Common Pregnancy Myths

There are a number of myths surrounding pregnant women. Most of them come from old wives' tales. Others are actually believed by many doctors today. While some myths may be fun to believe (such as being able to tell the sex of your baby by the way you are carrying), many pregnancy myths can be harmful if they are taken seriously.

Scratching Will Give You Stretchmarks

Stretchmarks are hereditary and nothing that you do or do not do can prevent you from getting them. Drinking plenty of fluids and eating foods that are high in good fats and Omega 3s can help as can rubbing natural plant-derived oils and lotions into your belly. If itching is unbearable, you should tell your doctor as it may be a sign of health problems.

Lotions that contain only natural ingredients can help diminish the appearance of stretchmarks and may also help relieve itching, but scratching cannot contribute to stretchmarks, so feel free to scratch away.

___________ Can Tell You the Baby's Gender

It is impossible to tell your baby's gender from the way you are carrying, how often the baby kicks, how nauseous you are, what you are craving, your skin condition, or from the baby's heart rate.

Wearing a Necklace Will Choke the Baby

The vast majority of pregnant women wear a necklace during pregnancy and it has nothing to do with whether the baby will be born with or without a cord wrapped around its neck.

The Baby Will Die If It Is Born With a Cord Around Its Neck

It is an extremely common myth, even in hospitals, that a baby is in danger if it is born with the cord wrapped around its neck. Many babies, at least one in four, are born with the cord wrapped around their necks. It is simply unavoidable and inevitable and is quite common. During birth, a baby receives oxygen through its umbilical cord and does not need to breathe air into its lungs for several minutes after birth.

Occasionally (and this is very, VERY rare), a baby may have the cord wrapped around its neck many times, resulting in tightening around the throat during delivery which can cut off blood circulation to the baby's brain. Luckily, a newborn baby can go for quite some time without oxygen and almost always the cord can be unwrapped once the baby is born and the baby will breathe normally with no problems. Babies that have died from being born with a cord around the neck are virtually unheard of except in the case of books and movies which are fictional and designed to be dramatic.

Doctors Can Determine a Baby's Size Using Ultrasound

It is almost impossible for a doctor, no matter how knowledgeable, to determine a baby's size using ultrasound, though almost all believe that they can. Doctors are often incorrect in their guesses of fetal size and can sometimes be off by several pounds. I have never known anyone in my life whose baby was not determined by a doctor to be of a size that was grossly off from reality.

Recently, a friend of mine went into labor early and received a caesarian rather than having her labor stopped because the doctor determined that the baby was over 5lbs on the ultrasound scan. She was delivered of a 2lb infant. My sister-in-law was not allowed to reach her due date because the doctor determined that the baby was too large and would be too big if he let her go to her due date. She delivered a 7lb 6oz baby girl.

While ultrasound can be used to determine problems, it should never be used to determine fetal size when deciding whether or not a woman should be "allowed" to go past her due dates in pregnancy.

If You Have Heartburn Your Baby Will Have a Lot of Hair

Heartburn is caused by the baby pressing against the stomach and pushing stomach acids into the esophagus. It has nothing to do with how much hair the baby has.

Drano Mixed With Urine Will Determine the Sex of Your Baby

Drano mixed with urine will not tell you the sex of your baby. It is also extremely dangerous and should never, EVER, be tried by anyone, especially pregnant women. Mixing Drano with anything can result in severe burns or explosions.

Pregnant Women Should Not Take Baths

It is perfectly safe for a pregnant woman to take a bath so long as the water is not too hot. A pregnant woman's body temperature should not be raised over 101 degrees Fahrenheit for prolonged periods of time. Bathing will also not cause a woman to get a vaginal infection. If, however, your water has broken, you should not sit in standing water without consulting your healthcare practitioner.

You Are Eating For Two

Pregnant women do not need to "eat for two." When pregnant, a woman only needs to eat a few more calories each day than she normally would. Dieting is not a good idea during pregnancy, but you should also not be eating junk foods or more than you feel that you need. Pregnant women also do not need to meet any daily requirement for calories. Just eat when you are hungry.

You Should Only Sleep on Your Left Side While Pregnant

Unless a woman has health problems or has been advised by her healthcare practitioner, it is perfectly safe to sleep in any position that you feel most comfortable.

You Can Safely Drink a Small Amount of Alcohol While Pregnant

While many people believe that a small amount of alcohol during pregnancy will not hurt their baby, the truth is that there are no studies that show alcohol as safe in ANY levels during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome can be caused by excessive drinking or by minimal drinking. It is not yet known if even one drink may have adverse effects on a developing fetus.