Old Wives Tales, Myths and Superstitions About Pregnancy - Are They Real?

If you experience heartburn during pregnancy, then your baby will be born with a lot of hair. This is one of the many old wives tales a woman is inundated with when she becomes pregnant. Some people swear by them, while others get a good chuckle from them. The burning question is "Are they real?"

A recent study at John Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland has concluded that there is an association between heartburn in the mother and the amount hair a baby is born with. Twenty three out of twenty eight new mothers who reported having severe heartburn gave birth to babies who possessed an above average amount of hair. Ten out of twelve mothers who reported very little or no heartburn during pregnancy gave birth to babies with no hair.

Food cravings during pregnancy have been rumored to reveal whether the baby will be a boy or a girl. The myth is that if a mother craves meats, cheeses, and other salty foods, the baby will surely be boy. Mothers who crave sweets, fruits, and vegetables will give birth to baby girls. While there is no scientific research to support the claims, there is proof that the testosterone in males causes them to crave more protein foods such as eggs and meat. It has also been proven that a woman's hormone levels cause them to crave chocolate, ice cream, and bread.

Another tale claims that if a mother is carrying the baby high in the abdomen, she will have a girl. If the baby is low in the abdomen, it will be a boy. This has been proven scientifically false. The way a mother carries the baby is dependent upon muscle and uterine tone as well as the baby's position in the womb. Most babies drop further down during the last stretch of the pregnancy in order to prepare for birth.

Old wives tales have been passed down for centuries, but they cannot all be taken seriously. As a mother of four, I have found some of them to be true. My two boys were born with a lot of thick hair and I did suffer from heartburn throughout their pregnancies. I also craved cheeseburgers and pizza while carrying them. While pregnant with my two girls, I craved salads and fruit. I did not have heartburn, but I chalked it up to eating healthier, less greasy foods. The girls were not born with much hair. So, old wives tales are true for some people, but each pregnancy is different.

Sources:
Pregnancy Folklore Revisited: The Case of Heartburn and Hair Wiley Interscience

Pregnancy Studies Medical News Today

Pregnancy Cravings Faqs.org