10 old wives’ tale about pregnancy that are based on hearsay and not science

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:42 pm

As if having to grow a human inside your belly for nine months isn’t taxing enough, pregnant women are often bombarded with others opinions on what and what not to do. More often than not, well-meaning advice gets drowned in old wives tales that somehow get passed from generation to generation. Here are some of the more popular ones.

Do not announce your pregnancy before the first three months as you’ll scare the “baby’s spirit” away
The first trimester is the most unstable during pregnancy where there is a higher tendency for miscarriages to occur. Some people prefer for the pregnancy to be stable first before announcing to everyone.

If the pregnant women criticises someone, the child will grow up to look like the person they criticise
Whether you’re pregnant or not, we think that you should be nice to everyone and avoid criticism.

A pregnant woman should avoid ‘cooling’ fruits such as oranges, papaya, banana, mango, pear and so on
Any type of fruits can be eaten as long as they are washed properly. In fact, the vitamins and fibre in fruits are beneficial in relieving constipation during pregnancy.

Image: curiositysip.com
Image: curiositysip.com

There should be no hammering in the house even if things need to be fixed
No scientific backing to this other than as a safety precaution for the lady.

Do not shift house during pregnancy
Let’s use our common sense here. As long as the pregnant women does not carry heavy items or do strenuous work, there is no reason why shifting to a new home should be avoided.

Coming into contact with glue or adhesive on any items will give your child birthmarks
So ridiculous we can’t even…

You can tell from the belly’s shape and size whether it’s a boy or girl. If it’s rounded, it’s a girl; if it’s pointed, it’s a boy
Then why does ultrasound scans even exist?

Image: themominmemd.com
Image: themominmemd.com

Shifting of the furniture, especially the bed is a taboo
If you believe in Fengshui, then don’t do it.

Do not use scissors or sew on the bed
Unless you have a tendency to drop your scissors or poke yourself with the sewing needle (it doesn’t matter where you do it, you’re going to hurt yourself anyway), it’s more of a safety precaution.

Image: fmylondon.wordpress.com
Image: fmylondon.wordpress.com

A pregnant lady should not cut her hair
Comfort and wellbeing are the two most important aspects of a healthy pregnancy. If the lady wants a haircut to make herself happy, as Nike would say, “Just Do It!”