Pregnancy is an amazing period of transformation spanning 40 weeks. There’s nothing like growing a new life inside you — it’s crazy when you think about it!
Many incredible changes occur in the body during pregnancy. Some of them may sound strange and even vulgar, but they are quite normal. Here are some fun facts (besides what your scans or doctors tell you) that you might be interested in.
#1- Babies cry in the womb:
It has been shown that babies get scared in 3D ultrasounds when the sonographer presses on the stomach with the ultrasound. Researchers have also discovered that when your baby hears sounds, they can ‘cry’, with ultrasound videos showing babies opening their mouths and gasping when music is played. Luckily you can’t hear them because of the liquid!
#2- Baby drinks his own urine:
From the second trimester onwards, your baby starts urinating about a liter a day in the womb. And can you guess where that pee goes? The baby drinks it. The baby urinates up to a liter a day, and yes! They drink it too.
#3- Babies can taste what the mother eats:
Eat what you want your child to eat as they grow! You don’t want a fuss later, do you? Based at Durham University’s Fetal and Neonatal Research Laboratory, the study’s research team used 4D ultrasound scans, which create 3D videos of fetuses in the womb, to see how the unborn children of 100 pregnant women reacted to the food their mothers were given. Fetuses exposed to the sweet taste of carrot responded with upturned lips and “laughing” expressions, while those exposed to the bitter taste of cabbage made “crying” expressions.
#4- Uterine erections:
Yes, you heard right! A male fetus can have an erection in utero. To your surprise, it is also believed that during ultrasound, the stimulation of the male fetus can be detected.
#5- Dads-to-be show signs of pregnancy:
It’s a surprising fact that even expectant fathers begin to gain weight. Some may experience lower abdominal cramps. This condition is referred to as sympathetic pregnancy or Couvade syndrome.
#6- Is it possible to get pregnant for a whole year:
The average length of pregnancy is 280 days, but it is possible to be pregnant for more than a year. The longest pregnancy ever recorded was 375 days, three months longer than average.
#7- Excessive Saliva:
During the first trimester, many women find that saliva builds up in their mouths—sometimes to the point that it interferes with speech. Although more of a nuisance than a health concern, excess saliva is often associated with morning sickness and should end by the second trimester. In the meantime, try chewing sugar-free gum or using mouthwash to keep both drool and nausea under control.
#8- Baby born with teeth:
About 1 in 2,000 babies are born with teeth. These are loose birth teeth and should be removed by a doctor. They can be painful for the mother during breastfeeding. They can also be dangerous — there is a risk of them being dislodged and inhaled.
#9- Baby can recognize mom’s voice from inside the womb:
Around the 18th week of pregnancy, the structures inside your baby’s ear are well enough established that your baby can begin to hear some limited sounds. Some of them are sounds you might not even notice yourself—the rumbling of your stomach and the whirring of air in and out of your lungs.
In the coming weeks, your baby will hear more and more of the outside world. From 27 to 30 weeks, babies react in response to voices and noises entering the womb.
#10- An irresistible urge to nest:
If sometime in the third trimester you feel like tearing down the house and rebuilding, you’re not alone. The instinct of cleaning and reorganizing – called nesting – is also common to birds, cats and dogs. “Women just want to do so much, it’s almost like a clock telling you, ‘You have to get everything ready for the baby,'” says Darine El-Chaâr, an obstetrician in Ottawa. “It’s a protective function, but you may find that it makes you incredibly productive because you’re committed to doing it all.”
Here is the most interesting. Baby girls develop all the reproductive eggs they will ever need and use in the womb. But baby boys won’t develop sperm until they reach puberty.
Denial of responsibility
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
