5 weird pregnancy myths

Everyone seems to have advice for expectant moms. Some of it is credible. The rest? Not so much. In fact, some of the recommendations people give are just downright strange. Here’s a collection of some of the weirdest pregnancy advice around.

1. Denying a pregnant woman the things she craves will give you a sty
   There’s no science behind this myth at all, but denying a mom her cravings could involve consequences of its own accord. Partner beware!
2. A light brown birthmark comes from drinking too much coffee
   If your baby comes out with a cute little birthmark, it’s not because you drank too much coffee. Though, if you need your five cups a day, scaling back to one or two is recommended.
3. If you don’t drink enough water, your amniotic fluid will get dirty
   Although drinking a lot of water during your pregnancy is vital for keeping you and baby as healthy as possible, there is no possible way that not drinking enough could make your amniotic fluid dirty - it just doesn’t work like that!
4. Eating spicy foods causes your baby to have red hair
   There isn’t anything to confirm this myth. Even if you hope and dream for a little red-haired baby, eating spicy foods is almost certainly not going to do it - you’re better off just getting pregnant with a red-headed partner!
5. Heartburn leads to a full head of hair
   Some people (including a study by Johns Hopkins) claim that heartburn can lead to a more hairy baby. While there seems like there may be truth behind this, don’t expect a little chimpanzee-baby if you’re dealing with heartburn!

As a mom-to-be, you’ve got enough to worry about - if anything smells a little fishy, chances are, it is. So forget about the myths, and don’t stress over the silly!

Reviewed by Dr. Jamie Lo

Read more

• Getting your partner to do you favors when pregnant
• Myths about pregnancy sex

Sources

• KA Costigan, HL Sipsma, JA DiPietro. "Pregnancy folklore revisited: the case of heartburn and hair." Birth. 33(4):311-4. Web. 12/6/2015.
• "Modetate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy: Committee Opinion Number 462." ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 8/10/2015. Web.