Let us break few silly myths for you, ladies!

Myth 1:  If a woman is carrying high, in all possibility it is a girl and if she is carrying low it is a boy.

Fact: Experts say there is no scientific basis for this assumption and it is the woman’s muscle size, structure, the position of the foetus, posture, and the amount of fat deposited around her abdomen that play a role in the size and shape of a pregnant belly.

Myth 2: Craving for salty foods means you’re having a boy. Craving for sweet foods indicate a girl is expected.

Fact: Research shows that cravings have nothing to do with determining the sex of a baby.

Myth 3: Another myth is predicting the sex of the baby by holding a string with a ring in it over a pregnant belly. If it moves back and forth it is a boy, if it moves in a circle, it is a girl.

Fact: While there is no truth in this, you could probably do it for a laugh.

Myth 4: If you suffer from heartburn during pregnancy, it means your baby will be born with lots of hair. Heartburn is a common problem for pregnant women and have nothing to do with the quantity of hair for your child.

Fact: Even women who suffered a lot from heartburn have welcomed bald babies.

Myth 5: If your mother had an easy pregnancy and delivery, so will you.

Fact: Hereditary factors have no role to play in predicting how easy or difficult your pregnancy and delivery will be. On the contrary, the size and position of the baby, your diet and lifestyle play a role in determining how things will be.

Myth 6: Sleeping or taking a nap on your back will hurt your baby.

Fact: While you won’t harm your baby if you sleep in this position, you will feel better if you sleep on your side. Experts recommend sleeping on your left side since this is known to increase blood flow to your uterus and placenta.

Myth 7: Having sex might hurt the baby.

Fact: You should know that seven layers of skin from the abdominal wall to the amniotic sac are present to protect your baby. Your cervix has lengthened and hardened to prevent anything from getting into the uterus, and it also produces mucus to keep the area clean and infection free. Having sex cannot reach, touch or harm your baby. If your doctor has not asked you to abstain from sex, have no fear and go ahead.

Myth 8: First babies always arrive late.

Fact: While this is true to an extent since about 60 per cent arrive after their due date, five per cent on the due date and 35 before the due date, what really determines the arrival of your baby is the length of your menstrual cycle. If it is shorter, there are more possibilities of you delivering early. If your cycle is longer, your baby will arrive later and if your cycle usually lasts 28 days, you will more likely deliver close to your due date.

Myth 9: Drink ghee in the 9th month of pregnancy for normal delivery.

Fact: Many people believe that ghee lubricates the vagina thus aiding in a smooth delivery. There is little or no concrete evidence to back either of these beliefs.  Although it has many good properties, ghee is high in unsaturated fat and should be consumed moderately if not it will accelerate weight gain which could make the delivery difficult.

Myth 10: No hair colouring.

Fact: While experts warn women to avoid colouring their hair as a simple measure of precaution, several studies claim that the chemicals from hair dye get very minutely absorbed through the skin which pose no threat. Therefore, it is the best to avoid hair colour during first trimester. During the latter period of pregnancy it may not be that risky. Still, natural and herbal preparations should be preferred and colours containing ammonia should be avoided.

Myth 11: Ditch the caffeine entirely.

Fact: There have been numerous claims that caffeine causes miscarriage, premature birth or a baby with a low birth weight. However, drinking less than 200 mg of caffeine in a day is said to be acceptable with no proven risk to the foetus.

Myth 12: Avoid X-rays.

Fact: Although unnecessary radiation exposure should generally be avoided while pregnant, but if there is a good reason for an X-ray, you must go for it as the amount of radiation exposure to the foetus is minimal.

Myth 13: Avoid spicy foods as it may cause a miscarraige or trigger labor.

Fact: Scientific evidence suggests that labor is triggered by biological signals. There is no evidence that what you eat has any effect on the delivery date. Spicy food, if eaten in moderation, causes no harm to the baby. However, those who have symptoms of heartburn should avoid very spicy food as it may add to it.

Myth 14: Flying is unsafe for pregnant women.

Fact: As long as you are comfortable flying, there is no harm. You just have to be cautious as towards the end your body becomes too heavy and you might find it difficult to sit in one position. Therefore, long flights are discouraged at this time. Also it is advised to move around a bit, stretch legs and drink lot of water during flight. Passing through airport security hardly has any effect on your baby.

Myth 15: No Heels At All

Fact: The moment you learn you are pregnant the first thing you ditch and very sadly are the heels. The whole time you watch pregnant celebrities strut in their spiked high heeled Laboutins while your flip flops are peeking out under your beautiful benarsi saree at  your cousins wedding. There is a middle safe path – buy heels  that are one to one and a half inches high which you can wear to the next special occasion.

 

Source: here and here.