Myths and superstitions in pregnancy are not a thing of the past. To this day, you can hear here and there that when a pregnant woman walks under the clothesline, the umbilical cord will wrap around the baby's neck! The only sensible reaction to this is laughter. You mustn't believe it!
There are many superstitions related to pregnancy, 30-40 years ago, they were commonly repeated, especially in the countryside. And today you can still hear them from the lips of many grandmothers.Prejudice about pregnancy , repeated many times, can spread anxiety in the mother's head, and that would be bad. Therefore, it is worth realizing that superstition is the result of ignorance and lack of medical care.
For hundreds of years, never before in history, there has been neither medical care for every pregnant woman nor modern medicine with its diagnostic possibilities. Our grandmothers, great-grandmothers, did not know anything about the child's he alth throughout their pregnancy! It was a mysterious, altered state for a young, uneducated woman, often resulting in the birth of a stillborn baby or his death shortly after birth - the mortality rate among newborns was enormous.
Since the women had no knowledge, at least they had to believe that they could somehow protect their child.
Believing in superstition was their way of self-defense - they believed that by following the advice of their grandmother or aunts, they would save a child from illness or death, because they did not know other methods. Today, however, pregnancy superstitions should only be treated with a pinch of s alt. It is strictly forbidden to give them faith!
1. If the pregnant woman looks beautiful, she will give birth to a boy, and if it is unfavorable - a girl
It has been claimed that the daughter "steals" her mother's beauty. Today we know that changes in appearance are influenced by hormones - it is because of them that some women experience skin problems, spots on the face, etc., and not others. The child's gender has nothing to do with it.
2. If the pregnant woman has freckles - she will give birth to a girl
Freckles are a hereditary feature - they must have been there before, but during pregnancy, the increase in hormone concentration causes stronger pigmentation and freckles become more visible. Regardless of whether a boy or a girl is born.
3. If the belly is round or drooping, there will be a girl,and if pointy - a boy
The sex of a baby can be determined before birth only by examining its chromosomes (obtained by amniocentesis or villi biopsy) or by examining its genitals during an ultrasound examination.
4. Eating strawberries causes the so-called strawberry birthmarks
These birthmarks do look a bit like strawberries - they are red, hard, protruding blisters - but otherwise have nothing to do with them. These birthmarks are hemangiomas, or enlarged blood vessels. They occur in around 10 percent of newborns and go away on their own after 4-5 months.
5. When a pregnant woman burns or is scared, she cannot touch her body with her hand, because where she touches her child will have a birthmark
It was said, for example, that when a woman gets scared of mice and then grabs her calf, the baby won't be born with the mouse on the calf. Another variant: you can not fry anything, because if the fat splashes on the stomach, it is a brick birthmark. Nonsense! The moles on the skin are caused by irregular pigmentation or genetic factors - no other "reasons" matter.
6. The baby will be wrapped in an umbilical cord and suffocated if the expectant mother wears a chain, beads or a scarf around her neck
Or … it passed under hanging cables, clotheslines, etc. It sometimes happens that the umbilical cord wraps around the baby's neck during labor, but for the doctor it is usually not a big problem - it is easy to take it off. Cord problems - Looping or asphyxiation is extremely rare and is beyond the control of the mother.
7. If the pregnant woman is worried, the baby will be left-handed
Fears and worries can cause indigestion, insomnia and headaches, but certainly not left-handedness in a child. Although its causes are unknown, maternal worries do not appear in any of the theories formulated by science. In any case, preferences as to which hand is more efficient are formed very early, in the 10th week of fetal life, so even the most superstitious mums from the second trimester can worry as much as they want ;-), without fear of such consequences.
8. The expectant mother should not share her food with anyone, because she will have little to eat
If a woman is positive about breastfeeding, she feeds on demand and the baby sucks properly - her breasts produce as much milk as needed. And when food deficiency problems do arise, the causes are definitely to be found elsewhere.
9. Before the baby is born, he or she must not buy anything(clothes, cots), because it will bring misfortune
Women used to be afraid for a child because they didn't know anything about his condition - so they blew cold so as not to tempt fate. Today's mothers are not only able to think rationally, but also have a doctor and ultrasound examinations. And even when there are complications, don't let any of you think of blaming the purchases. Don't get crazy! And don't let it take away the pleasure of buying clothes.
10. The baby will be excessively hairy if his mother has frequent heartburn or … cuddles up to a hairy dog, and bald - if he waxes
Only one of them makes sense - indeed, you have to be careful with epilation. But only because some methods are not recommended during pregnancy, e.g. creams can cause allergies. However, this has nothing to do with the amount of baby hair! It is genetically determined.
11. Hair may not be cut or dyed during pregnancy, because after cutting, the child will have a "short mind" (i.e. not very smart), and after dyeing, a redhead will be born
Both are nonsense, but you have to be careful with dyeing so that, just like with epilation, you do not harm yourself. Some paints irritate the skin or smell, which can be unpleasant. Only genes determine the color of a child's hair.
12. A pregnant woman must not look at unfruitful people, because the child will not be nice. The same rule applies to … people of a different skin color!
In ancient times, maybe someone believed in such translations of an unfaithful wife … But today we know that the beauty of a child, its physical characteristics - not to mention the race! - it is all genetically determined.
"M jak mama" monthly