11 Pregnancy Myths
Myth 1 - You should eat for two when you’re pregnant.
Myth. One huge pregnancy myth involves how much additional food is really necessary to encourage the development of a healthy baby. The NHS advises women should continue to follow a healthy diet, with fresh fruit and vegetables and shouldn’t overindulge in foods that are high in fat and sugar. On average, you only need an extra 200 calories each day in the final three months and during pregnancy should only eat for one, not two.
Myth 2 - Pregnant women shouldn’t do exercise.
Myth. In actual fact many doctors say that in most cases, low-impact workouts can be an excellent way to control your weight and prepare for your baby. It is recommended however that you avoid any contact sports or exercises that involve lying on your back (which reduces blood flow to you brain and uterus). Also make sure that you don’t overdo it!
Myth 3 - Eating a curry can bring on labour.
Myth. Many people believe eating a curry will bring on labour by stimulating. However, there is no scientific evidence to show this.
Myth 4 - You shouldn’t take hot baths while pregnant
True. An over-hot bath may increase your body temperature, which in turn could increase risks for your baby and moreover could also lower your blood pressure and affect blood flow to your baby. Risks are greater with a hot tub as these are maintained at a constant high temperature. You should avoid saunas, Jacuzzis or anything that raises your body temperature over 39 degrees.
Myth 5 - Our sense of smell gets stronger when you’re pregnant
True. During pregnancy, your sense of smell does in fact increase dramatically. During early pregnancy, you may find that your senses are heightened and that some foods or drinks you previously enjoyed become repellent. Smoke, alcohol and coffee are all particularly noticeable to pregnant women. It is thought that this is probably to help pregnant women avoid eating small amounts of toxins.
Myth 6 - You must give up coffee
Myth. As long as you stay within the recommended limit of one cup of coffee per day, it will cause no harm to the baby. Just make sure that you stay within the recommended limit of one cup per day.
Myth 7 - You can’t fly during pregnancy
Myth. You can fly throughout pregnancy and although some airlines won’t let you on the plane in the last few months of your pregnancy that has more to do with fears that you’ll go into labour! You may however need a doctor's letter saying you're alright to fly after 28 weeks. Nor are body scanners dangerous. The small amounts of radiation that pregnant women might encounter while passing by or through an airport X-ray machine or flying at high altitudes are nothing to worry about. It's a very minute amount of radiation, and it's extremely unlikely to cause any sort of fatal effects.
Myth 8 - Dads can show signs of pregnancy
(Apparently!) True. It has been widely thought that dads-to-be have experienced pregnancy type symptoms. Named the Couvade Syndrome, a 2007 study by Arthur Brennan, a senior lecturer at St. George's, University of London, followed 282 future dads. It showed that some men whose partners were pregnant develop their own pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea, dizziness, hormonal fluctuations, back pain, cramps, irritability, and even cravings.
Myth 9 - Frogs can be used to test for pregnancy.
True. The Bufo frog test to check whether you were pregnant or not was widely used in the past with a female frog injected with the urine of the patient. If the frog produced eggs within the next 24 hours, the test was positive. At the end of the 1950’s it was finally surpassed by technology!
Myth 10 - If you have bad morning sickness, you’re probably having a girl.
Myth. Morning sickness is actually thought to be caused by an increase in hormones in the early stages of pregnancy. It affects more than half of pregnant women and the strength, severity and duration of morning sickness varies from woman to woman. You could have morning sickness and have a boy or not have any and have a girl! Having said that, studies have found that women with hyperemesis gravidarum (a severe form of morning sickness) are more likely to give birth to girls as the levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG, tend to be higher in mothers who are pregnant with female babies.
Myth 11 - If you have a high bump, you’re probably having a boy.
Myth. How you carry simply has to do with the tone of your muscles and the position that the baby is in. It is these factors, along with your body shape and how much weight you gain during pregnancy which will determine how high your bump is and not the gender of your child!