15 Common pregnancy myths debunked

When you are pregnant, people tell you all sorts of well-meaning nonsense in the guise of advice. It can be incredibly overwhelming to have so much information coming at you from left and right from all sorts of nonexperts. It's especially frustrating since you want to do right by your baby and would feel awful if you were to dismiss some actually good advice. But how do you separate pregnancy myths from pregnancy facts without having to having to fact check folks while they are dispensing what they think is must-know pregnancy knowledge?

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First, know that you are under no obligation to take any of the advice offered if it isn’t coming from your medical care providers. You are welcome to let your tía or abuela's advice go in one ear and out the other. You don’t even have to argue with them about why you absolutely know that what they are saying is nonsense, you can just smile and say “thank you” and then go on about your business. We’ve also put together a helpful list of common pregnancy myths for you so that you know which are not true and which may have some merit. Check ‘em out!

Myth: Cocoa butter does NOT prevent stretch marks.

Pieces of natural cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa beans
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Cocoa butter is often hyped for its supposed ability to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. Don't believe the hype, because it turns out that cocoa butter can actually make you more prone to getting stretch marks because it can make skin more sensitive and it can also cause allergic reactions.

Myth: Dyeing your hair is bad for the fetus.

Home made hair dye at home for beauty young caucasian woman looking at the mirror - stay at home concept for coronavirus emergency worldwide pandemic contagion
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A lot of women avoid dyeing their hair while pregnant because they've heard that it can be bad for the baby they are carrying. It's fine if you choose not to dye your hair while pregnant, but you should know that there is no evidence that dyeing your hair while pregnant can cause harm to the baby. Still, you might want to avoid coloring your hair during the first trimester when all the baby's organs are developing. Think of it as an abundance of caution.

Myth: Having sex while pregnant is bad for the baby.

Pregnant couple with hands on belly lying on bed
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Many are under the false assumption that sex during pregnancy might hurt the baby. So not true! The baby sits inside and is protected by the amniotic sac inside the uterus, which is further protected by the cervix. Unless your doctor tells you not to have sex while pregnant, you're good to go.

Myth: You should not have any cafecito while pregnant.

Smiling pregnant woman drinking coffee on bed at home
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This is false as long as you don't go overboard. During the first trimester, having excessive amounts of coffee has been associated with a higher risk of miscarriage, but if you limit yourself to one cup a day, then you and your baby are OK.

Myth: You can't go outside during an eclipse.

Total Solar Eclipse
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Have you heard this one? It's kind of nuts. According to this myth, your baby will be born with facial abnormalities if you expose yourself to an eclipse while pregnant. Nope, that's not a thing.

Myth: You should avoid hot baths while pregnant.

Pregnancy bath.
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This one is kind of true in that pregnant women should keep their core body temperature below 101°F. When you're pregnant, your body temperature is already slightly higher than a non-pregnant woman's body temperature. But taking a warm bath won't cause a pregnant woman or her baby any harm and a 2019 study found that even in a bath at 104°F for 20 minutes will not raise body core temperature to dangerous levels. What you do need to avoid are saunas or hot tubs, which can dangerously raise your body temperature.

Myth: You shouldn't pet cats during pregnancy.

A pregnant woman with a big belly is standing next to cat
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Moms-to-be can absolutely continue petting their cats. What should be avoided is
cleaning out their litter box because it may put you at risk of contracting the parasite, toxoplasmosis. So pet your kitty, but have someone else clean their litter box.

Myth: Pregnant women should eat for two.

Pregnant Woman Eating Pickle In Kitchen
AndreyPopov/iStock

OK, this one is true to the extent that when you are pregnant, you are eating to nourish yourself and the baby. But that doesn't mean you should be eating twice as much as you normally do. Actually, if you are not overweight, you only need to eat 200 more calories a day over your regularly recommended calorie intake. That's really not that much more. A candy bar has more than 200 calories in it.

Myth: You can tell the gender of the baby by the pregnant woman's belly.

Pregnant women showing their bumps
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Some people swear that if a woman is carrying high, then she's having a girl. Well, they can swear all they want, but the truth is you cannot accurately predict the gender of the baby by how a pregnant belly looks. You might predict correctly, but that's because you had a 50/50 chance.

Myth: Exercise during pregnancy is dangerous for the baby.

Black pregnant woman exercising with dumbbells, white background
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This is not true. For some reason there are people who think that exercising while pregnant can even go as far as strangling the baby, but that's not true. Exercise is generally recommended during pregnancy. Unless your doctor tells you there is a medical reason not to exercise during pregnancy, then maintaining your fitness is good for you and the baby. Maybe don't take up kickboxing, but you know what we mean.

Myth: Morning sickness is named after the time of day you experience it.

Pregnant Woman Feeling Sick in Her Kitchen
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Why is it even called "morning" sickness? Whose sick joke was that? The truth is that the nausea that many women experience during pregnancy can happen any time of day or night, and sometimes lasts all day and night.

Myth: Eating spicy foods will induce labor.

Hot sauce on a table
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Honestly, this myth must have been invented by people who like their food bland. If it were true that spicy foods induce labor, imagine how many pregnant women who love salsa or hot sauce would have to stop eating it while pregnant.

Myth: Pregnancy is a beautiful and blissful experience.

Sad depressed african woman hugging pillow lying in bed alone
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Before you actually experience pregnancy yourself, you see so many images of beautiful glowing pregnant women and you think that pregnancy is supposed to be like that because no one really ever goes around talking about pregnancy as an awful experience. The truth is that pregnancy can be difficult for some women, and that's OK—it happens. It's not even all that uncommon to experience depression during pregnancy. If that's the case for you or someone you know, reach out to your health care providers because they can help. Not treating depression during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, low birth weight, and put the mother at a higher risk for postpartum depression.

Myth: Pregnant women should sleep on their left side.

Pregnant woman sleeping in bed
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There is some truth to this one. According to experts, sleeping on the left side improves circulation, which helps get nutrients to the placenta more easily. But you should sleep on whatever side is easiest for you to sleep on. If the left works for you cool, if not, flip to the right and get your zzzzs.

Myth: What you eat will affect what your baby likes to eat.

Young beautiful pregnant woman preparing healthy meal with fruites and vegetables
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So, there's this idea that if you want your baby to not be a picky eater, that you should eat a wide range of foods while pregnant to help develop the little one's palate. There is no actual proof that this works. What is true is that what you eat will affect the health of your baby in both the short and long term, so you should be mindful of eating healthy foods always, but especially while pregnant.

*Descargo de responsabilidad: Los consejos sobre MamásLatinas.com no sustituyen la consulta con un profesional médico o el tratamiento para una condición específica. No debes usar esta información para diagnosticar o tratar un problema de salud sin consultar a un profesional calificado. Por favor contacta a tu médico si tienes preguntas o alguna preocupación.