As Spring arrives, Mother’s Day approaches, but every day and season is a good time to celebrate mothers and remember all they do for us. These facts will explore the many complexities of motherhood. We’ll look at how mothers feel about their roles, statistics on the number of mothers worldwide, the challenges they face, and the amazing biological changes they undergo when they have children. While every mom is unique, some facts unite the many different kinds of mothers in the world. Let’s explore them!
9 Mother Facts
1. 50 to 80% of mothers report a brain fog condition known as “mommy brain.” (Source)
These are mental lapses and forgetfulness related to pregnancy and new motherhood. Experiments have yielded mixed results regarding the causes and validity of “mommy brain.” Research indicates that memory problems and weaker executive functioning begin in the first trimester and worsen in the third.
2. The majority of mothers feel that parenting is enjoyable and rewarding. (Source)
83% of surveyed mothers said parenting is enjoyable, with 56% responding “enjoyable most of the time” and 27% of them saying “all of the time.” Eight in ten moms feel that parenting is rewarding.
3. The sound of a mom’s heartbeat helps babies cry less. (Source)
Not only does a mom’s heartbeat lessen crying, but it also helps babies sleep better and seems to promote healthy weight gain. The smell of a mom relaxes the baby, and the sound of their voice promotes brain growth.
4. Moms are often the chattiest members of the family. (Source)
When surveyed about small talk, Americans agreed that their parents talk the most, with 37% reporting that their mothers make the most small talk in the family.
5. Mother’s Day is an invention of Ann Reeves Jarvis, a peace activist. (Source)
Jarvis was a nurse who served wounded World War I soldiers and created Mother’s Day as a way for moms to protest the war. Jarvis campaigned for it to become a recognized holiday in the US and wanted to serve as a day of appreciation and connection with mothers. Toward the end of her life, she fought for the abolition of Mother’s Day, believing it had become too commercialized.
6. There are more than 2 billion mothers worldwide. (Source)
That’s about 4.3 babies born every second. That’s also 7,300 diaper changes by the time a mother’s child reaches age 2!
7. Americans spend more than $3 billion on Mother’s Day. (Source)
This is largely spent on flowers and plants. In fact, flower shops say 25% of all their holiday sales are made on Mother’s Day.
8. Mothers are spending more time on childcare than in the past. (Source)
Mothers are busy people. In addition to spending more time on childcare than they did in the 1960s, mothers are also spending more time in the workforce.
9. A baby’s first vocalization is often a “ma” sound. (Source)
There’s a reason that, around the globe in hundreds of languages, the word for mother often has the “ma” sound within it. This is because so many babies use this sound to get their mother’s attention!
Featured image photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio
