Don't Buy Into Old Wives Tales, Myths and Superstitions About Conceiving - Educate Yourself Instead

Pregnancy superstitions result from the lack of prenatal education in American culture, and are not typical of cultures outside the western world. Uneducated parents fall into programmed traditions of nausea, low-energy, and most of all, the cravings. "When you're expecting" manuals preach about all of the traditional symptoms of pregnancies that are based off of expectant mothers lacking in prenatal health and wellness. They joke about those "honey do this, honey do that" moments, late-night ice cream runs, and off-the-wall wants. What is not addressed, are the underlying factors that create these traditions, such as the idea that a pregnant woman needs to be extremely cautions and limit her physical activity, or the fact that lack of protein is what actually causes the body to crave sweets.

During my pregnancy, I made it my responsibility to become educated so that I would stay healthy and my baby would develop to its highest potential. I learned about the effects that protein could have on my body, and how a well-balanced diet would give me energy and help the baby grow mentally and physically. In addition, I took charge in a healthy exercise routine to keep up my energy and promote postpartum healing. I researched remedies such as ginger and peppermint for nausea, made sure to eat every 2 hours, and kept water and crackers by my bed throughout the night to avoid getting sick. I participated in prenatal bonding with my new family, and learned all I could about breastfeeding's best benefits. This was just the start of my education.

I continued learning about routines in pregnancies that aren't even required, such as outlandish prenatal tests that risk more harm to babies and mothers than what they help. I discovered many hospital procedures that have been proven ineffective, harmful to the baby and mother, and even worse, not even studied for use during pregnancy and birth. Worst of all, I was exposed to the sheer lack of informed consent offered to parents. I learned about the real facts of pregnancy, labor, and birth and how Dr.'s scare women in to believing their bodies are unable to birth normally. Because of my vow to take responsibility in my pregnancy, I had a beautiful experience leading to an empowering natural home birth (which was 1/3 of the cost of what a hospital birth would have been - not including any procedures that would have been pressed upon me) to an exceptionally healthy baby. I gained only 25lbs during pregnancy, birthed a 7lb 13oz baby girl, and lost the weight in only a few short weeks. My 14-month old daughter has been 2-3 months ahead on the average age milestone charts, and no antibiotics to date. In addition to my joyous experience as an expectant woman, and now a new mother, I have become a childbirth educator who is shouting to the world all those myths that American culture has laid upon our new parents. So, new parents, get educated and enjoy this wondrous time that will lead to a healthier and happier America!