Mamas-to-be hear a lot of info…not all of it good, or true.
By Kristen Droesch — Written on Jan 03, 2014
Pregnancy is a fantastic, special time in a woman's life. There's the joy of a coming baby, the freaky-interesting changes to your body, and so much more. But you are also the victim of endless "helpful parenting advice" and old wives tales from everyone from your best friend to strangers in the drug store. Here are seven of the wildest pregnancy 'facts' that you should toss out the window.
1. Myth: Don't want a cross-eyed baby? Don't wear high heels. According to some old wives, your favorite Louboutins can have your baby perpetually looking at her nose.
Verdict: Pure and utter bunk. Of course, your feet will be killing you, so you probably won't want to wear heels anyway.
2. Myth: Baths are a huge no-no, because bacteria-carrying bath water can seep into the body and hurt/drown the baby.
Verdict: Um, no. The body doesn't work like that. Though doctors do recommend keeping bathwater below 100 degrees, just to be safe.
3. Myth: Carrying high? You’re having a girl! Carrying low? A boy!
Verdict: Nonsense. The position of your baby bump is based on uterine muscle tone and the baby's position, not gender.
4. Myth: Heartburn = a full head of hair on your baby.
Verdict: Not so much. While there is a decent overlap between cases of pregnant women with heartburn and babies born with a full head of hair, there is no scientific, documented link between the two.
5. Myth: Milk is the best choice of beverage while breastfeeding.
Verdict: Yeah, because cow milk is so useful to human lactation (insert sarcastic eye roll). It is a good idea to remain hydrated, but milk doesn't help breastfeeding anymore than any other liquid.
6. Myth: Breastfeeding is foolproof birth control.
Verdict: Kinda. The likelihood of a woman ovulating while breastfeeding is lower than when she's not, but women can begin ovulation at anytime post-pregnancy.
7. Myth: Raising your arms over your head will wrap the umbilical cord around the baby's neck.
Verdict: A big old no. Don't be afraid to get active (under the direction of your doctor); your baby is in no danger from raised arms.
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