5 Pregnancy Misconceptions To Stay Away From

Congratulations! Being pregnant is one of the greatest moments you can ever experience in life as a woman. Pregnancy may cause you to feel a mixture of emotions: You’re excited, thrilled, and happy about adding a new member to the family. At the same time, you’re overwhelmed, nervous, and worried about your baby’s health and wellbeing, which is completely normal. Bearing another living being in your belly will never be easy, regardless of how many times you’ve gone through it.

One challenging part of pregnancy is taking notes of what you can dos and what not to do for you and your baby. Sometimes, you hear a lot of tips from your mother, friends, and your doctor. Ultimately, too much information from different sources can either guide you or mislead you. To help you sort fact from fiction, here are five pregnancy misconceptions you must stay away from when you’re expecting:

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1. Exercising While Pregnant Is Dangerous For You And Your Baby

One well-known misconception that still exists today is that exercising is dangerous for you and your baby. But the truth is, just like quality sleep and a healthy diet, exercise is also essential for your pregnancy. Among the benefits you get from regular exercise during your pregnancy include the following:

Reduces back pain
Promotes healthy weight during pregnancy
Boosts your overall fitness as preparation for labour
Reduce your risk for caesarean delivery, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes

As much as exercising is good for your pregnancy, make sure you consult your doctor first before performing any physical activity. This way, you’ll know which exercises are best for your baby and your condition. They’d often recommend you to get at least 15 to 30 minutes of exercise 4 times a week.

That said, you must stay away from intense, high-impact exercises which could put you at risk for injuries, such as weightlifting, biking, and jumping ropes. Instead, consult your doctor to help you organize a pregnancy exercise plan. In conjunction with your expert medical advice, you can also refer to pregnancy fitness programs such as 28’s Pregnancy Workout available online or those suggested by physical therapists in your area.

2. Never Dye Your Hair During Pregnancy

While it’s true that you need to avoid any chemical exposure during your pregnancy, one study suggests that dyeing your hair while pregnant is perfectly safe and harmless. The chemicals from hair dyes are not highly toxic, and a minimal amount is only absorbed from your skin or scalp. However, it’s still all right if you prefer not to dye your hair during your pregnancy for safety precautions.

On the flip side, if you’re pregnant and work as a hairdresser, remember to wear high-quality gloves and face masks when dyeing your customers’ hair to avoid inhaling the fumes from the dye’s chemicals. Lastly, make sure you’re working in a well-ventilated area.

3. You Need To Eat For Two

Another prevalent misconception is that you need to eat food good for two every time you eat. In reality, there’s no evidence that can prove the saying that you need to eat twice as much when you’re pregnant. The amount of extra food and calories you eat when pregnant will only depend on your weight, height, and how active you are during your pregnancy. But generally, most pregnant women can only eat an extra 300 to 450 calories and follow the recommendation of taking 2,000 calories per day.

Overeating during pregnancy can be harmful to you and especially your baby. Rather than focusing on calories, pay attention to the quality and the nutrient content of the food you eat. This way, you can ensure that you’re gaining a healthy weight from healthy foods.

4. It’s Dangerous To Take A Bath While Pregnant

Everyone knows proper hygiene is essential. However, just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you need to compromise your hygiene and avoid taking a bath at all. Overall, taking a bath while pregnant is completely harmless, as long you’re mindful of the water’s temperature.

Bathing in 100 °F water can put you at risk for birth complications, fainting, and dehydration. Thus, it’s best you avoid submerging yourself in hot tubs, steam baths, and saunas. Instead, you can relax and enjoy a warm bath at home, as this helps relieve body pains and aches associated with your bump’s weight.

5. Pregnant Women Shouldn’t Pet Or Keep Cats At Home

If you have cats at home, you need not give them away once you’re expecting. Petting, feeding, or playing with your cat is perfectly safe for your pregnancy. However, toxoplasmosis can be contracted from the cat’s stool and can be highly dangerous for your baby. Once you’re infected, your first symptom is the flu, while your baby is at risk for brain damage, vision loss, stillbirth, or, worse, miscarriage.

For safety precautions, avoid handling your cat’s stool or even their litter box. Instead, you can ask someone else to clean the litter box, or you can wear thick gloves and a face mask while doing the task and wash your hands thoroughly right away.

Takeaway

With so much information out there, it’s not surprising if you have countless questions about your pregnancy and wonder what’s fact from fiction. If you have any questions, concerns, or clarifications about your pregnancy, don’t hesitate to consult your midwife or doctor, no matter how weird your questions may be. After all, the more informed you are, the more you’ll enjoy your pregnancy journey.