And five more, in which there is some truth.
Pregnancy and child development are areas of life around which there are so many superstitions that you can write a dissertation. Or maybe it has already been written. Pregnant women are forbidden to knit, sew, dye and cut their hair, do manicure, and even hang underwear. Some of these prohibitions have a rationale behind them. But most of them are not intelligent. healthy-food-near-me.com has collected the most common myths about pregnancy.
Myth 1. Pregnant women shouldn’t go to rock concerts.
This prohibition is explained by the fact that sound vibrations have a negative effect on the fetus. Say, loud sounds can negatively affect the hearing of the unborn baby. They say he even starts kicking, as if protesting against loud music. However, there will be kicks even if the expectant mother goes to the theater, to the cinema, to the ballet – simply because the baby does not like immobility.
But its loud sounds do not harm the hearing in any way. The child is reliably protected from the world by amniotic fluid and muscles. The only thing that the expectant mother should be afraid of is the crush.
Myth 2. Pregnant women should not keep a cat in the house.
So you can get infected with toxoplasmosis – a disease that is caused by toxoplasma parasites. Infection with them is most dangerous in the second trimester: Toxoplasma is easiest to penetrate into the blood of the fetus, they accumulate and multiply in the fetal brain, affect its central nervous system and eyes.
The carriers of these parasites are just cats. But this does not mean that you need to throw your pet out of the house. You just need to clean the toilet, putting on gloves every time, wash your hands thoroughly after. And it will not be superfluous to show the cat to the veterinarian to make sure that it is not contagious. Well, you shouldn’t approach stray animals either. By the way, another route of toxoplasmosis infection is raw meat. So no blood steaks.
Myth 3. Pregnant women should not play sports
It would seem that there are already a lot of examples when women do not deny themselves fitness, even being in an interesting position, and only benefit from this. But it is enough to flip through the comments under the photos and videos on Instagram of pregnant fitons to understand: many people are still convinced that sports are harmful. “What are you doing, you will ruin the child,” they say. Apparently, this statement is from the series “a pregnant woman should eat for two.” Should not. And sport is possible, with the exception of some exercises, if only the doctor would not mind.
Myth 4. Pregnant women should not cut their hair and dye their hair.
As for dyeing, one can argue: after all, there are substances in hair dye, any contact with which it is better to avoid. However, you can always find organic or natural remedies. In addition, during staining, such a small amount of harmful substances gets into the bloodstream that it is in no way capable of harming the baby.
But as for the haircut – this is one hundred percent superstition. Previously, it was believed that hair is a woman’s amulet. Therefore, any manipulation with them was prohibited.
Myth 5. Pregnant women are prohibited from manicure
Prohibition from the same series as about hair coloring. Breathing harmful vapors, of course, is not worth it once again. But there is no critical danger here either. But if you are already on the verge of a PDR, then it is really better to refuse a manicure. More precisely, to do it, but without varnish. Yes, even colorless. This is because during childbirth, doctors assess the condition of a woman, including by the nails: if they start, for example, to turn blue, then something went wrong. And even a reflection from a colorless varnish can distort the picture.
Myth 6. Pregnant women should not sew and knit.
Otherwise what? Otherwise, there will be an entanglement with the umbilical cord, the legend says: since the mother twists loops and knots, this will certainly affect the child. It is somehow even inconvenient to comment on such a myth seriously. There is nothing rational in it, the purest superstition.
Myth 7. Pregnant women should not take medications.
For reasons that the child does not need extra chemistry. To nothing, of course, but the expectant mother does not need to suffer out of the blue either. Lying with a fever, and then walking away from complications for a long time is more harmful than any medicine. And vaccinations can be done too. True, not all, but only certain vaccines.
Indeed, there is a long list of drugs that women should not take during pregnancy. But there is an equally long list of drugs that are allowed. Moreover, these lists may differ even depending on the trimester. The main thing here is to consult a doctor and follow his instructions.
Myth 8. Pregnant women should not hang laundry.
And generally reach up. Otherwise – again the most terrible threat comes into play – there will be an umbilical cord entanglement in the child. This is, of course, nonsense. There is a risk only if the expectant mother raises her arms very sharply or stands in this position for a long time. From the second trimester, this can be fraught with oxygen starvation and a change in the position of the fetus – the baby can turn over. It is also a rather unstable position, so there is a risk of falling.
Myth 9. Pregnant women shouldn’t be worried.
It would be nice, of course, but life without worries at all is the life of a plant. Pregnancy itself is a lot of stress. Like many other daily events: we are worried about loved ones, about the success of the project, we are rooting for our favorite sports team, and so on.
Of course, you shouldn’t be nervous about anything. It’s not useful to anyone at all. If you have experienced a truly traumatic event, it is better to discuss this with a doctor, perhaps with a psychologist as well.
Myth 10. Pregnant women cannot clean the house.
Oh, it would be wonderful if it weren’t complete nonsense. The only thing to avoid during the process is contact with corrosive liquids such as bleach. And you can do the rest. Nesting instinct has not been canceled.
Half true:
1. You can’t eat sugar… It is not necessary to give up sweets at all. But limiting yourself is really worth it: it will reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and prevent excess weight gain.
2. You can’t drink coffee… It is possible, but it is better to minimize its amount – a maximum of a cup per day. Caffeine does affect fetal development. Alternatively, you can switch to decaffeinated coffee.
3. You can’t eat fish… Seafood and large sea fish are indeed best avoided due to their high mercury content. But river and shallow is quite possible. Even necessary.
4. You can’t run. If you haven’t jogged before, this is not the best time to start. But if you are a trained person, and the doctor does not mind, then you can. But it is better to slow down the pace, and in the third trimester go for walks.
5. Make repairs. There are now many materials (even wall paints) that are non-toxic. But the risk is still not worth it: you can lose consciousness from the smell or just fall off a ladder or stool.
Bonus. A little more nonsense:
– you can not drink cold water – the child will get cold;
– you can not drink water with gas – the baby will hiccup;
– you cannot look at the eclipse, and if you look, then only dressed in red and holding the keys;
– you cannot go to the cemetery – the baby does not have a guardian angel, so restless souls can harm him;
– you can not go to the funeral – the child will be born weak.