PREGNANCY: Myth versus the truth

I’ve personally heard so many stories with regards to what I should and should not do during my pregnancy. I later discovered that a lot of women hear the same. This goes from what we should be eating, drinking, how we should sleep, wear, and the list goes on. With some research and insightful conversations, we learn that a lot of these instructions are actually just myths that make our pregnancy journeys a bit harder they should be.

Myth 1: I cannot braid my hair during pregnancy as this will likely make my birth difficult

Fact: A long or complicated birth cannot be credited to what a woman does on her hair. I never braided my hair. This is only because I was too lazy to sit still for over an hour to get it braided. So a friend of mine recently asked if she can braid hers because I had never braided mine. She was genuinely worried if she is going to complicate her birth if she does. The only reason one would be weary of the kind of hairstyle to make is because of the quality of their hair. Some women experience very dry hair, which can break easily. Braiding too tight can cause hair breakage, not delay your birth.

Myth 2: If you are ‘ugly’ and have a big nose, you are having a boy

Fact: Only an ultrasound can provide an almost accurate gender reveal which can inform the parents whether they are having a girl or a boy. There are a lot of old wife’s tales about how the parents can determine the sex of the baby. These include:

-Your hair is longer if you are having a boy

-You crave sweet things if you are having a girl, but crave salty foods if you are having a boy.

-You have less acne when having a boy

Facial changes are due to a lot of reasons for expecting women. Hormonal imbalance is one of them. This is why a lot of expecting mothers end up having acne breakouts as they have never had before. Water retention is also a reality for a lot of moms. This is what causes swelling of the nose and feet. It has absolutely nothing to do with the possibility of having a boy or a girl. You could have a swollen nose either way. Who determines beauty standards anyway? Every expecting mother is beautiful.

Myth 3: I am not allowed to dye my hair because the chemicals will harm the baby

Fact: Chemicals in an expecting mother’s hair do not ‘seep’ into her pores in large amounts, and go all the way to her unborn baby. Research has proven that there isn’t any toxicity in hair permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes. Only if an expecting mother uses toxic products, usually that she would ingest, would a fetus be harmed.

Myth 4: Sex is a bad idea during pregnancy

Fact: As a matter of fact, sex is an awesome idea during pregnancy, unless instructed otherwise by a medical practitioner. It is even said to help women in early labor progress much faster due to the orgasms that induce contractions. Sex will, in no way, harm an unborn baby, nor cause a miscarriage. Instead, there are some benefits to participating in regular sexual intercourse with your partner during pregnancy.

-It is a good way to stay connected with your partner during pregnancy
-You can burn some extra calories
-It improves an expecting mother’s mood
-Helps improve the quality of sleep for the woman

Myth 5: Every pregnant woman has a weird craving

Fact: This is negative. Some women do and some women don’t. And this has nothing to do with the gender of the child. Not everyone craves boiled banana dunked in sweet chili sauce. Disgusting, I know. Some women can go through their entire pregnancy without experiencing any weird cravings. And some dudes are lucky enough not be woken up at 3:00 AM to go run to their nearest garage, or instructed to go hunt for coal ash (yes, some women crave for ash).

Myth 6: Having a strong inclination towards sweet food during pregnancy will make your baby drool after birth

Fact: Research has proved this to be incorrect. Drooling is a natural part of every baby’s development and sweets have no such causal effects. Pregnant women should stay away from too much sugar so at do advise having a big baby. This is because the sugar can cause high levels of insulin that can travel to the uterus. Therefore, the baby can grow much faster.

This might just be a drop in the ocean to the number of pregnancy myths that exist out there. I believe that women shouldn’t complicate their pregnancy journeys by holding on to tales with no factual basis. They should, instead, enjoy the beauty of carrying a new life