10 Amazing Facts About Pregnancy

So much is written about our changing bodies, what to expect and how things work. I thought I’d kick off the week with this list of 10 amazing facts about pregnancy.

1. The most common day for babies to be born is Tuesday.

2. Babies are born with kneecaps made of cartilage. As they grow, the cartilage slowly changes to bone.

3. Mothers who are over 40 at the time of a child’s birth are 128% more likely to have a left-handed baby than a woman in her 20s.

4. Most babies aren’t born on their due date. Only an estimated 5% of babies in America are actually born on their exact predicted, due date.

5. Male twins will not have twins unless their wives have the ability to produce two eggs.

6. During pregnancy, a woman’s uterus expands to about 500 times its normal size.

7. Your skin may change colour during pregnancy. It’s common for pregnant women to develop blotchy areas of darkened skin, commonly called the “mask of pregnancy” (known as chloasma or melasma gravidarum).

8. Your heart literally grows during pregnancy. It works harder and beats quicker due to the increased volume of blood in your body (that increases 40 – 50%)

9. Some Dads really do experience pregnancy related symptoms along with their partner. Psychological symptoms that may be related to Couvade Syndrome include changes in sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression, reduced libido and restlessness.

10. Your joints soften. Your body produces a hormone called relaxin, which softens your ligaments and prepares your body for childbirth.