Debunking old wives tales surrounding pregnancy
Bonus spoke to Dr Jackson Ndhlovu, a gynaecologist, obstetrician, fertility specialist and advanced endoscopic surgeon, to find out which old wives tales are real and which are not.
POLOKWANE – There are many fallacies that surround pregnancies, some more illogical than others.
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Bonus spoke to Dr Jackson Ndhlovu, a gynaecologist, obstetrician, fertility specialist and advanced endoscopic surgeon, to find out which old wives tales are real and which are not.
1. Eating too many sugary foods will make your baby drool.
“This is not true. There is no scientific proof that drooling in babies is caused by sugar, in fact it is perfectly normal for babies to drool,” he said. He said that a baby may be affected by sugar if the mother develops diabetes, which will make the baby bigger in size.
2. Eating eggs during pregnancy will make your baby too big.
“This is also a myth. The only way that eggs can affect a baby is through the high cholesterol that is caused by egg yolks and that affects the mother, not the baby, directly. I would advise against eating too many eggs,” he said.
3. Do not put your hands above your head as it harms the baby.
“This is one of the biggest myths because the baby is in a secured container during pregnancy. The baby is safe because it is cushioned. The only movement by a mother that can affect a baby is sleeping on her back because it restricts the amount of food and oxygen that the baby gets. It is advised that pregnant women sleep on their sides,” he said.
4. If the linea nigra (pregnancy line) stops at your belly button, the baby is a girl, and if it goes all the way up to the bottom-most part of your rib cage, then it is a boy.
“This is another lie that you will not understand where it comes from. The linea nigra has nothing to do with a baby’s gender. The gender is determined by the paternal sperm,” he explained.
5. Eating cold foods makes the baby cold.
“This is also a lie because whatever food you digest, is at 37 deg C when it gets to the stomach. Cold food does not change the temperature of a person’s body, it’s only the mind that registers that you are eating something cold or hot,” he said.
6. Eating spicy food will give the baby hiccups.
“This is also a lie, there is no evidence to support this. Babies can get hiccups, even from when they are still in the abdomen, before birth,” he said.
Ndlovu concluded, however, that people should not follow unfounded myths but they must make sure that they eat healthily and take care of themselves through pregnancy.
