MYTHBUSTERS: THE PREGNANCY EDITION

We love a good trivia here at Premama. Let’s see how many myths about being pregnant you can spot!

  • 1. Abdominal crunches are not safe.
  • You can do crunches in the first trimester if you were doing them regularly before getting pregnant. Ab workouts are not recommended in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters because they can cause diastasis recti (a separation of the abdominal muscles after giving birth). If you're looking for a great way to stay active while pregnant, you should definitely check out the benefits of prenatal yoga.

  • 2. It’s ok to drink a glass of wine during pregnancy.
  • Alcohol in any quantity has not been proven safe during pregnancy. We prefer to err on the side of caution. Here’s an excellent New York Times article on this topic written by an OB.

  • 3. It’s not ok to eat sushi.
  • It is ok to eat sushi if it’s from a very safe, high-quality source. The trouble with raw fish (or raw meat and eggs, for that matter) is that it’s not easy to know where it’s sourced. Our verdict is that sushi can be a once-in-a-while food, and only from a reputable sushi restaurant.

  • 4. Don’t eat nuts. It’ll make your baby allergic.
  • Uh, no. There is absolutely no scientific evidence behind this. Unless you’re allergic yourself, you can keep nuts in your healthy snack rotation.

  • 5. Cocoa butter helps avoid stretch marks.
  • Sadly, probably not. Keeping your growing belly moisturized can keep with skin elasticity, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to try. But cocoa butter, or any moisturizer for that matter, has never been shown to help avoid stretch marks.

  • 6. Coffee and caffeinated tea are not pregnancy-safe.
  • Should you drink coffee while pregnant? Caffeine does increase the risk of early miscarriage in the first trimester, so we would say it’s worth being cautious. Our Energy Boost Drink Mix is a great alternative to caffeine during pregnancy. It helps you stay hydrated and gives your energy levels a pregnancy-safe lift, without any afternoon crashes or affecting nighttime sleep.

  • 7. Don’t change a cat’s litter box.
  • True. There is a small risk of contracting toxoplasmosis. It’s the perfect excuse to delegate this task to your partner. (Insert evil laughter.)

  • 8. You shouldn’t dye your hair during pregnancy.
  • There is no scientific evidence that dyeing your hair during pregnancy is unsafe. The American Pregnancy Association’s verdict: safe.

  • 9. Don’t sleep on your back.
  • It is preferable to sleep on your side, but if you find yourself on your back, it’s not a big deal. The reason it’s not recommended to sleep on your back is because you have a large blood vessel (the inferior vena cava) responsible for bringing blood up to your head and heart. If that blood vessel is compressed, you could get lightheaded. But most likely, if it were compressed, you’d turn over by yourself naturally, so don’t sweat it.

  • 10. Sex during pregnancy can hurt the baby.
  • Absolutely untrue. Your baby is protected, floating in an amniotic sac, surrounded by the muscles of the uterus. Nothing’s touching the baby.

    These are some of the top pregnancy myths and facts we've heard. How’d you do? We bet you nailed it!

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