Before the internet, expectant and new mothers had to navigate pregnancy and the aftermath with little to no idea of what to expect. Thanks to the world wide web, however, expectant mothers are privy to a host of information, most of which is either wrong or applies only to a small portion of the pregnancy population. While the unexpected is certainly scary, birthing myths and misinformation create unrealistic expectations for women.
Some expectations will have little to no impact on their or their fetuses’ health, while others can be harmful on both a physical and emotional level. It’s important to be able to discern fact from fiction so you can have a healthy, happy pregnancy and birth.
Check out these birthing myths are absurd, harmful, and in need of being dispelled.
1. Eating Spicy Foods Helps Start Labor
If you like spicy foods, great; there’s no harm in giving this old wives’ tale a try. However, eating spicy curry, hot sauce, and jalapeño poppers while pregnant is more likely to result in heartburn than it will labor.