Fun Mother’s Day Facts!

Feasts celebrating mothers have existed throughout the world since the beginning of time. The modern version of Mother’s Day in the United States, was first observed in 1907. Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia decided that it would be a wonderful way to honor her deceased mother. Two years later, Jarvis and friends began a letter-writing campaign to create a Mother’s Day observance. Soon after, in 1914, the US Congress passed legislation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

How Many Mothers?

• 82.8 million Estimated number of mothers in the United States in 2004.
• 55% Percentage of 15- to 44-year-olds who are mothers.
• 81% Percentage of women 40 to 44 years old who are mothers. In 1980, 90 percent of women in that age group were mothers.

How Many Children?

• 2.1 The total fertility rate (TFR) in 2006 — the first time since 1971 that the nation’s TFR was at replacement level, which is the birth rate required to replace the population.
• 94.1 Number of births in 2006 per 1,000 women of childbearing age in Utah, which led the nation; at the other end of the spectrum was Vermont, with a rate of 52.2 births.
• Jacob and Emily The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively, in 2006.

Mothers Day Cards, Flowers & Gifts

• 21,135 Number of florists nationwide. Their 101,861 employees will be especially busy selling bouquets for Mother’s Day. The flowers you buy mom probably were grown in California or Colombia.
• 12,473 Number of employees of 120 greeting-card publishing establishments in 2005.
• 12,854 The number of cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores nationwide in 2005. Perfume is one of the most popular gifts given on Mother’s Day.
• 29,624 Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2005 — the place to purchase necklaces, earrings and other timeless pieces for mom.

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New Moms

• 4.3 million Number of women who have babies each year. Of this number, about 450,000 are teens, and more than 100,000 are age 40 or over.
• 25.2 Median age of women when they give birth for the first time – meaning one-half are above this age and one-half are below. The median age has risen nearly three years since 1970.
• 40 Percentage of births taking place annually that are the mothers’ first.
• 36,000 Number of births each year attended by physicians, midwives or others that did not occur in hospitals.
• 1-in-31 The odds of a woman delivering twins. Her odds of having triplets or other multiple births was approximately 1-in-539.
• August The month with the highest number of births, with 369,316 taking place that month in 2005.
• Tuesday The most popular day of the week in which to have a baby, with an average of more than 13,169 births taking place on Tuesdays during 2005.

Working Moms

• 751,322 The number of day-care centers across the country to which mothers turn to help juggle motherhood and careers.
• 5.6 million Number of stay-at-home moms in 2006.

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Single Moms

• 10.4 million The number of single mothers living with children under 18, up from 3.4 million in 1970.

Meals with Mommy

• 54% and 79% Percentages of children younger than 6 who eat breakfast and dinner, respectively, with their mother every day. The corresponding percentages who eat with their father were 41 percent and 66 percent.