"Eating For Two" And Other Pregnancy Myths

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“You can't get pregnant if it's your first time.”

“Coca-Cola makes a good spermicide.”

“Standing on your head after sex can help you get pregnant.”

“If you take 20 aspirin right after sex, you won't get pregnant.”

There have always been myths surrounding pregnancy-some plausible, some crazy and some downright stupid (like the last two). While the tales above are a bit juvenile, these are only the tip of the 'pregnancy-myth' iceberg. Here are a few of the more common pregnancy misconceptions, and the truth behind them.

• You can tell what sex the baby will be from where it is positioned. One common myth says that your baby will be a boy if it is carried 'low' on your body, and a girl if it's carried higher. I've also heard the opposite-a boy is carried high and a girl is carried low. The truth is that there isn't any way to tell what sex the baby will be without an ultrasound or amniocentesis.
• If the mother has heartburn, the baby will be born with a lot of hair. Seriously, have you ever met a pregnant woman who didn't get heartburn? :) All kidding aside, there is no correlation between heartburn and the amount of hair a baby has.
• You can't eat sushi (or smoked salmon) while pregnant. While it is true that some fish should be avoided during pregnancy due to the possibility of mercury poisoning, salmon is not one of them. In fact, the fact that salmon has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids suggest that it's actually good for pregnant women. As for sushi, most of it is okay in moderation-perhaps 12 oz a week, which amounts to about 2 maki or rolls. The only fish that pose a mercury poisoning risk and should be avoided during pregnancy are swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel.
• You can't be around cats while pregnant. While you shouldn't clean the litter box (see my post about toxoplamosis here), petting Fluffy is fine. I'm sure she's glad to hear it! :)
• Caffeine should be avoided during pregnancy. There is some truth to this one, but only when it comes to drinking coffee in excess. One cup a day shouldn't cause any problems.
• You can't dye your hair during pregnancy. The dye doesn't 'seep into your scalp' or anything, so dyeing your hair won't necessarily cause problems for your baby. The same goes for perms, bikini waxes and other treatments; there's nothing in the chemicals touching your skin that can harm your baby. The fumes, on the other hand, can damage your baby's development if breathed in regularly. In other words, stay out of the nail salon but don't worry about touching up your roots with the home kit from Target.
• You need to eat a lot more food than normal because you're 'eating for two'. A pregnant woman only needs to eat about 300 more calories per day than she usually does. Sorry, you'll have to find another excuse for that tub of ice cream!

There, I've now given you some insight into those nagging worries. I know these are only a few of the dozens of myths surrounding pregnancy, but hopefully I've at least made a dent in the confusion you may be feeling.