The Truth Behind The Top 6 Pregnancy Myths

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For every woman, pregnancy is the most significant chapter in their lives. But, knowing that whatever you do can influence your baby inside the womb is a pretty stressful thought. And, to top it all, there are other things that make this even more difficult and worrisome. One of them is the constant advice that keeps pouring in from all directions. However, not everything that you hear from your close relatives and friends is the absolute truth. So, how do you distinguish the fact from the myth then? To ease your dilemma, we bring you here some of the most common and recurring pregnancy myths and the truth behind them:

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1. Heartburn During Pregnancy Implies A More Hairy Baby

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You may think of it as bizarre. But, in many cultures, women are told that their babies will have an abundance of hair if they find them complaining of heartburn during pregnancy. But, it is important to know that heartburn is considered one of the symptoms of pregnancy. Of course, we are going to give this folklore some credit. A study conducted by researchers did show that women experiencing heartburn had babies with more hair (1). But, there is more research needed to understand the correlation between the two as there are many others factors that can contribute to the same.

2. Big Babies Mean Healthy Babies

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There is a high probability that someone would have told you how smaller babies mean that they are not healthy enough. And, bigger babies are suggestive of something better. Obviously, they told you with all the right intentions and were just hoping that you will have a bigger baby. However, an average baby weighs somewhere around 7.5 pounds. If the babies are much bigger than that, they are at risk of being obese and suffering from diabetes later on (2). What we mean is that an ideal weight range stays as it is even if the little one doesn’t look big enough to others.

3. Don’t Indulge In Physical Activities During Pregnancy

Don't Indulge In Physical Activities During Pregnancy
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You will often find people recommending you against any physical activity during pregnancy. But, this is one of the most common pregnancy myths that exist. Of course, now that you are expecting, you do need to get enough rest. But, this doesn’t mean that you can’t be active at all. You don’t have to go overboard with it so stay away from any grueling workout regimen. Stick to simple yoga or just a walk in the park.

4. Baby Bump’s Shape Will Predict Your Baby’s Gender

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Have you heard this one? If your baby belly is hanging low, you are going to be blessed with a baby boy. Otherwise, a little princess it is. Many people may have tried forecasting your little one’s gender on the basis of the position and the shape of your baby bump. But, baby gender doesn’t really have anything to do with any of these things. And, it is just one of the most common folklore.

5. Stay Away From All Seafood

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Expecting moms are often told to stay away from everything that encompasses seafood. Yes, they need to be cautious since their unborn fetus can be more sensitive to the mercury toxicity. But, some seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for a pregnant woman. So, all you have to do is steer away from seafood that contains high mercury content entirely (3). And, even with low mercury seafood, you can perhaps control and regulate the portions a bit.

6. More Morning Sickness Implies It’s A Girl

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Now, we know that this one may also sound pretty ridiculous. But, maybe, there is some grain of truth to it. A study shows that women who experience more morning sickness are highly likely to be blessed with a baby girl (4). But, of course, there is more research needed for us to entirely believe this one, isn’t it?

Are there any common pregnancy myths that you can think of? Please share with us in the comments section below!

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