Pregnancy is the golden phase of a woman’s life. The feeling of carrying your baby for 9 months and to feeling every bit of it while seeing the changes with each passing months just can’t be explained. But there are many myths regarding pregnancy which every pregnant woman gets to hear. During my pregnancy, I came across a lot of them but I never believed them and always crosschecked with my doctor.Today I list the common myths I got to hear during my pregnancy and the truth behind them
Eating for two people
You are asked to take extra calories for baby’s growth but gaining extra weight can only get you more complications during pregnancy. All you need to do is increase your vitamin and protein intake to get all the vital nutrients you want.
Refrain from exercises
You may be advised to limit your daily exercise and activities during pregnancy. It is better to stay active rather than becoming lazy. Go for walk and try to stay active but before doing any exercise consult your doctor.
Eat saffron and oranges for fair complexion of the baby
Indians are obsessed with fairness that that is why expecting moms are asked to eat oranges and saffron for a fair baby. But complexion largely depends on the genetic inheritance.
Watching a lunar eclipse is dangerous
Saying this has no scientific evidence as the eclipse is a natural geographic phenomenon and nothing dangerous about it. It is said that seeing it leads to cleft lip in your baby but there is no scientific study to prove it.
Having ghee and butter for smooth delivery
It is believed that these dairy products help in contracting the uterus and softens the cervix which helps in an easy delivery. But, a smooth delivery depends on the shape of mother’s pelvis and size of the fetus. Too much of fats is not healthy.
A backache is common
It is assumed that it is common to have back pains during pregnancy but the fact is it can be minimized by gentle exercises and correct postures of sleeping.
Shape of stomach indicates the gender of the baby
It is believed that the elevation of the expecting mother’s stomach indicates the gender of the unborn baby. According to doctors the elevation of the stomach is largely determined by a woman’s muscle tone, the strength of muscles of the abdomen, number of childbirths, uterine musculature and position of the baby.
Food restrictions
Another common belief is that consuming some food articles such as papaya, pineapples and eggs can induce abortion. As long as ripe fruits are consumed there is no risk of unexpected abortion.
