Urban legends/Cultural myths/Old wives tales

kmtz89 · April 2016

The board is kinda boring on the weekends so maybe this will be humorous. Many people have these bits of "advice" that are mostly/probably/entirely false but have been around for ages. Some call them urban legends, some cultural myths, and some old wives tales. Tanzania has a TON of them I've been wanting to share but I'm sure everyone has heard some great ones as well.

The two I hear most often are

1. If you eat too many eggs in pregnancy your baby will be bald. (This comment has also been made when seeing a child of a year old or more with little hair, that their mother must have eaten too many eggs)

2. You should have a lot of sex when pregnant because the extra sperm makes the baby stronger.

Let's hear 'em!

rozANDbenSINCE2001 · April 2016

My family is Thai so we also have TONS of cultural superstitions.
1. Stay away from spicy food or else baby will come out bald.
2. Make sure you place pictures of cute babies around your home so that your baby will also come out cute.
3. Don't talk about babies in a negative capacity (i.e. Mental health, physical health, disabilities, or even "ugliness") because you will curse your own unborn baby.
4. Don't eat pineapple core because it's bad luck.
I'm sure there are plenty more, but these are ones off the top of my head. My mom is insanely superstitious so it's a lot of fun...

jillianpardo · April 2016

Eat key lime pie to go into labor. My ob told me that when I got to 41 weeks. I think he was messing with me but I ate some and went into labor. Haha. Coincidence? I was 41 weeks already. Most likely

UponAStar16 · April 2016

This is for after pregnancy but I've heard a pretty grim one saying you shouldn't let your baby see its own reflection/look in a mirror until it's a year old.

booksandicecream · April 2016

I have noticed a lot of cultural differences surrounding pregnancy and especially early child care in Germany but very few old wives' tales. Two I have heard:
If you drink raspberry leaf tea you will go into labor.
If your face has a more chiseled look you will have a boy, if it's softer and rounder you will have a girl.

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

coffee89 · April 2016

RRL tea will put you in labor (There is some studies that point to it helping you to have an easier labor, but nothing saying it's going to put you in labor).

Girls steal your beauty. I broke out much worse with DS than baby girl.

If you carry high it's a girl. I carried DS about as high as he could get until he dropped in the last 3 weeks.

Walking in the 3rd tri is going to cause labor. If your baby is ready sure it can help move things along down there but I walked mile and miles daily and never dilated.

katlarissa · April 2016

books&icecream said:

I have noticed a lot of cultural differences surrounding pregnancy and especially early child care in Germany but very few old wives' tales. Two I have heard:
If you drink raspberry leaf tea you will go into labor.
If your face has a more chiseled look you will have a boy, if it's softer and rounder you will have a girl.

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

My lactation consultant actually told me that wearing bras constantly could cause plugged ducts, so that's probably where that comes from. I know the first day I wore a tight bra all day long after my son was born I ended up with plugged ducts the next day.(I had a really really healthy milk supply too, so somebody who has a light supply might not have that trouble.)

coffee89 · April 2016

katlarissa said:

books&icecream said:

I have noticed a lot of cultural differences surrounding pregnancy and especially early child care in Germany but very few old wives' tales. Two I have heard:
If you drink raspberry leaf tea you will go into labor.
If your face has a more chiseled look you will have a boy, if it's softer and rounder you will have a girl.

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

My lactation consultant actually told me that wearing bras constantly could cause plugged ducts, so that's probably where that comes from. I know the first day I wore a tight bra all day long after my son was born I ended up with plugged ducts the next day.(I had a really really healthy milk supply too, so somebody who has a light supply might not have that trouble.)

I had an oversupply and not wearing bras was not an option unless I wanted to be squirted everywhere all day. Treat your boobs like you always do and wear a good supportive bra that fits right and give them time to breath. A tight bra sounds horrible on a non-pregnant/lactating day.

kmvisioli · April 2016

books&icecream said:

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

There is actually truth to this. It depends on where the underwire hits on the side of your breast, but they can damage or block milk ducts and cause problems. I have larger breasts to begin with, so I need a good supportive bra even while nursing- all the lactation consultants I've met with suggest either a soft underwire (not really a wire, but still supportive) or one where the wire goes all the way up the side of your breast rather than stopping under the boob. Tight bras are also a no-no unless you are trying to decrease milk supply.

eta: sorry to hijack the thread, just want to make sure people have accurate information! I dealt with a lot of bf problems with my first, and it can be seriously painful and emotionally devastating.

katlarissa · April 2016

coffee89 said:

katlarissa said:

books&icecream said:

I have noticed a lot of cultural differences surrounding pregnancy and especially early child care in Germany but very few old wives' tales. Two I have heard:
If you drink raspberry leaf tea you will go into labor.
If your face has a more chiseled look you will have a boy, if it's softer and rounder you will have a girl.

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

My lactation consultant actually told me that wearing bras constantly could cause plugged ducts, so that's probably where that comes from. I know the first day I wore a tight bra all day long after my son was born I ended up with plugged ducts the next day.(I had a really really healthy milk supply too, so somebody who has a light supply might not have that trouble.)

I had an oversupply and not wearing bras was not an option unless I wanted to be squirted everywhere all day. Treat your boobs like you always do and wear a good supportive bra that fits right and give them time to breath. A tight bra sounds horrible on a non-pregnant/lactating day.

I dealt with the leaks and squirts all day. Haha. It was better than plugged ducts!

booksandicecream · April 2016

kmvisioli said:

books&icecream said:

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

There is actually truth to this. It depends on where the underwire hits on the side of your breast, but they can damage or block milk ducts and cause problems. I have larger breasts to begin with, so I need a good supportive bra even while nursing- all the lactation consultants I've met with suggest either a soft underwire (not really a wire, but still supportive) or one where the wire goes all the way up the side of your breast rather than stopping under the boob. Tight bras are also a no-no unless you are trying to decrease milk supply.

eta: sorry to hijack the thread, just want to make sure people have accurate information! I dealt with a lot of bf problems with my first, and it can be seriously painful and emotionally devastating.

Yeah I asked my gynecologist about it because I am also large chested and she said it's not a problem as long as the underwire sits firmly against the ribs, because the underwire digging into the boobs could agitate them. (which is also true if you're not pregnant)
I am going to wear underwires during pregnancy but buy a soft cup bra for days at home while breastfeeding. At least that's the plan!

sheviolentlyknits · April 2016

That silly Chinese gender chart has been wrong for both my kids, but the ring-on-a-chain thing has been right for both, and both my sister's, and my best friend's too!

Heartburn means you'll have a hairy baby. But actually I think heartburn just means you're freaking pregnant.

annabenanna · April 2016

My family is Filipino, so we have a ton of superstitions surrounding pregnancy:

1. Whatever you crave during pregnancy will somehow manifest itself in your baby's appearance. Say if you like chocolate, your baby will come out dark skinned, or if you like spaghetti, your baby will come out tall. Alternatively, if you don't give in to your cravings, your baby will come out really drooly. Lol

2. If you love your husband more than he loves you, the baby will come out lookin like him. If it's the other way around, the baby will come out looking like you.

3. You shouldn't cut your hair when pregnant. Your hair acts as a veil against the evil spirits around you. (there's actually a specific evil entity that preys on pregnant women and you ward it off, with, I shit you not, sleeping with a sting ray's tail under your pillow)

There's so many others I can't remember. I loved hearing my nanny tell me these folk stories when I was little.

annabenanna · April 2016

@rozANDbenSINCE2001, the part about surrounding yourself with cute baby pics is so similar to a superstition we have in Filipino culture where you're not supposed to look at ugly people when pregnant. Bwahahahaha. My mom was like "be careful when you're browsing Facebook. Hide all your ugly friends." and I'm like "mom, you've got to be kidding me"

sheviolentlyknits · April 2016

@annabenanna I hope the cravings don't manifest in this kid's appearance. All I want is seafood and I'm going to feel so guilty if he/she has gills or fins o.O

annabenanna · April 2016

Lol @sheviolentlyknits, you and me both! This baby will come out slippery, with a tail... Or curly and yellow (Mac and cheese)

jillianpardo · April 2016

books&icecream said:

kmvisioli said:

books&icecream said:

Another interesting thing I've heard a LOT is that underwire bras damage milk ducts and shouldn't be worn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

There is actually truth to this. It depends on where the underwire hits on the side of your breast, but they can damage or block milk ducts and cause problems. I have larger breasts to begin with, so I need a good supportive bra even while nursing- all the lactation consultants I've met with suggest either a soft underwire (not really a wire, but still supportive) or one where the wire goes all the way up the side of your breast rather than stopping under the boob. Tight bras are also a no-no unless you are trying to decrease milk supply.

eta: sorry to hijack the thread, just want to make sure people have accurate information! I dealt with a lot of bf problems with my first, and it can be seriously painful and emotionally devastating.

Yeah I asked my gynecologist about it because I am also large chested and she said it's not a problem as long as the underwire sits firmly against the ribs, because the underwire digging into the boobs could agitate them. (which is also true if you're not pregnant)
I am going to wear underwires during pregnancy but buy a soft cup bra for days at home while breastfeeding. At least that's the plan!

I'm with you on underwire. My boobs get too big even a soft underwire is useless. Ob is correct, as long as it fits properly it shouldn't be an issue. The only time I had issue with clogged ducts was when my milk first came in. It had nothing to do with the under wire in my case.

jillianpardo · April 2016

This is a fun thread

LauraPCOS · April 2016

When I was in high school I had a teacher that was pregnant and she would consistently slap herself on the butt when she had a craving. She said that when you're craving something, it means your baby is developing a birthmark and wherever you slap yourself, that's where the birthmark will be and it'll be in the shape of what you're craving. She said one of her friends was craving chicken and ending up smacking herself in the face for some reason and her baby had a birthmark like a drumstick on its face, so she was determined not to let that happen to her.

Ya I'm pretty sure she was crazy.

missmaehurt · April 2016

@LauraPCOS That's hilarious, and if it were true my mom would be craving butterflies and slapping herself on her thigh hahaha!

duckmay · April 2016

@LauraPCOS Wow, what an elaborate superstition!

kmtz89 · April 2016

these are awesome! I loved waking up to reading them.

@annabenanna Sting ray tail under the pillow? Wow. Guess I should start looking for a sting ray... hahah But seriously. Where do people get sting ray tails!?

@LauraPCOS That is elaborate! Wow. hah

duckmay · April 2016

Yeah, can you buy sting ray tails at the grocery store, or do you have to go to a natural medicine kind of store or an out-of-the-way stall at an outdoor market, or...? Or catch them yourself?

JamieK1882 · April 2016

No one told me this personally, but I've heard you shouldn't raise your arms above your head for fear the baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around its neck.

JaJuanY · April 2016

My in-laws are Taiwanese and believe that pregnant women shouldn't eat anything cold, because the body needs to stay hot to sustain the pregnancy, I guess. In the first trimester when I couldn't stomach anything except fruit, my husband came home one night and found me eating a fruit smoothie. He made some remark like he hopes his mother doesn't find out. First off, his mom is in Taipei, so how they heck would she find out what I was eating on that particular day? Second, really dude? I feel like crap and the only thing I can get down is a smoothie and you're giving me grief about what your mother would say about it?

katlarissa · April 2016

JamieK1882 said:

No one told me this personally, but I've heard you shouldn't raise your arms above your head for fear the baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around its neck.

My grandmother still firmly believes this.

mkc3888 · April 2016

JamieK1882 said:

No one told me this personally, but I've heard you shouldn't raise your arms above your head for fear the baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around its neck.

A friend of mine told me not to shave late in pregnancy for the same reason. She said specifically to not prop my leg up on a chair or anything to shave, but then said that's the only way to do it with a bump. She claims this was the reason her baby's cord was wrapped around her neck.

TurtleMomma · April 2016

That you need to "rough up" your nipples during pregnancy to get them ready for breastfeeding. (Total myth!)

emmaaa · April 2016

MIL told us that her MIL insisted that vacuuming while pregnant could cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby's neck. I don't believe it but I will gladly let DH vacuum.

booksandicecream · April 2016

@emmaaa I am totally using that!

LizaKate1213 · April 2016

@TurtleMomma ouch! I do believe, however, that by applying lanolin daily starting about a month prior to delivery, then after air drying after every feed, my nips were protected from the cracking/bleeding that so many moms experience! But I would never "rough them up." Yikes!

LauraPCOS · April 2016

TurtleMomma said:

That you need to "rough up" your nipples during pregnancy to get them ready for breastfeeding. (Total myth!)

How much do you wanna bet that a man came up with this one to guilt his baby mama into letting him play with the seriously swollen boobies?

edit: you know cause I suck

TurtleMomma · April 2016

LizaKate1213 said:

@TurtleMomma ouch! I do believe, however, that by applying lanolin daily starting about a month prior to delivery, then after air drying after every feed, my nips were protected from the cracking/bleeding that so many moms experience! But I would never "rough them up." Yikes!

Generally, cracking and bleeding is associated with bad latch due to things like tongue or lip ties. Neither of the things you described are harmful or bad in any way, but it sounds like your child had a good latch from the get go

TurtleMomma · April 2016

LauraPCOS said:

TurtleMomma said:

That you need to "rough up" your nipples during pregnancy to get them ready for breastfeeding. (Total myth!)

How much do you wanna bet that a man came up with this one to guilt his baby mama into letting him play with the seriously swollen boobies?

edit: you know cause I suck

One OWT said to use brillo pads! EEEEEEK!

katlarissa · April 2016

LizaKate1213 said:

@TurtleMomma ouch! I do believe, however, that by applying lanolin daily starting about a month prior to delivery, then after air drying after every feed, my nips were protected from the cracking/bleeding that so many moms experience! But I would never "rough them up." Yikes!

I know that using lanolin super faithfully was at least part of why I didn't have problems with cracked nipples. @TurtleMommaMy mama did tell me months in advance that I should be roughing my nipples up. She breastfed six kids, and apparently the only one she had difficulty with was the one she didn't "prepare" for. My lactation consultant said I absolutely shouldn't do that, and that it could often cause more harm than good!

NicholeL16 · April 2016

Someone told me last night that my hiccups mean I'm going to have a hairy babe. I hope that's not true because I absolutely love a bald baby.

Want a personalized experience?

Urban legends/Cultural myths/Old wives tales

Re: Urban legends/Cultural myths/Old wives tales

Choose Another Board

Search Boards