Life
7 Old Wives Tales About Pregnancy That Are Totally True
My aunt was the first person I can remember being pregnant. I was 5 years old and so excited that I would have a little cousin to play with soon. It was so exciting to be invited to her baby shower, and more interesting and exciting than the presents were all the women predicting the gender of the baby. Every sister, friend, and grandmother had her special way of knowing the baby's sex, via her favorite folklore method. It turns out some old wives tales about pregnancy are totally true, even though it may sound strange the first time your hear someone mention it.
For hundreds of years, women have been passing down stories and tidbits about pregnancy that have some questionable research methods. Mostly, these are the myths your great grandmother told your grandmother, and so on and so forth. But now that these tales have landed in your generation, you're a little more skeptical, especially with all the knowledge at your fingertips. So sorting out what's true and what is nonsense is easier than it's ever been.
Read below to find out which old wives tales about pregnancy are totally true and forget about the rest when they come your way.
1Morning Sickness Predicts Gender
Although there hasn't been enough research to prove this is foolproof, the studies that have been done support what the Old Wives have been saying for years. According to the website for Encyclopedia Brittanica, women who needed treatment for their nausea during pregnancy delivered girls, backing up the tale that if your morning sickness is brutal, you'll be birthing a daughter.
2Your Baby Can Get Your STD
Luckily, this can be avoided if you have an STD that's transmitted by contact, which means your doctor will perform a C-section to protect the baby. However, "some STIs infect the blood and can pass through the placenta," as Women's Health magazine pointed out.
3Drinking Caffeine Is OK
Can I get an amen? Every coffee loving mama can do a happy dance upon learning this tale is true. Having one daily serving of coffee while pregnant poses no harm to your baby, according to The Bump's website. Just make sure to stop there and limit any other drinks that contain caffeine.
4Heartburn Means A Hairy Baby
It's crazy to think the experiencing heartburn while pregnant is linked to your baby being born with a head full of thick locks, but science says it's so. As Fit Pregnancy magazine reported, "researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore found that when pregnant women reported moderate heartburn, they had hairy newborns 82 percent of the time."
5The Birth Month Means Something
This isn't just astrology. Studies have shown your birth month predicts aspects of your mental and physical health, according to Parents magazine. For example, if you were born in late summer or early fall, you're more likely to be taller and have thicker bones.
6If You Can't Get Pregnant, Stop Stressing
A long standing piece of advice, thought to be folklore, has been tested by researchers, and the results hold up to the tale. According to the Well Family section of the New York Times online, women who experienced higher levels of stress had more trouble becoming pregnant.
