Your Uterus Expands Up To 500 Times Its Normal Size
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A woman’s body is an incredible thing. Did you know the uterus enlarges up to 500 times its normal size? It can go from a couple of ounces to 1-2 pounds in weight. Once you have delivered it gradually goes back to its original size and weight.
Your Heart Grows
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Yes it grows with love for your child, but did you know your heart organ actually enlarges while you are pregnant? It works harder and beats at a more rapid pace due to the increased volume of blood in your body. Your blood volume alone increases by 40-50%!
Joints Soften
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In order to prepare your body for birth, it produces a hormone called relaxin which softens your ligaments. This softening helps your baby pass through your pelvis during labor. Amazing, isn’t it?
Hair Feels Fuller
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People say that your hair gets thicker when you are pregnant. While that isn’t technically the truth, it is fuller and more abundant than usual. Higher levels of estrogen during your pregnancy prevents your hair from shedding at it’s normal rate. This results in fuller hair and the dreaded hair loss after pregnancy. You notice more hair falling out postpartum because so little was shed during pregnancy. No harm done ;).
Feet Can Grow One Full Size
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The relaxin hormone we were just talking about? They can also loosen the ligaments in your feet. That combined with your increased body weight adds to your foot’s width and length. Not to worry as your feet will go back to their normal size a couple of months after pregnancy. Says the woman who’s gone up a shoe size during all three of her pregnancies ;).
Your Sense Of Smell Gets Stronger
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My sense of smell was so sensitive during my pregnancies, my husband was convinced I had super powers. Although I wish I had such magic, my heightened sense of smell was due to the high levels of estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Tall Mamas More Likely To Conceive Twins
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According to a study put together in 2006 by Dr. Gary Steinman, an obstetrician at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, taller women are more likely to conceive twins.
Cravings Can Mean Something More
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Classic pregnancy combos like pickles with ice cream are an unknown phenomena. No one really knows why moms get these types of strange cravings. However, ice, dirt and salt cravings usually mean that your body is lacking in a certain nutrient. I had a crazy ice craving during my third pregnancy and it turns out I had low iron and had to up my levels.
Baby Gets Nutrients Before Mama
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During your pregnancy, the nutrients from the food you eat goes to your baby first before it passes over to you. Even if you skip a meal your body will take the nutrients from you to keep your baby healthy. This is just one of the reasons why it is so important to eat regularly and healthily!
Dad’s Pregnancy Symptoms
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Jokes have been made and the term ‘sympathy weight’ has been passed around, but did you know that some dads experience symptoms along with their wives? It’s called Couvade Syndrome and has been documented in dads around the world who experienced pregnancy symptoms from the end of the first trimester all the way to the end. Make sure you buy two tubs of ice cream during your next grocery run!