SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton: Old Wives' Tales About Pregnancy

Press release from SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

July 27, 2021

Old wives’ tales have stood the test of time, regardless of whether they have proven to be true. They originated long before pen and paper, and we’ve clung to these tales surrounding pregnancy even when medicine and technology have contradicted them. Though some old wives’ tales are true, most are harmless and inaccurate. Let’s take a look at some of the most common old wives’ tales for pregnancy.

Men whose partners are pregnant can experience pregnancy-related symptoms.

This is actually true. It’s called “sympathetic pregnancy.” The most common symptoms men experience during sympathetic pregnancy are changes in their sleeping pattern, nausea, heartburn, abdominal pain, cramps and backache.

If a woman’s carrying low, it’s a boy; if she’s carrying high, it’s a girl.

False. If a woman’s carrying high, this may be her first pregnancy or her body’s in good shape. Stomach muscles have a tendency to become more elastic with each pregnancy, so a belly that’s seen more than one pregnancy may hang a little low.

Heartburn while pregnant? Your baby will have a lot of hair.

Surprisingly, there’s some truth to this pregnancy myth. A small study from Johns Hopkins Medicine found an association between the severity of a mother’s heartburn and the amount of hair her newborn has. Pregnant women who reported moderate or severe heartburn had babies with an average to above-average amount of hair, while those who did not experience heartburn had babies with less than average or no hair.

You’re eating for two.

Although you’re carrying a person, this one’s a myth. For the first six months of your pregnancy, you don’t have to eat more than you normally do. And in the last three months, you’re only expected to eat an extra 200 calories per day. What you eat is far more important than how much you eat!

Don’t take a bath while pregnant, because the water could bring bacteria to the baby.

It’s safe to take a bath in water that is a little higher in temperature than average body temperature. Your baby is protected inside the amniotic bag from germs and bacteria. So, enjoy your bath! You can even go for a swim and not have to worry about bacteria harming the baby.

For more information about pregnancy, certain medical conditions, and what to expect when you’re expecting, visit our Maternity page.

This press release was produced by SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.