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5 Common Pregnancy Myths

As Africans there tend to be many myths associated with pregnancy and so many of the elders can swear by them. Some have “reasons” and others do not, we will examine 5 myths common to us about pregnancy.

• Tell no one you are pregnant in your first trimester: This is based on the fact that there are evil people who do not want your happiness so you should not jinx it by saying it so early. This myth goes along with hiding the signs if any as much as possible. Fact: This puts a lot of unhealthy pressure on you to keep this secret.

 

• When you are pregnant you are eating for two:People will tell you that and expect you to really have no control of what you eat. Medical facts are that all you really need extra is about 300 calories every day. I mean, how big is a baby really? Fact: The more you eat, the bigger your baby will be.

 

• Always sleep on your left side during pregnancy: When asked why, no one could actually give me a reason. I decided to research and some of the reasons were that sleeping on the left side improves circulation and it also prevents the uterus from pressing on your liver. Fact: Medically left is said to be better, but sleep on any side will help you get a good night’s sleep, say most gynecologists.

 

• Say no to sex during pregnancy: This is one thing that they seem to pull the expecting mother’s ears about. The belief is that it can cause miscarriage or harm the baby. For many of the advisers it is not understood that you cannot wait till you are delivered of that precious cargo before you go back to that activity. Fact: Medical practitioners say there is no ban on this activity unless your doctor sees a problem and specifically warns you against it.

 

• Pregnant women should avoid eating snails: One of the stranger myths, that if the pregnant woman eats snail, then the child will be sluggish and always drooling. This is so deep rooted that educated women take it really seriously and quite a few of them refuse snails at this time. Fact: No scientific support for this belief and snails are rich in protein and calcium, and a leaner source of protein.

People are guided and governed by certain beliefs and instincts and this is totally understood and appreciated. This article simply sought to bring to the fore certain beliefs and weigh them against facts, but in the long run, these are your choices to make.