When you announce your pregnancy people will give you lots of advice but don’t believe everything. Here are 9 myths about pregnancy you need to ignore.
Don’t Believe Everything You Are Told About Being Pregnant
When you find out you are pregnant people are going to be coming to you with all kinds of advice. I’m sure it will all be well meaning but unfortunately not all of it is to be believed.
There have been old wives tales about pregnancy as long as there has been pregnant women passed down through the generations. As time has gone on and scientific progress has been made the more we know about pregnancy and how it all works.
So I’m going to reveal the truth behind some of the most common myths about pregnancy so you can sort fact from fiction.
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As well as giving your friends and family gift ideas, having a registry is a great way to keep track of what you need for baby.
Common Myths About Pregnancy
You Are Eating For Two
This is definitely one of the most common pregnancy myths out there. I lost count of amount of people who said this to me. The truth is you don’t need to eat a whole lot more during your pregnancy. You just need to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Eating a lot of extra food will not help your baby in any way. All that will happen is that you will have some extra weight to lose once baby is born. Try to eat as healthily as possible and avoid foods high in fat and sugar.
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You Can’t Dye Your Hair
Research has shown that dying your hair while you are pregnant will not cause harm. While high doses of the chemicals found in hair dye can cause some harm, you are only exposed to a small amount when coloring your hair.
If you do have concerns you could wait until you are in your second trimester to dye your hair. You could also go to a hairdresser to have your hair dyed. This will reduce your exposure to the chemicals as there will be no risk of you touching the hair dye.
You need to remember that during pregnancy the condition of your hair may change due to hormones. The hair dye you usually use may not look the same as it may not affect your hair in the same way.
You Can Have The Occasional Glass Of Wine
You have probably heard this one but it’s just not true. Any alcohol at all can be harmful to your baby and it is reccomended to avoid it completely during pregnancy.
Alcohol can reach your baby through the placenta and can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects.
Heartburn Means Your Baby Has A Lot Of Hair
Now there is a small amount of research pointing to a correlation between heartburn during pregnancy and having a baby with a lot of hair.
I still think that this one is worth including in this list as heartburn is so common in pregnancy. The chances are you were always going to get it regardless of how much hair your baby has.
Known causes of heartburn during pregnancy are the hormone progesterone, and your growing baby pushing up on the stomach causing acid to flow into the esophagus.
The “Morning” In Morning Sickness
Despite the name you can suffer from nausea and vomiting at any time of the day or night. I was hardly ever sick in the morning during my pregnancies, it almost always decided to show up in the late afternoon or early evening. It really does depend on the person.
Although my sickness stopped the second my first trimester ended this is not always the case. Some women can have nausea and vomiting all the way through their pregnancy. While others can get a break during the second trimester only for it to start up again in the third.
You can read more about morning sickness here.
You Can’t Exercise
It is actually recommended that you get daily exercise while pregnant unless you have been advised by your doctor not to. In fact there are many benefits to staying active while pregnant.
Regular exercise can help reduce symptoms during pregnancy such as back pain, swelling, and constipation. It also helps to keep you fit and build up your stamina ready for labor.
Of course there are exceptions and any physical activities that could dangerous or cause you to fall like biking or horse riding are not reccomended during pregnancy. Gentle exercise like walking, swimming, using a stationary bike, or low impact aerobics are all considered safe while pregnant.
The Size And Shape Of Your Bump Determines The Sex Of Your Baby
We’ve all heard the old wives tales. There are so many pregnancy myths about the gender of your baby. If you carry high and in the front it’s a boy and low and all the way round it’s a girl. I can assure you, this just simply isn’t true. The size and shape of bump is determined by your size and shape, and the position of your baby.
The same applies to dangling a chain above your bump or any of the other countless ways to tell the sex of your baby.
The truth is that there’s only one way to find out the sex of your baby for sure and that is by having an ultrasound. You are able to find out the sex of your baby from around 18 weeks into your pregnancy. Even this is not 100% guaranteed as factors such as the position of your baby can influence how accurate the prediction is.
You Can’t Have Caffeine
I researched this one very carefully when I found out I was pregnant with my first baby. Coffee is my thing, I’m not sure I could function in the morning without it.
It is true that caffeine gets through the placenta but a small amount of caffeine per day is not harmful. It is reccomended that up to 200mg of caffeine per day is safe to drink during pregnancy. A small cup of regular coffee contains about 65mg of caffeine.
So a small cup of coffee in the morning is absolutely fine.This may not sound like a lot but it was enough to allow me to function like a human being in the morning.
You may decide to go with decaf. Although there is some caffeine in decaf (about 3mg per cup) you will be able to have a lot more of it. You should still be keeping track of how much you have though.
You Will Glow
So the lie that every pregnant woman buys into is that they will spend their pregnancy glowing, that they will glow so much it will be visible. Sheer joy will just radiate from their every pore and the happiness, excitement, and euphoria will last for the entire 9 months. (Which is another lie, it’s closer to 10).
This is probably the biggest pregnancy myth out there. Now I’m not saying that isn’t the case for all women, I’m sure such a rare creature exists somewhere. I’m not even saying you won’t feel this at all during your pregnancy. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t glow all that much.
The reality is that you will probably vomit when you least expect it, have a deathly pallor, and walk around holding your boobs for 3 months. You will get heartburn just by looking at food, your bowel will go on strike, and you can kiss your ankles goodbye. In fact by the end of the second trimester you can kiss your feet goodbye because you won’t be able to see them.
Now of course not all of that is going to apply to everyone and I’m sure you will have periods where you are extremely excited and content. Just be prepared for the days when you feel like an alien has taken over your body, you are never going to feel like yourself again, and you cry all day.
Just remember that this time is going to pass, it’s all going to be worth it and your tiny human will be here before you know it.
There are a lot of common myths about pregnancy out there so if there is anything you aren’t sure of always check with your doctor or midwife.
