re unlikely to ovulate and conceive until about two weeks after the first day of your period.

83 IT’S POSSIBLE TO BE PREGNANT FOR LONGER

The average pregnancy is 280 days, but it’s possible to be pregnant for longer. Much longer in the case of Beulah Hunter, who in 1945 set the world record for the longest pregnancy at an incredible 375 days.

84 YOU MAY CRAVE VERY WEIRD THINGS

Pica is the term for pregnancy cravings that have little or no nutritional benefit and which may be harmful for you, such as cravings for dirt, clay, burnt matches, toothpaste, soap, sand and even cigarette ashes. Contact your doctor.

85 YOUR CENTRE OF GRAVITY SHIFTS

To protect you from falling over on your face, your centre of gravity shifts. This means a change in posture and could cause backache.

86 ORGASMS ARE MORE INTENSE

If you do manage to get there, big belly and all, it’s going to be doubly good for the same reason you have a heightened libido – more blood flow to your pelvis equals more sensitivity.

87 BUMPS GET HARD DURING ORGASM

This strange feeling is caused by your abdominal muscles contracting during orgasm.

88 YOU MAY GET MILD CRAMPS

Cramping after orgasm is very normal too. These are uterine contractions, which happen after any orgasm, pregnant or not. The difference is you usually only feel them when you are pregnant.

89 YOUR BABY WILL FEEL SOMETHING TOO

But not in a weird way. When you achieve orgasm, your uterus contracts, so your baby is likely to feel a push – like a little hug really. This is why some babies are thought to move around more after you’ve had sex.

90 YOUR BRAIN REALLY IS DIFFERENT

Scientists recently confirmed findings that women’s brains change during pregnancy to become more active on the right (creative) side. They believe this is part of a neurological preparation to help you bond with your newborn baby.

91 NAP SMART, NOT LONG

It’s tempting to take a long nap to catch up on sleep, but various studies show day-time naps of more than 20 to 30 minutes can make you feel more tired. Keep naps short and sweet.

92 SHE MAY BE DREAMING

Rapid eye movement (an indicator of dreaming) has been recorded in babies in the womb, leading experts to believe your baby may be dreaming in the womb.

93 YOUR BABY IS YAWNING IN THERE

In 2012 scientists at Durham University in the UK proved that babies are not simply opening and closing their mouth in the womb, they’re actually yawning.

94 YAWNING IS A GOOD SIGN

Don’t worry, you’re not the world’s most boring baby carrier. Yawning in the womb is linked to the maturing of the brain in early gestation (up until 28 weeks).

95 A SENSE OF HUMOUR REMAINS VITAL

Finding the right position during sex is going to be like a hilarious game of twister, especially in the third trimester.

96 YOUR TUMMY MUSCLES SEPARATE

This means no crunch-type abdominal exercises after four months of pregnancy. However, it is crucial to do deep abdominal work as well as pelvic-floor exercises in order to support your growing baby and your back. This will help you bounce back and get in shape post baby.

97 YOUR UTERUS IS THE ORGAN THAT IS THE MOST AFFECTED BY PREGNANCY

The increase in the uterus’ size from nonpregnant to pregnant at term is impressive: it goes from 50/60g to 900/1 000g. The volume increases from 6ml to 5 000ml.

98 CONTRACTIONS DON’T STOP AFTER LABOUR

They usually continue at a much lower level for a few days after birth. This stops excess blood loss.

99 THE UTERUS IS A WELL-OILED MACHINE

The uterus consists of a body and a cervix (neck), which have opposing functions during pregnancy. The body of the uterus must remain relaxed and stretch during pregnancy to accommodate the foetus and placenta, while the cervix must remain firm in order to maintain the pregnancy. In labour, the body of the uterus must contract and retract while the cervix must relax, stretch and open to allow the baby to pass through.

100 YOUR UTERUS PRACTISES FOR THE BIG DAY

Braxton Hicks are the fire drill for when the real contractions show up. They feel different and can be calmed by drinking a glass of water or taking a bath.