If you’re pregnant and it’s the first time that you’re having a baby, you might be wondering what to expect for the duration of your pregnancy. You’ve undoubtedly heard all kinds of stories from other mothers, possibly even from your own mother too.
The thing is, it’s one thing for other women to share their accounts of life as pregnant women with you. But, it’s another when some people give you ‘hints’ or ‘tips’ on what you should or shouldn’t do that actually turn out to be nothing more than myths!
You’re likely here reading this blog post today because you want to know more about which things are nothing more than fallacy. With that in mind, here are some of the top pregnancy myths you need to know:
1. Babies Get Peanut Allergies From Their Mums
Many women wrongly believe that eating peanuts during their pregnancies will result in their babies developing peanut allergies. There is absolutely no evidence to support that theory, so you’re safe to continue eating peanuts.
The only time you should not eat peanuts is if you are allergic to them, and your GP has told you that you should explicitly avoid peanuts in your diet. No-one can pinpoint when this myth started, but it’s one that is still making the rounds today!
2. You Can Tell the Gender of Your Baby
Pregnant mothers have no idea whether they’re having a baby boy or girl without an ultrasound scan. There is no way that a pregnant woman can ‘see’ inside her womb to get a glimpse of her baby’s genitalia.
You’ve probably heard of some other ‘tell-tale signs’ for determining a baby’s gender. The truth is, all those ‘methods’ are complete nonsense. A proper ultrasound scan is the only definitive way of finding out if you’re having a boy or a girl.
3. Your Belly Should Be a Certain Shape and Size
Let’s face it: all pregnant women want to ensure they have a successful pregnancy. The thing is, some mothers-to-be get worried if they think their bellies don’t look a certain way that they perceive as normal.
The truth is, belly stages during pregnancy differ between each pregnant woman. For example, one woman might have a small belly, while the other has a large one, yet both end up having babies of a similar weight and height.
4. You Shouldn’t Have a Pet While You’re Pregnant
Some women might tell you that it makes sense to give away your pets when you fall pregnant so you can ensure your baby has a healthy birth. As you might have guessed, you don’t need to give away your canine or feline companions.
What you should bear in mind, though, is that cats can spread a disease called toxoplasmosis through their faeces. It’s a disease that can be harmful to unborn babies, but if you’ve got a cat, you don’t need to give him or her away.
Instead, all you need to do is take precautions when handling their faeces by wearing gloves or, even better, asking someone else to clear up any cat poo.
5. Morning Sickness Only Happens in the Morning
If you feel sick in the afternoon or evening, you might feel worried that something is wrong. After all, you were told that morning sickness only occurs after you out of bed in the morning! The truth is, morning sickness can happen at any time.
Feeling nauseous can happen to women at any time of the day (or night). That’s because your body is responding to hormonal changes as your pregnancy progresses. The good news is those symptoms will typically subside after the first trimester.
6. You Should Avoid Having Baths
Have you ever heard the one where pregnant women should avoid having baths? It’s a strange statement to make and one that is also nonsense. Pregnant women don’t get ill or cause harm to their babies by having baths!
A bath is actually a better idea than a shower because warm water can help you relax and loosen your body’s muscles. Warm baths are also ideal for soothing the aches and pains that a woman experiences during pregnancy.
It can also help to have some scented bubble bath mix added to your warm water. The scents emitted from the warm water and bubble bath mix can further help you relax and unwind.
When you have a bath, the only thing you should avoid doing is using extremely hot water. That’s because it can raise your body’s core temperature and result in your overheating or even fainting in severe cases.
