Does Anyone believe myths about Pregnancy

[onecoolmama]

Let me start off by saying that I dont believe in myths and superstitions. But my In-Laws are Filipino and they believe very strongly in these.

Here is the newest one. I am in the begining stages of building a house..meaning I close on the land soon and I just settled on a builder and a house.

MIL called my DH at work today and explained that we could not build a house because we cannot start digging. Something about being pregnant and digging was bad.

Has anyone heard this one that could tell me exactly what is suppose to happen if I start digging while I am pregnant?

And add yours to this too. If you have heard a strange pregnancy myth..please share.

DH just found one that says Filipino's believe that if you eat Eggplant while you are pregnant you will have a dark skinned baby.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

The only reason I can see why digging might be bad is if you are putting a lot of physical strain on your body to do so.

As for eggplants...I don't know...I think the only way you will have a dark skinned baby is if someone in one of the parents families , or the parents themselves have dark skin.

Or if the baby spends a lot of time tanning.

 

[crz4mm2]

Can't go to a funeral and look at the dead body or the baby will Be born with a scar.
Don't lift your arms over your head (like when hanging up clothes on a clothesline) or the cord will be wrapped around the baby's neck.
Lots of heartburn= lots of hair on the baby's head.
Carry boys high, carry girls low.
Carry girls high, carry girls low. (LOL!)

I am a midwife so have heard lots and lots...
Give me time and I'll be able to think of more.

 

[CamColt]

I dont believe any of those. I love when people swear by that ancient Chinese boy/girl chart. Theres a 50/50 chance there. Of course it will be right a lot. BTW, it was wrong for both of mine.

The funniest Ive heard was my ultrasound tech told me she has heard of women peeing in Draino. Supposedly if it turns 1 color the baby is a boy, if it turns another, its a girl.

 

[phillybeth]

Maybe digging could somehow be associated with a grave? I know many cultures have superstitions where pregnant women are not supposed to look at open graves, dead bodies etc.
Are you going to be doing the digging yourself?
One side of my family believes that it is bad luck to have anything in the home for the baby prior to the baby benig born. I once asked what about second babies where you have the crib etc already and no one could answer me

 

[Auggietina]

I DID have A LOT of heartburn... and dd was born with A LOT of hair!

You should have heard the "I told you so"s I got!

Did the draino test too....
Brown for girl, blue/green for boy (if I remember correctly)

Anyway.... it turned the color it was suppose to for girl

 

[Angel717]

Don't lift your arms over your head (like when hanging up clothes on a clothesline) or the cord will be wrapped around the baby's neck.

My MIL told me this one each time I was pregnant and with my last pregnancy I finally told her that it was a myth. She didn't believe me.

 

[onecoolmama]

That was my thought too..like you are digging the baby's grave. but No I am not doing the digging myslef. the builders are. I am still researching it becuse my MIL honestly believes it and while I am not willing to move the project back (I will lose about 15k doing this) I am willing to see if there is a way to combat it so that she will feel better.

But in my research I found this one. i wish we still believed this..man could I go for some doting!LOL

In the 1600s in England, the belief was that if a pregnant woman's desires were frustrated, their resulting anger could cause them to miscarry. In order to prevent such miscarriages, physicians told husbands to dote on their spouse's every wish and craving.

 

[Microcell]

Why spit in the face of fate? Don't dig!! I have two kids who are filipino and I must have gotten some eggplant somewhere, because DS is kinda dark. None at all with DD- I ate the oppisite of eggplant with her!

 

[Microcell]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
[

As for eggplants...I don't know...I think the only way you will have a dark skinned baby is if someone in one of the parents families , or the parents themselves have dark skin.

Or if the baby spends a lot of time tanning. [/B]

As I said before, DD and DS are Filipino but only 1/4 DD has the fold on corner of her eyes and pale skin while DS has nice tan complection- but no filipino eyes. Do you know someone actually told me when he was 4 months old that it was irresponsible of me to let him tan so much!!!

 

[phillybeth]

Well, you're not doing the digging, how about if you promise your MIL not to look at the hole or even drive by until the foundation is poured.

 

[onecoolmama]

I was trying to find a way to combat the myth. For example one filipino myth was to not hold a baby that you find adorable or your baby will be ugly. However, if you spit on the baby's head once you leave..the curse is lifted.

Now I dont want people to knwo this becuase I dont want my kids spit on..but if there is a way to combat the digging such as throw pumpkin seeds into it..or something..I would be willing to do it just to keep her mind at ease.

I wouldnt even feel so bad, but DH kept laughing at her. She kept telling him that it wasnt a laughing matter, but he just kept laughing and telling her she was being rediculous. Now I agree that it is a bit absurd...but she truly believes this. I guess I am more sensitive to his culture then he is!!! LOL!

 

[Christine]

Hmmmm....

When I sold my house and bought my new one I got pregnant (right before we went to settlement on the old house). The builders started digging while I was about 3-4 months pregnant.

My son was born with a peanut allergy and he has asthma. So far, that's the worst that has happened to him.

I know, not very helpful was I?

 

[goofygirl]

www.snopes.com has some good myths.


there's also the myth that you can't get pregnant "the first time". haha...according to my mother, I am living proof that this myth is busted! Her "first time" produced ME!

Some of my family members also believe its bad luck to give baby stuff before the baby is born. I suppose this goes back to the days when there was a lot of infant mortality and people would not get baby things til they were sure they had a baby who was going to live.

 

[disneychrista]

If the mothers face changes the baby will be a boy. A Filipino man I worked with told me that my second (daughter) would be a boy because my face changed.

 

[Gwene65]

My MIL is Chinese and while I don't remember specific things she told me, I know she barked tons of do's and don'ts.

One thing she did was to buy us an alter for our home (I'm in no way a Buddist) and she put all kinds of things on it, like fruit and figurines. She also bought tons of incense and made us light it every morning and say a prayer. Now mind you-I was only 2 months along by this point and even the look of the sticks of incense made me nautious. So needless to say I was very unhappy that that alter made it into my home. Even thinking of it now is making me ill!

 

[welovedisneyx4]

We have a favorite Chinese restaurant we go to alot and we went the week before my DD was due. The owner of the restaurant, an elderly Chinese lady, said to me "Chinese food make you have baby" and sure enough, the next morning I went into labor and 3 1/2 hours later had a 10 lb. 2 oz. DD (but that's another story!) My family made sure to stop by the restaurant and tell them and that is the first place we took DD out in public to. (also, the 1st place we took DS to after he was born)