Old Wives Tales - Part 1

Wednesday July 1st, 2009 – Day 108

Old Wives Tale #1: Heartburn
If a pregnant woman experiences heartburn throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, she’ll have a baby born with a full head of hair. Angie: I’ve never had heartburn and I haven’t had any that I know of since being pregnant, so we’ll see.

Old Wives Tale #2: Umbilical Cord
If a pregnant woman lifts her hands above her head or does stretches above her hand, she will choke the baby because the umbilical cord will be wrapped around the baby. The truth of this pregnancy wives tale is that the umbilical cord can wrap around the baby if the baby moves a lot while in the uterus, but it does not happen if you move a lot or stretch above your head. The baby gets tangled in the umbilical cord in about 1/3 of all births, so it’s not so uncommon. Angie: This cracks me up.

Old Wives Tale #3: Cravings Curse
Basically if anyone denies a pregnant woman whatever she is craving, they will get a sty in his/her eye. Personally, I think all men should read this and always give into whatever us pregnant women want! For their own benefit, of course. Angie: I’ve had several cravings and Chris chuckles every time and thinks they are cute. I hope he thinks they are cute when I’m having him run out in the middle of the night to get me something I just have to have at that very moment!

Old Wives Tale #4: Heart Rate
If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy. Angie: I can’t remember what the heartrate was at our first appointment – I was a bit overwhelmed with the ultrasound and seeing the baby, but at my second one, it was 151 bpm and this past one it was 149…a little girl?

Old Wives Tale #5: Ugly Baby
This wives tale is weird. If a pregnant woman sees something ugly, she will have an ugly baby. Angie: Whatever – I take every chance to look at babies now that I’m pregnant and to me they are all stinkin adorable.

Old Wives Tale #6: Coffee
If a baby is born with light-brown birthmarks, it is said that the mom drank too much coffee or had unfulfilled cravings while she was pregnant. Angie: I rarely drank coffee before and have not touched it since knowing – but I have a gigantic birthmark on my chest so I wonder if my mom drank coffee?!?

Old Wives Tale #7: Sex
This old wives tale is actually not a myth. Sex is healthy for most pregnant women and is also good in getting the cervix ready for labor. If you are nearing or have past your due date, your OB might recommend that you start playing around in the bed. Angie: I’m sure Chris will like this one.

Old Wives Tale #8: Baths
Anyone who thinks that pregnant women should refrain from taking baths is crazy. Baths are a-ok and even helpful when it comes to relaxing and easing some back pain. The only thing that my OB said was to be careful that I didn’t sit in too hot of water. She said that anything over 100 degrees was too hot and to be careful that my skin didn’t turn red. This old wives tale began because it was thought that water would seep in to the baby and bring bacteria. It’s been determined that water does not enter the vag. during a bath. Angie: I never take baths anyways and I steer clear of hot tubs, but I take scorching hot showers and I wonder if that is bad at all?

Old Wives Tale #9: Wearing a Lei
This Hawaiian superstition relates to the lei causing the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby. Of course, it’s crazy and makes no sense why you could not wear a lei. Angie: I haven’t been lei’d in a long time. Since Hawaii ’99.

Old Wives Tale #10: Boiling Water
Many people use to believe that boiling water was needed to be nearby the pregnant woman during labor. There is not a real reason as to why boiling water played a role in childbirth. Some believe the water was just a task to get the dad-to-be away from the labor, while others believed that it was used to sterilize the tools needed to perform the delivery. No matter what the reason was, this is definitely just an old wives tale with no truth or importance to it. Angie: I like to believe it was to distract the dad-to-be, sounds so cute.

Old Wives Tale #11: Full Moon
A full moon was believed to cause a woman to go into labor and give birth. Angie: I’m going to look to see what the lunar calendar is for mid December – I think it would be cool to have a baby on a Full moon…..I’ve heard it is a true wives tale because of the gravitational pull on those days.

Old Wives Tale #12: Shape of Belly
If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy. Angie: My coworker Annie carried liked she was having a boy and EVERYONE thought so, but she had a little girl.

Old Wives Tale #13: Ring Test
Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly. You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle. Angie: If I get desperate I’ll try this, but sounds like a lot of work.

Old Wives Tale #14: Shape of Mom’s Face
When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl. If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy. Angie: My face has always been round and square, but I have not gained any weight in my face.