PREGNANCY MYTHS! Don’t these words just make your minds go bonkers, especially if you are pregnant? Having a baby is one of the most miraculous things in this world and when we get to hear some of these pregnancy myths, we get so confused about the entire process that stress comes uninvited. In the earlier days, women used to give birth to babies mostly just with the help of a few people from their community and this lead to certain “folk-wisdom” surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. In this day and age, science has made certain things easier for women, but some mothers still get to hear myths that make things difficult for them. But today, we are here to shatter some of those very pregnancy myths.
Some people claim that they can determine the gender of the baby by looking at the shape of the belly, but all this is false. In reality, the gender cannot be determined by the shape of the belly. The shape differs in women due to the different sizes of the babies in their wombs and the positioning of the fetus.
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If a woman has been a runner all her life before her pregnancy, then there is nothing to be scared of, unless of course, the pregnancy has no other complications of any sorts. Problems may arise if a woman actually has no experience of running. So, it is always better to consult your doctor before you put on those running shoes.
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Ultrasounds do not rely on radiation, but on high-frequency sound waves to see the development of the fetus. There has not been a scientific proof till now, which can say that too many ultrasounds are bad for the baby.
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Even though the name of this symptom is ‘morning sickness’, the truth is that it can occur at any time of the day or night. One of the pregnancy myths surrounding morning sickness is that it only lasts until the first trimester. This again is not true; it can continue till the later stages as well in some cases.
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One should eat healthy foods during pregnancy and though it is said that a pregnant woman should not eat sweets, we have one big exception here: you can have CHOCOLATE! In fact, studies have proven that women who ate dark chocolate during pregnancy had babies who feared less and smiled more. Now, who wouldn’t want that!
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Pregnant women can and do have their full range of emotions during pregnancy even. So, it is obvious that they will not be all happy during the entire time. They may feel anxious or depressed at times, but care must be taken so that things do not get out of control. It is always better to talk to your doctor about the range of emotions that look abnormal to you.
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When that little life is connected to you, how can it not sense the things that are happening around? In fact, the baby is able to sense light, sounds and even the taste of the food. So, be mindful of this and give your baby the best experience while it is still inside your body.
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This is one of those pregnancy myths that should be busted with full force. Women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy have much higher risks of having babies who can become overweight, right from their birth till adolescence and even adulthood. So, it is really important that you gain only that much amount of weight that keeps you and your baby healthy.
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The idea of having a C-section seems much easier, but even this procedure has risks of its own. You may experience less pain during child birth, but you may have complications later on. This procedure was originally used only when there were complications in the pregnancy, so if your pregnancy has been normal and you can go through the natural birth, then you should go for that only. The final decision is of course only yours.
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One of the biggest fears here is that the child can develop Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. This disorder can lead to mental, physical and neurological defects that can even last a lifetime and the worst part is that doctors don’t know how much amount of the hard drinks can cause this. So, it is just safe to avoid alcohol throughout your pregnancy.
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If you eat fish which has low mercury levels and high omega-3 fatty acids, you can actually have much smarter kids. A study has proven that women, who eat at least 12 ounces of seafood in a week during pregnancy, have children who have higher verbal IQ, better communication and social skills and superior motor skills.
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We are not saying that you should take stress at the drop of a hat every time something wrong happens around you. But don’t panic if you do get into stressful situations at times because studies have shown that a moderate level of stress is actually good for the baby. A little bit of stress tones down the nervous system of the baby and helps in its development.
We hope that these pregnancy myths are now busted for good, for you and your loved ones now; for every woman deserves to be fully aware of what is right and what is not for herself and her baby.
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