9 Fascinating Pregnancy Facts That Show a Woman’s Body Is Never Done Surprising Us

Over 350,000 babies are born each day. With so many pregnant women, one would assume that everything about pregnancy is well-known. But that’s not the case. During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many changes and some of them are really surprising.

In this article, Bright Side will amaze you with 9 amazing pregnancy facts that are not very well-known but show how wondrous a woman’s body is.

The longest known pregnancy lasted for a year and 10 days

A 25-year-old woman from Los Angeles gave birth to a baby after being pregnant for 375 days instead of the normal 280.

Pregnant women and new mothers can lactate automatically when they hear a baby crying (even if it’s not their own).

The release of breast milk, known as the let-down reflex, causes the release of the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates milk production. While sucking by the baby is the usual trigger, oxytocin can also be released due to other stimuli like looking at a photograph of your baby, thinking of your baby, or hearing the sound of a crying baby (even when the baby is not yours).

The uterus stretches from the size of a peach to the size of a watermelon over the course of a pregnancy.

The size of the uterus grows exponentially during pregnancy. Starting from the size of a peach, it grows to approximately the size of a papaya during the second trimester. During the third trimester, it will ultimately grow to approximately the size of a watermelon before stopping to grow any further.

During pregnancy, a woman’s feet can grow up to one shoe size due to fluid retention.

Swelling is normal during pregnancy due to the presence of additional blood and fluid in the body. During pregnancy, the body produces 50% more fluid to meet the requirement of the developing baby. Swelling can occur in the hands, face, legs, ankles, and feet.

Most women grow more hair during pregnancy.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make hair grow faster, and fall out less. The growing hair can also be stronger than what you might otherwise have. Also, hair might suddenly appear in unwanted places like the face, the belly, or around the nipples.

It’s possible to deliver a baby even after being declared brain-dead.

Although rare, a brain dead pregnant patient’s body can be kept alive to deliver a fetus.

It’s possible to deliver a nearly 14-pound baby without an epidural.

Delivering a baby can be excruciating, that’s why many women now opt for an epidural to ease the pain. However, an Australian mother wanted to keep the experience as close to normal as possible. And surprisingly, she gave birth to a 14-pound baby.

During pregnancy, blood clots faster.

To lessen blood loss during labor and delivery the blood clots faster than usual.

You and your baby may love the same food.

The flavors from the food a pregnant woman eats get transmitted into the amniotic fluid which is then consumed by the baby inside the womb. This can have an effect on a baby’s flavor preferences when they start eating solid food.

Every mother will have a unique pregnancy experience to share. So, what amazing things did you find out or experience during your pregnancy? Let us know in the comments.