As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, any combination of the following things usually happen:
- You do some online research on what happens when you’re pregnant.
- You are hit from all sides with unsolicited advice from well-meaning friends, family, and strangers.
- You find out all kinds of information, misinformation, and myths.
- Confusion ensues.
To help clear the air, here are ten pregnancy myths that you should consider untrue:
- You can’t fly in an airplane. Turns out you can actually fly whenever you please without harming yourself or your developing baby, as long as everything checks out okay. The airlines are more concerned with dealing with an emergency delivery while in midair.
- You should avoid eating smoked salmon if you’re pregnant. Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for fetuses and the pregnant women within whom they grow. Also, they are not likely to cause mercury poisoning.
- You shouldn’t drink coffee if you’re pregnant. Coffee is a safe drink, when in moderate amounts, say a cup a day. Don’t overdo it.
- A big baby is a good thing. Couples trying to conceive always wish for a healthy baby, and unwittingly associate size with health. Big babies are more likely to have health problems later in life, such as diabetes and obesity.
- You should eat for two while pregnant. There is actually no need to increase your food intake by twenty percent of your recommended daily non-pregnant food intake.
- If you’re in labor, or near your due date, walking makes labor go faster. Although walking may help you cope with having to wait for your due date to arrive, it will not expedite the process of labor and delivery. And if you’re already in labor, find some other way to get to the hospital.
- You should not eat sushi while pregnant. Well, this is somewhat true, since fish such as mackerel and swordfish should be avoided, and tuna should be consumed in moderation. For the most part, sushi is still permissible.
- You can determine the baby’s sex by its position in the uterus. Unless you’re actually looking inside the womb, you have only a 50-50 shot at determining whether you have a boy or a girl.
- Hair dye on the expectant mother is harmful to the fetus. The chances of the chemicals in hair dye actually making it to your blood stream and into your baby are slim to none.
- You should avoid sex while pregnant. Unless you have a diagnosed medical condition that precludes having sex altogether, you can still engage in normal sexual activity as you and your partner please.