4 Biggest Pregnancy Myths Revealed

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, there are a lot of myths and old wives tales out there you may have to deal with. Many people will tell you tall stories and myths regarding your baby and it's development, and sometimes it can be hard to extract the fact from the fiction. Below is the 4 biggest pregnancy myths out there, with the scientific research answering the myth.

1. An ultrasound is the only way to determine the sex of your baby 

There are a few different pregnancy myths regarding how to determine the sex of your baby. They range from whether you are carrying high or low, performing a home urine test or what cravings you have. None of these myths though have any substance to them. The only way to determine the sex of your new baby is to have an ultrasound performed by your doctor.

2. The myth of eating for two  

Many women use this as an excuse to eat as much food as they can. In reality you are not eating for two adults, and some health professionals claim that a pregnant women may only need to increase her calories by between 300-400 calories per day. This means that if you are pregnant, it doesn't necessarily mean you will gain heaps of weight during pregnancy. It has also been noted that overweight women can actually stay the same or even lose weight during pregnancy.

3. No level of alcohol when pregnant is safe 

Some myths surround the fact that a little bit of alcohol is ok when pregnant. The reality is no alcohol should be consumed whilst pregnant as it can damage your growing baby in many ways. But don't panic if you have had a big night and find you are pregnant a few weeks later, as the majority of damage occurs from regular binge drinking.

4. Danger of household appliances  

An old wives tale has surrounded the danger of televisions, microwaves and computers around a pregnant mother. Science has shown however that the radiation produced from these devices is extremely miniscule and highly unlikely to harm your developing baby.

With these tips in mind, you will now be able to set people straight when they hand out pregnancy advice. If you are at all concerned however with your babies development, please visit your doctor to obtain professional advice.

Sex in Pregnancy, How Safe?

Sex in pregnancy is a controversial topic to discuss because of the society we live in today which is multi-cultural and multi-religious. Because of the difficulty in arriving at an acceptable conclusion, many people don't want to get involved in this topic.

Sexual intercourse which is the satisfaction of a desire arising from natural instincts is legal only within the recognized institution of marriage as ordained by God our creator. There are many fallacies surrounding this issue of sex during pregnancy. Some of them are :

*That is a taboo to sleep with a pregnant woman

*That it affects the health of the mother and the child

*That the child will not develop well

*That the child may grow up to become promiscuous

*That the mother will have a hard time during delivery

*That sexing pregnancy will reduce the flow of milk during breast feeding etc.

However, it is important to note here that pregnancy does not mean being in a diseased state . Rather, this is a period when the mother is adapting to some psychological changes in her systems to support the growth of the fetus. She ie the mother is adjusting to her environment during pregnancy. A woman that is pregnant need not abstain from sex except she was advised against such by a doctor .However, the first three months of the pregnancy is a delicate period because the baby is still in the early developmental stages, so sex within this period should be avoided. In order to have a refreshing and safe sex during pregnancy, both parties must encourage each other to "give and take" just as sex before pregnancy. The man must exercise more level of understanding and patience in order to help his wife attain and savor every moment of the fore-play and the real sexual encounter. When this is done with care and love, both parties will enjoy every moment of the game. However, repeated orgasm may be dangerous for the woman. As the pregnancy grows in size, the couple must be careful with the position and style they choose in order not to put pressure on the growing baby.

Some healthy positions that can be considered by both couples are listed below.

*The woman sitting face to face on her husband allows easy access to kissing and fondling by both partners.

*Rear entry by the man with the woman lying on her side on the bed with her legs folded.

*Entering from the back by the man with the woman's bum turned to him while she rests on all four.

*Both couple should be free and generous in fondling and caressing each other.

These are few of the many conditions that are considered safe for sex during pregnancy. But if the Doctor thinks otherwise and instructs against sex during pregnancy, the woman must comply totally. This is for her own safety and that of the unborn child because the Doctor or the Gynecologist knows better. Some of the reasons that may necessitate such an advice may be any of the following:

*When the woman is advised to observe bed rest as a result threatening abortion.

*Any woman that experiences constant miscarriage must seek Doctors advice before engaging in sex during pregnancy.

*Any woman that is over 35 years old and is getting pregnant for the first time must consult her Doctor before engaging in sex during pregnancy.

*Pregnancy after infertility treatment.

As said earlier, sexual intercourse at the early stage of the pregnancy should be avoided in order to avoid abortion and late pregnancy because virulent and dangerous organisms may be introduced. Sexual excess during the last month of the pregnancy should equally be discouraged.

Seven Ways For a Healthy Pregnancy

It is always important to take whatever steps you can to be healthy, but while you are pregnant it is even more important: not only do you need to take good care of yourself; you are also profoundly affecting the life of another person – your baby. Here are 7 tips to help you along the way.

1. If you smoke, one of the most important things you can do is to stop smoking
Babies born to mothers who smoke have a lower average birth weight, are more likely to be born prematurely, and are at greater risk of death from sudden infant death syndrome than babies of non-smokers. Sometimes mothers feel having a low birth weight baby could be an advantage as it will make the baby easy to deliver. This is not necessarily the case, as it may lead to an emergency delivery, which can result in all sorts of complications. Even if you are already pregnant, stopping smoking will benefit the baby for the rest of your pregnancy. It is not only the baby who benefits. You are likely to suffer from less morning sickness, experience fewer complications and have a more contented baby after the birth.

2. It is also important to pay attention to your diet.
Many women feel they should ‘eat for two’, but research has shown that women only need an extra 200-300 calories a day while pregnant, and you may be eating those extra calories anyway. What is important is to ensure that you get the protein, vitamins and minerals necessary to build another human being. Those extra 200-300 calories should not be squandered on chocolate or crisps, but should be eaten as fruit, vegetables, etc. It is also important to increase your water intake, which will help avoid constipation.

3. It is generally a good idea to take a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement too.
There are now ones specially formulated for pregnant women. Ideally these should be started before you become pregnant, so that you are in the best shape possible for the pregnancy, and then continued throughout your pregnancy. An adequate supply of vitamins and minerals is important right from conception. For example, a deficiency of one of the B vitamins, folic acid, in the first month of pregnancy may lead to the baby being born with a cleft lip, congenital heart disease or spine bifida. Omega-3 fatty acids (obtained by eating oily fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, spinach and spiraling, or taken as a supplement) are important for the development of the baby’s eyes and brain. Omega-3 also reduces the risk of premature birth and post-natal depression.

4. Nobody knows how much alcohol.
It is safe to consume during pregnancy, so many health experts feel it is better to avoid alcohol entirely for the sake of the baby. This can seem hard on the pregnant woman when everyone else is drinking, but it is important to remember that alcohol is a poison for the growing baby, and no caring mother willingly gives her baby poison.

5. Pregnancy is not a time to sit still.
Although adequate rest is vitally important, most experts believe that healthy pregnant women should be taking 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.

6. It is also important to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals while pregnant
So spending a lot of time painting the house and laying new carpets is not a good idea, especially in the early stages of pregnancy when the baby is particularly vulnerable.

7. Many women find pregnancy stressful
This can be a particularly good time to turn to safe, non-invasive options such as Bach flower remedies, homeopathy, kinesiology and other therapies.

Making a new life is something miraculous. Doing the best you can for that new life starts long before you have the baby in your arms for the first time.

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