As Indians, we are known to be overcautious. Whenever people find a pregnant lady around they go to her and touch her tummy, congratulate her and are constantly on a mission to provide advice. Suddenly everyone seems to be an expert and you have to listen to them as you just can’t take a chance! Here are some ridiculous things pregnant women are told.
- No Sex
This tops the list!! This piece of advice is passed down generations and is usually whispered into the ears of the newly conceived mother.
It is ‘believed’ that the act somehow ‘hurts’ the foetus inside and hence, no hanky panky!! (While there is little or no truth in this matter, it is always advisable to consult your doctor in case of doubts)
- No Sharing your Wonderful News
Save the child from evil eyes of other people who will either be sad or jealous about your ‘good news’. For this, you are not allowed to share the news of your pregnancy until the third month at least! (Scientifically backed as the first trimester is very critical and is a very nascent time for the baby)
- Saffron will make Baby Fair Complexioned
Everyone around the mom-to-be is very concerned when it comes to the complexion of the baby. The whole drama starts from the first month, asking the mom to drink warm milk with saffron so that the baby will be fair complexioned from birth. Some even go to the extent of asking the mom to eat only white colour food!
- Looking at Beautiful Baby Photos will ensure you have a Beautiful Baby too!
Now you may wonder how this one came about, as it has been determined by research that the offspring usually will carry the physical features of its parents.
- Don’t go out After Dark
The aunty next door who comes up with amazing pieces of insight comes running when she sees you going for a stroll around 6 PM. Then this advice will come from her about those bad spirits who want to take your baby away should you go for a walk at this time!
- Don’t lift hands over head as it may cause the umbilical cord to hurt (it actually says strangle, I didn’t want to use that word here) the baby!
Now I myself don’t know how this came about but this piece of advice is surprisingly given all over the world!! They say if you raise your hands straight above your head, the umbilical cord will wrap itself around the baby’s neck and cause harm.
- Scratching your Tummy will turn your Child Bald
Another piece of advice from the neighbour…. Your tummy keeps itching thanks to the stretching its undergoing…and the temptation to scratch the itch is great. While the scratching wont really make your baby bald, it may hurt your skin. Shea butter is a great help in keeping your skin itch free….. uh oh!!! Now I’ve started giving advice too!!!
While these are just some of the ridiculous things we hear, there exist more …for eg., Don’t look at snakes during pregnancy or the child will be born blind, Don’t go out during eclipses or the child will be deformed, Don’t cut your hair when pregnant or the lifespan of the baby will reduce! Drink lots of milk so you will have enough for your baby (No Offense here, but do cows drink a lot of milk too?? Hehehe)
Bonus:
Mexican Mothers are advised to avoid moonlight as they believe the moon is jealous of motherhood and may curse the unborn baby with a cleft lip.
Don’t touch metal during an eclipse if you are a mother-to-be in India…it is believed that metal and sharp objects might affect the unborn child….if you cut with a knife, the baby may be born with lacerations or if you sew, the infant’s skin might be fused!!!
An Ancient Egyptian Pregnancy test- Way back in Egypt, pregnant women were asked to urinate on wheat and barley seeds. If mostly wheat grew, you were having a girl. If mostly barley sprouted, it was likely to be a boy. Sounds incredible?? Researchers tested this theory in the 1960’s and found it to be about 70% accurate!
Before you choose to follow any of these advice, consult with your practitioner. Old wives tales have some scientific reasoning, so don’t discard them right away.
