I. love Old Wives Tales. I really do! They're funny to read and fun to research their histories.
But that's about it.
That's as far as a person should take it. They're largely inaccurate, medically unsafe, or just plain NUTS. And still, they persist.
Here are some of my all-time favorites (again, not to be used for medical advice!):
Wearing high heels during pregnancy will result in cross-eyed babies. I mean, if this was true, my kids would have eyes so crossed, they'd just spin in circles! This one is just wholly ridiculous and makes me laugh so hard.
Cats want to smother your new baby. Literally not. Cats like to snuggle (when they want to). Babies are warm. That much adds up. BUT cats can carry weird danders and crap in their fur and their claws are really friggin' sharp! So yeah...try to keep kitty away from baby because of those reason, not because your fur baby wants to end your human baby.
Taking baths can drown your baby. What idiot old man first said this? We should collectively punch him. This is categorically untrue. First of all, the amniotic sac protects baby from, like, all the things. Second, as a doula, taking baths is the very.first.thing I advise my clients to do if they're feeling uncomfortable. And it's especially helpful during labor. Being in water can help relieve some of the weight you're carrying around and can make it easier to manage through painful contractions. Third, WATER BIRTHS. That is all.
You can't get pregnant while you're nursing. Ohmigod how I want to make sure you understand this is NOT true. While it's true that breastfeeding can delay menstruation (and thereby ovulation) from returning, it's not a fail safe. I have a few friends and clients who can attest to this! So once you're ready to jump between the sheets with your partner (and if the combination of you and that person can create a human), be sure you're using a foolproof method of birth control...and the "pull out method" is not a great choice. You really need to give your uterus about 12 months to fully recover before asking it to create life again.
There are so many Old Wives Tales for predicting gender and these can be a fun way to pass the time before baby arrives or play at a baby shower or use for betting purposes between friends and family to guess birth date and gender! As long as it doesn't involve you doing something dangerous or ingesting anything that shouldn't be in a pregnant (or ANY) body, have some fun!
Are you carrying high or low?
Do you crave salty or sweet snacks?
Are you hands dry or do you have acne?
What's baby's heart rate?
Is your partner gaining "sympathy weight"?
These are all in good fun and you should have fun with them! Were there any of the fun OWTs you're using during your pregnancy? What are some bonkers ones you've heard? Let me know!
And, as always: Carry on, y'all. Carry on. <3