Old Wives’ Tales About Pregnancy

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Since the beginning of your pregnancy, you’ve probably heard all types of crazy things. Some are outright ridiculous and you don’t have to question their validity but others may not be so easy to brush off. The wives’ tales below are 8 of the most popular ones and half of them are actually true!

False:
Whether you’re carrying low or high predicts the gender of your baby
There’s no truth to this. First-time mothers to be tend to carry high and it gets lower with each pregnancy.
Taking baths can drown your baby
For many reasons, this is physically impossible. Not only does the fetus get oxygen from the mother’s placenta but water cannot enter the amniotic sac. Most importantly, the fetuses are already filled with water.
Having a c-section can cause problems if your try to have a vaginal birth the next time
A cesarean section typically does not affect subsequent births. This myth comes from previous worries about how c-section affect women’s bodies but it has turned out to be false.
Putting your hands over your heads can harm your baby
This wives’ tale dates’ far back but has been proved to be false. However, lifting anything heavy can pose a threat, so you should still be very careful.
True:
Frequent heartburn during pregnancy means a hairy baby
Although probably one tale you blew off, it’s actually true in most cases. Studies have found women that experienced heartburn during their pregnancy had significantly higher numbers of babies with lots of hair.
A longer labor could mean you’re having a boy
You probably assumed this one was false as well but happens to be true quite a few cases. This is because boys tend to have larger heads, which results in a longer labor.
Ginger Can Help Morning Sickness
Although the jury is still out on this one, scientifically, many women have reported that it has worked for them. Because every woman’s body is different, this wives’ tale is most accurately true for some, false for others.
Most of the false wives’ tales were probably obvious but the true ones may have been surprising. Although they may be fun to think about, you should never replace medical direction with this kind of folk wisdom. Ask your doctor before taking any outside advice to keep yourself and your baby happy, healthy, and safe.


Alecia Stanton