Which Old Wives Tales, Myths and Superstitions About Conceiving Are True? False?

For centuries, there have been many wives tales, myths, and superstitions about conceiving and pregnancy. Many of these theories have been tested and proven with science. I have had three full term pregnancies and I can tell you from experience that some stories and myths have turned out to be true while others have been proven to be false.

The first myth that has been passed down for centuries is that women decide the sex of the baby. Throughout history women have been punished and even killed for not producing a male child. For example King Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547), the king of England, continually blamed his wives for not producing a son. But thanks to modern science, it has been proven that the male's sperm during conception is actually the deciding factor that determines if a baby will be a boy or a girl.

Another old wives tale is that you skin glows during pregnancy. During my pregnancy, I have experienced smooth, radiant, glowing skin. This old wives tale is true. Your skin retains more moisture during pregnancy, which smooth away the fine lines and wrinkles on your skin. The stunning glow that makes you look beautiful is due to increased levels of blood circulating round your body. According to the March of Dimes, "Blood flow increases during pregnancy, including the tiny vessels just beneath the surface of your skin. Pregnancy hormones also cause skin glands to release oil, which may leave your face shiny. The result of these two factors may be a healthy glow."

The third old wives tale is that pregnancy makes your hair grow. Well this theory is true. During my pregnancy, my hair grew very long and changed in texture. My hair was shinier and silky in texture. I literally enjoyed my head full of head. But after I had my baby it was another story, I began to lose some of my hair. The March of Dimes states that, "After pregnancy, you may find that you'll lose a lot of hair a few weeks or months after delivery. These changes are normal. Hair growth generally returns to its regular growth cycle within six months after delivery."

There are so many more wives tales about pregnancy such as you breasts get larger while you are pregnant and you lose a tooth every time you are pregnant. From my pregnancy experience I have learned that both wives tales are true. My breasts did become more sensitive and swollen during pregnancy. I also notice that after I had each child that my teeth became weaker and I lost a tooth for each child. This occurs because the growing baby requires so much calcium in order to grow that it takes some of the mother's calcium from her bone in order to grow. That is why it is so important for pregnant women to eat healthy and take prenatal vitamins.

Over the years I have heard my mother and grandmothers share with me their old wives tales during pregnancy. It was not until I actually experience pregnancy and had children of my own that I fully understood where they were coming from. Conceiving, going through the pregnancy and delivering your baby can all be a beautiful experience. It is a time that you will cherish and remember for a life time.