Tuesday 8 January 2013

Reality vs Myth (pregnancy)


Here are a few things that either I believed would happen from popular culture (episodes of Trash TV and the Daily Mail gossip pages mainly, don't judge me) or things that people have told me...

Your boobs will grow, possible even before you know you're pregnant (this was from a friend, and then a pregnancy book told me I will need to be re measured every 8-10 weeks ish to 'accommodate' the growth)
Reality for me: Nothing. Nada, I will just about fill a B cup. This is one the few things I was actually looking forward to, having actual boobs! but no. Week 18 arrived and I am in the same pre-bump bras.

If your mothers ankles didn't swell yours wont (this came from husbands mother)
Reality: not so far, but I highly doubt that history will repeat itself in any shape or form here, as she didn't even  realise she was pregnant with me till she almost lost me, then was told to drink a can of Guinness a day to help anaemia. She also smoked, maybe that's the secret to non swelling ankles. 3 people I have asked had all said they swelled to gargantuan sizes, and one even had a bone in her foot BREAK because of it. Crutches and a 7 month bump, poor her.

Take it easy and rest up (various people)
Reality: Actually it has been proven that exercising during pregnancy can help to have a  less stressful birth (although obviously if you have been told by a DOCTOR to rest, then do!) and it can also help post-partum recovery, as well as to combat stress and help you sleep better (As if you have any problem sleeping in the first trimester anyway!)  Personally I walk a lot anyway, plus have a fairly active job, and have been swimming when I can and was kindly given some pregnancy yoga classes for Christmas. I really enjoyed yoga but stopped about a year ago when I gave up my gym membership, but it always was an excellent way to de stress and stretch.

"OH MY GOD YOU JUST ATE A PEANUT!!" accompanied by a look akin to that of watching me skin a puppy, followed up with, "the kids going to be allergic now"
Reality: It's complete tosh. Unless of course I was allergic to peanuts, but then eating them would make me a complete twonk.

Use cocoa butter/oil/something so you never get stretch marks.
Reality: If you are going to get them you are going to get them, sad fact of life. However applying copious amounts of moisture will help to keep the skin supple and help the skin heal if you do get stretch marks, in turn helping the appearance look less severe.

You can eat for two now, lucky you!
Reality: I wish. Admittedly some days I am eating more than I should, but if you cant get fat when you're baking a baby when can you? You actually only need around 300 extra calories a day, if you were a healthy bmi when you got impregnated.

If you get heartburn you'll give birth to a baby with a full head of hair. 
REALLY strange woman I encountered at work, really?! just no.

Oh, you FLEW whilst pregnant?
Yes, I did it at 12 weeks and I am about to do it again at 21 weeks. Unless you have been told not to, then it's fine up until the last few weeks, because who wants to have a baby born on a plane? (It doesn't give the kid free flights forever/an automatic passport to where they are headed... I know this because a friend who works for Virgin often had ladies from Africa go into labour on a flight to England  accompanied with a Drs note saying they were only 21 weeks when they were quite clearly full term) However if you DO fly, get up and walk about a bit every hour, and attempt to book a seat near the loo.

Any other ridiculous myths people have mentioned/judged you for?


8 comments:

  1. You know, I had ridiculous heartburn at the end (last two months) it was so severe that I was sick every night. It was like backwards morning sickness. The funniest thing was even though my daughter was two weeks early she had a full head of fluffy black hair!! Likewise with my sister & nephew! It was probably just coincidence but it did make me laugh.

    My favourite ones are the myths behind how you can tell if it's a girl or a boy! But then again the hospital told me she was a boy, we'd called the bump Charlie James since finding out then low and behold she was a wee girl :)

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    1. Ahhh! so you really didnt know she was a girl till she arrived?! that's crazy, but I guess fairly easy for them to make mistakes! I really hope I don't get it that bad, poor you! x

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    2. Nope, at my 20 week scan they told me she was a boy. I'd never ask to know again after that!

      Amy x cocktailsinteacups.blogspot.co.uk

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  2. Oh and I always ate peanuts, she isn't allergic :) however I think eating well is vital! I ate 5 fruit & veg a day until I was 6 months (and then all I craved was sugar & cake) and touch wood my daughter has a great immune system. My sister ate badly due to morning sickness and my nephews is terrible!

    Stretch marks are unavoidable if you are going to get them! I'm living proof! I moisturise religiously due to my dry and sensitive skin and I got them in the last three weeks. They aren't awful like some people's but it just proves you can layer on the cream and it'll make no difference.

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  3. Y'see, I didn't get heartburn until about six months in and D did have hair, so there's a way to go yet! I just knew from about ten weeks he was a boy as well... they did a survey asking mums what they thought they had and about 70% were right.. weird!

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  4. The peanut thing really makes me laugh. It is a recommendation that is made on the back of one (not very large) study. I was craving peanut butter early on in pregnancy, and so ate it. I also love a snickers. I am on my third baby now, so pushing it, but I am hoping to escape yet again without stretch marks because it is largely a genetic thing.

    I tend to get lots of people commenting that I look like I need to put weight on. Similarly, my friend is being told by strangers that she must be carrying twins! I had a growth scan today, and although I am small, my baby is actually quite big. It is odd how people feel it is ok to voice their opinions about you so freely once you are pregnant.

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    1. Someone asked me if I was having twins the other day, which I found a bit rude! I try and take it all with a pinch of salt but do have to bit my tongue at times!

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    2. Blimey, it's not just me then. Last week in Aldi a woman stared at my bump and told me "ooh it's going to be a bruiser!" after I told her I was 18 weeks. I replied "er, probably not - I just had a lot of squidge to begin with." She looked rather embarrassed then, which I thought was hilarious :)

      I'm getting a bit grumpy with all "in your second trimester you'll be feeling amazing!" stuff, because I'm still quite feeling a lot of nausea and vomiting every now and again. It's different for everyone, with each pregnancy, but there's just so much generalisation that goes on!

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