Totally Strange Events,News And Facts

There are millions of things about pregnancy that aren’t listed in books and that no one ever tells you about. For instance, did you know that being pregnant can cause you to have perpetual hiccups for months on end?.. And that’s not even the strangest.
Here are 26 strange and interesting pregnancy facts that I’d bet you didn’t know.
1.) During the second half of pregnancy your baby will pee about a liter a day. Where does all of that urine go you ask? The baby swallows it. Consider it your kid's first lesson in recycling.
2. When nearing the end of pregnancy, a woman's placenta produces more estrogen in one day than a non-pregnant woman will produce in three years.
3. It's common for women to experience change in skin tone during pregnancy. It happens about 90% of the time.Saying a pregnant woman is glowing is a common expression, but most people chalk it up to the woman's excitement about becoming a mommy. As it turns out though, glowing skin is a very real thing for pregnant women. While you're pregnant, the amount of blood in your body will increase by 50%. The extra blood ends up showing through the skin in many areas, particularly the cheeks.On top of this, hormones cause the oil glands to become more active, resulting in a softer, shinier appearance. When the increased blood flow combines with shine, the result is a noticeable glow.
4. Studies have shown that babies can taste what the mother is eating. Strong flavors like garlic are especially able to pass through the amniotic fluid.
5.Babies cry in the womb. Not because they're upset, more as practice for their big day.
6.Pregnant women and new mothers can lactate at the sound of a baby crying, even if it's not their baby.
7. The baby's fingerprints are formed within the first three months of pregnancy.
8. Your heart grows:Progesterone softens the joints. Your ribcage stretches out and, as your uterus grows, everything else in your body shifts about. Organs, such as the heart and live, enlarge too, due to their extra workload.
9. Your bones soften:High levels of the hormones oestrogen and relaxin cause ligaments throughout your body to relax, including those in your back. The extra strain on the muscles and joints of the lower back area can cause back pain.
10. Your body can swell anywhere.Extra fluid circulating can sometimes cause swelling (oedema) throughout your whole body, but more commonly in the ankles due to interstitial fluid building up.
11. Your skin changes.Hormones mean skin can dry out. Extra collagen in your skin tears when it stretches, causing stretchmarks. They won't go after the birth but may fade.Help your body - Use a body moisturiser to improve the condition of your skin.
12. Blue veins appear.Some people are genetically predisposed to varicose veins, some aren't. Light exercise and support tights may help.
13. Your womb holds a pint of water.At the start of pregnancy, your uterus is the size of a small Conference pear. By the end of the nine months it's more like an oversized watermelon, holding a baby and at least a pint of water, so it's not surprising you feel twinges as it grows, especially as it will be touching the bottom of your ribs. At 16-20 weeks you may feel slight pain caused by some ligaments beginning to stretch.
14. Your hair's thicker,Your hair becomes glossy and thicker due to the oestrogen receptors it contains. It is thicker because growth has slowed down and hair loss is reduced.
15. You're more stretchy .To prepare your body for childbirth, the hormone, relaxin, reduces cartilage and ligament density, so you can stretch parts of your body a lot more than normal.
16. Your hands tingle.Numbness and tingling may be a sign of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - pressure on a nerve where it passes into the hand at the wrist. Anyone can get it, but you're more at risk in pregnancy. It usually disappears after birth.
17. You produce more blood.Your total volume of blood is 50% higher than usual and cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped out with each heartbeat) increases by 40%. You manufacture 20% extra red blood cells to carry more oxygen around your body. It's normal to feel out of breath at times in the later months. But breathlessness can be a sign of anaemia so if you're concerned, ask your midwife to check your iron levels.
18. Your baby gets food before you.It's important to eat healthily in pregnancy. The baby will take all the nutrients he needs, but this can leave you lacking, especially in iron. Your GP can provide iron tablets if you're anaemic.Help your body - Vitamin C in a glass of orange juice helps your body absorb iron. Most breakfast cereals are fortified with iron, too.
19. You breathe deeper.As your uterus grows, the diaphragm is compressed, It seems difficult to breathe deeply, but you actually breathe more air.
20. Your pelvic muscles stretch.Incontinence caused by childbirth is decreasing as women get better at doing pelvic floor exercises.
21. Your face darkens.The ‘mask of pregnancy' is caused by a change of pigment in your skin across your nose and cheeks in a butterfly shape. It only seems to affect some women, but no-one knows why.
22. Your tummy develops a line.Some women develop a dark line on their abdomen in pregnancy. This is known as the linea nigra and is caused by higher melatonin levels, but it's not known why it develops. It tends to affect women with dark colouring more than those with fairer complexions.
23. Your boobs keep changing. Many women worry unnecessarily that breastfeeding will ruin the shape of their boobs. In fact, any change in shape is actually caused by the pregnancy itself and not by breastfeeding your baby. Proper support at this time is vital to support the muscles in your chest wall as there's no muscle tissue in your breast.
24. Your teeth need extra care.It used to be said that a woman lost one tooth for each of her pregnancies. Thankfully, that's no longer the case for women who have a healthy, varied diet. But your gums are vulnerable now and gingivitis, or bleeding gums, is very common. It's important to make the most of the free dental treatment you are entitled to (up until your baby is 12 months old) and see your dentist and hygienist regularly.
25. Digestion slows.Progesterone slows your digestion early on so your body can absorb more nutrients to pass to your baby. It can cause constipation.Help your body - Have plenty of fluids, fruit and vegetables. Light exercise will also help digestion.
26. Your blood clots faster.Your blood clots more easily now, a protective mechanism so you don't bleed to death when the placenta is delivered. There's a concern that a clot in the calf may fragment, and cause clots elsewhere, particularly if you've had thrombosis or are overweight.