Ridiculous Pregnancy Superstitions

same1b

I just got into a huge fight with my mom because there is a partial solar eclipse today and apparently pregnant women should not go out or eat or touch their belly during eclipses!! She actually suggested I take the day off work (since saving vacation and sick days are not important right now *rolling my eyes*). She was legitimately upset that I was gonna put the baby in danger by going out today. I also teach a community college night class so I have to drive quite a bit today and I will definitely be exposed to "sun rays". I can understand a bit of the "why take the risk" attitude that plagues us during pregnancy but this is just ridiculous. She had the gall to say there is "scientific evidence of the danger of eclipses" which turned out to be anecdotal stories of two women who had kids with cleft palates (the sun did that...riiiight).

Ok end rant but I was wondering if any of you have come across this or other superstitions that people (especially family) throw out at you coz.....think of the bbabaaayyyy!

djoliet

I'm Mexican and it's a Mexican superstition that pregnant women are supposed to wear a key near their belly during an eclipse. My mom texted me last night to remind me to wear mine today but I've been walking around with one pinned on my pants since the last eclipse. All the elder Mexican women I know reminded me about the key last eclipse as well.

starsailorr26

That is pretty ridiculous, but coming from a Mexican culture I've heard that before. The only other thing I can think of right now is that it's bad luck to cut your hair when you're pregnant.

mandi195

It's not really a superstition, but my mother told me I had to quit running/jogging, because all of the bouncing would make baby come out or push on my cervix and make me thin/dialate early. My mother is incredibly intelligent and not at all a whackadoodle, so this really threw me. 

kella0708

I'm Italian and my mother told me that all cravings must be immediately fulfilled. If a mother to be touches her self accidentally while craving something the baby will be marked in that spot.

kella0708

I just hinted to my coworker that the chips she were munching on smelled good and she didn't offer any. I guess she doesn't care if my baby is marked for lyfe!!!!

same1b

I think I am totally gonna use the all cravings must be fulfilled immediately!! but but....my babyyyyy lol.  My mom also told me not to touch my belly during the eclipse to prevent the baby being marked. What the hell is wrong with birthmarks?! (In my head I am totally lily having harry potter )

djoliet

@kella0708‌ we have a similar one in Mexican culture too. Ours goes if you don't satisfy a craving the baby's mouth will always be partially open after they're born or something like that. My Dad always asks me if I'm craving anything lol

YorkieLove4

Funny! I haven't heard too many but I do keep hearing the same "feed your baby what it wants because that's what your body needs" bull. I tell them what if I'm craving shots of tequila and crack? That shuts them up. Haaa. Really though I'm craving shitty greasy food and that's not what the baby needs. I can promise that.

stine28

These are all awesome, and I would have a hard time keeping a straight face if someone told me about any of these in person.

LadySnowblood

My mom told me that in her culture (she is from the Northern Mariana Islands), if you talk shit about your MIL, your baby will end up looking like her. I am doomed!

ngolimento

That you can't eat sushi or drink wine.

same1b

mandi195 said:

It's not really a superstition, but my mother told me I had to quit running/jogging, because all of the bouncing would make baby come out or push on my cervix and make me thin/dialate early. My mother is incredibly intelligent and not at all a whackadoodle, so this really threw me. 

I am still running...I just don't tell my mom!! My mom doesn't even like me walking fast or squatting...opinions on pregnancy exercise has changed so much since their days.

Only sad is I have to run on the treadmill now since I have to pee so often. I ran marathons/half marathons before conceiving and honestly majority of the runners I know had mostly uncomplicated deliveries and great recoveries. And most of them seem to have fewer leg and back issues overall. Have fun doing it as long as your body can

Beamer14

LadySnowblood said:

My mom told me that in her culture (she is from the Northern Mariana Islands), if you talk shit about your MIL, your baby will end up looking like her. I am doomed!

I've heard similar. ..that whoever you talk about or think about most will be who the baby looks most like.

igl08

I'm Mexican too and I had this argument with my mom. But instead of a key she told me to wear a safety pin. I could have lied and said I'd do it but I just told her it was ridiculous that an educated person like herself could believe superstitions. I felt bad afterwards because she got sad and worried that my baby would be born with a cleft lip but i had already had my a/s done and I told her they checked for that and the baby is fine.

same1b

I am not Mexican so its really interesting that the beliefs are so similar. My mom is from India and its a very strongly held belief there. Haven't heard the safety pin/key solution though.

YorkieLove4

pearsforpoops said:

YorkieLove4 said:

Funny! I haven't heard too many but I do keep hearing the same "feed your baby what it wants because that's what your body needs" bull. I tell them what if I'm craving shots of tequila and crack? That shuts them up. Haaa. Really though I'm craving shitty greasy food and that's not what the baby needs. I can promise that.

WTF? No. When my baby needs pizza you can take your logic and shove it. 

IN THE OVEN WITH MY PIZZA.

Haaaa. For sure. I eat my pizza and shitty greasy foods too, but they are still crazy to think it is what baby needs to thrive. I wish I'd see french fries all up on my recommended food list by my OB but sadly it's just not there

mandi195

same1b said:

mandi195 said:

It's not really a superstition, but my mother told me I had to quit running/jogging, because all of the bouncing would make baby come out or push on my cervix and make me thin/dialate early. My mother is incredibly intelligent and not at all a whackadoodle, so this really threw me. 

I am still running...I just don't tell my mom!! My mom doesn't even like me walking fast or squatting...opinions on pregnancy exercise has changed so much since their days.

Only sad is I have to run on the treadmill now since I have to pee so often. I ran marathons/half marathons before conceiving and honestly majority of the runners I know had mostly uncomplicated deliveries and great recoveries. And most of them seem to have fewer leg and back issues overall. Have fun doing it as long as your body can

I didn't run/jog that much, but I would do a mile or so a couple times a week with the kids while they rode their bikes. I did 2 5K mud run obstacle races in my first trimester, but I jogged or walked most of it. I haven't been jogging in at least 2 months, now (I think). My fatigue has been horrible. I'm sure my mom is glad that I'm surfing the couch/bed and not running, but I feel like a lazy bump on a log! I need to at least get out walking again!

starfishlovesyou

My Grandma (Dad's Mom) used to yell at my Mom for raising her arms above her head. She was convinced it would wrap the cord around baby's neck. It didn't. My sister and I are fine.

same1b

rebmit32 said:

Oh my! I could go on for days! My MIL is Vietnamese and has sooooo many superstitions. One, is that you should eat a goose egg while pregnant. This is to help your child be smart and have beautiful skin. Luckily I hate eggs and my husband told her no so I didn't have to! I can't think of any other pregnancy related ones right now, but there are tons! For weddings, too!

Wait would you have to eat a goose egg every day according to tradition? Where would you even find that many goose eggs?

metzger9243

All these made me laugh thanks ladies!!!!

ST3WD

rebmit32 Someone else, like a MIL or SO, is supposed to brush your hair. You're a pregnant princess. Duh.

I was told to eat extra-spicy food to induce heartburn so my baby wouldn't be bald. Apparently my child will freeze in March if it isn't wookie-like. 

genmccarley

cwbandthenewbie said:

This isn't really a superstition, but my mom freaked out at the end of my pregnancy me going out alone because someone might kill me for my baby.

But this is the same woman that put a damn stork in my front yard advertising the fact that "there's a fresh newborn here! No killing required!"

Hahaha! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has a mother like this! She seriously warned me about watching my back all the time when I was hugely pregnant with DS.

I think it happened to someone and was all over the news right around the same time but I'm sure I'll hear it again none the less, my moms a little (very) paranoid.

Joon+

Thankfully, my MIL hasn't bestowed any pregnancy superstitions on me yet, except not to lift things (even light things,) but she usually jumps on every superstitious/paranoid bandwagon there is.

This one falls more under the paranoid category than the superstitious, but last time we visited she was throwing a fit over leaving cell phone chargers plugged in because they "start fires". She also believes that if you use your phone while charging, you're asking to be electrocuted. Sometimes I don't even know how to have a conversation with her... Shit, I guess all this MIL venting means my baby is going to look just like her!

jess412love

Totally needed this tonight, it's been one of those days! But seriously these are all hilarious. )

almeyer2013

I was told also not to put my arms over my head to avoid the cord wrapping the baby's neck. Weird.

Anyway, back to craving things baby doesn't need. I was craving a hard cider tonight with my grilled cheese and tomato soup. Hard ciders are soo good this time of year!

ciaobellat

My dad yelled at me for reaching above my head to turn on a ceiling fan. He said I shouldnt over extend above my head, the umbilical cord can get tied around the baby's neck. Um..

ciaobellat

starfishlovesyou said:

My Grandma (Dad's Mom) used to yell at my Mom for raising her arms above her head. She was convinced it would wrap the cord around baby's neck. It didn't. My sister and I are fine.

just saw your post after I posted mine. My dad yelled at me for the same thing!

052806

This isn't particularly amusing, but it must be an Eastern European thing.  They tell you to bring nothing into the house for the baby until the baby arrive because it is bad luck, and then they tie red ribbons on the bassinet (and other select locations) to ward off the evil eye.  Umm... they also spit three times or simulate spitting at good/ bad news- not sure what that is about.

same1b

052806 said:

This isn't particularly amusing, but it must be an Eastern European thing.  They tell you to bring nothing into the house for the baby until the baby arrive because it is bad luck, and then they tie red ribbons on the bassinet (and other select locations) to ward off the evil eye.  Umm... they also spit three times or simulate spitting at good/ bad news- not sure what that is about.

Wait so no bassinet or crib or anything till after baby?? Wow that it paranoid. My mom said something similar but the restriction was 5 months. All I could think of was that must have been a time when miscarriages were sadly very common.

kellbell1982

I'm paranoid about stories of women stealing babies right out of your womb. I saw a pp mention this, I'm totally guilty of being fearful of it. I've seen so many stories about that on ID it almost seems like it's an everyday occurrence lol I'm sure it's extremely rare but with my luck I'd be the next victim so I'm not going anywhere alone once I hit month 8. The saddest story was the woman who was killed for her baby and the baby was too young to live outside the womb and ended up being a stillbirth. The killer knew how far along she was, I guess she was that delusional that she thought it'd be ok. She took her bf and everyone else that she was pregnant with twins and after she killed the woman and the baby, she called her bf saying she had a stillbirth until the doctor at the hospital told her there was no way she just gave birth and she most definitely wasn't pregnant. Ugh people like that deserve death!

GingerMommy315

I knew someone when I was younger that had a little notch cut out on his ear.  The story his family told was that it was because his mother exposed her pregnant belly to the moon, and a moon ray shot down and burned a hole in it. 

I always thought they were kidding, but apparently they really believed it.

lisap0924

Not really a superstition but my SS's BM was "concerned" about the pants I was wearing last Sunday (jeggings)because they were not maternity pants and I was probably going to squish the baby. Umm really?
They are super stretching comfy and wondeful.
I'm not wearing anything that isn't comfortable right now.

Lovebeingamomny

I work with a lot of Colombian girls and one in particular keeps telling me if you take food from a pregnant lady you will get a stye on your eye. I tell her well my DH should have a million because he's constantly eating off my plate! Almost seems more common now than before pregnant.

052806

same1b said:

052806 said:

This isn't particularly amusing, but it must be an Eastern European thing.  They tell you to bring nothing into the house for the baby until the baby arrive because it is bad luck, and then they tie red ribbons on the bassinet (and other select locations) to ward off the evil eye.  Umm... they also spit three times or simulate spitting at good/ bad news- not sure what that is about.

I brought things into my house after 24 weeks. I obviously already have things from my first 2 also- so I modified this tradition to work for me.

cesquer

djoliet said:

I'm Mexican and it's a Mexican superstition that pregnant women are supposed to wear a key near their belly during an eclipse. My mom texted me last night to remind me to wear mine today but I've been walking around with one pinned on my pants since the last eclipse. All the elder Mexican women I know reminded me about the key last eclipse as well.

I am Mexican too and no one told me!! I feel totally left out. I guessing we're in the clear now? It's the 25th...

djoliet

@cesquer‌ you're totally fine. I do it to make my Mama and other ladies happy lol. It's just a key pinned to my pants, no harm in doing it the way I see it. My mom told me I had to keep it on the whole pregnancy in case we have more eclipses so I just said ooookayyyy haha

melleasndrs

healthyfor2 said:

I work with a lot of Colombian girls and one in particular keeps telling me if you take food from a pregnant lady you will get a stye on your eye. I tell her well my DH should have a million because he's constantly eating off my plate! Almost seems more common now than before pregnant.

^^This. Why is my food so appealing to you now that I'm pregnant that you must reach for it? The last time he did that I cussed him out because he had literally sneezed 3 times without covering his mouth then the 4th time in his hand before reaching in. Uh no wash your hands then grab a fish stick and tater tot from the stove top and leave my plate alone!

kellbell1982

I have a confession to make: the day of the eclipse I happened upon this thread and I really put a key on a chain near my belly. Strangest thing happened, I'm leaving Walmart and I almost hit a pedestrian! I stopped just in time and of course credited this to my key saving me. Lol

same1b

kellbell1982 said:

I have a confession to make: the day of the eclipse I happened upon this thread and I really put a key on a chain near my belly. Strangest thing happened, I'm leaving Walmart and I almost hit a pedestrian! I stopped just in time and of course credited this to my key saving me. Lol

Don't give in to the superstitions....fight it!! Lol. Glad everyone was ok though!