When you’re pregnant, it seems like everyone and their mother wants to give you pregnancy advice. But much of their so-called “advice” is outdated or just plain wrong. A family member gave the advice to me when I was pregnant: “Don’t eat beets - they’re bad for the baby.” Wha??? Spoiler alert: My OBGYN had never heard of said beet advice.
Anywho, we’re here to dispel some of the biggest pregnancy myths that you may have heard from your very own mother-in-law - or elsewhere.
Myth
Don’t stress: It’ll hurt the baby.
Truth
The pressure we put on pregnant women is immense. And then, on top of it, we tell them not to stress, because their mental state could actually hurt their fetus. But the truth is stress is actually good for the lil munchkin (not that we want you to stress). A new study found that stress will help the fetus with its development. In fact, women who had some stress during their pregnancy delivered infants who had brains that worked faster than those of mothers who were stress-free. Do you live a stress-free life? If yes, we’re super jelly. If not, samesies.
Myth
You need to exercise less when you’re pregnant.
Truth
When you pop on your exercise clothing and hit the gym - or even take a walk - your fetus gets a workout too, studies find. The babies of pregnant women who exercise have been shown to have lower pre-term birth rates and are healthier in general than those of parents who don’t exercise during pregnancy. So grab the spandex and start sweating stat.
Myth
Most pregnant women are happy and glowing throughout their pregnancies.
Truth
If you feel depressed or anxious, you’re totally normal. About 20% of pregnant women suffer from mood disorders, according to recent research. You may have totally wanted this pregnancy (or not), but you may still feel sad, anxious and many other feelings. Blame the hormones, not yourself.
Myth
You should stop eating so much chocolate.
Truth
This is our favorite truthism by far. A new study found that pregnant women who eat chocolate daily have babies who smile and laugh more often at 6 months than those who have mothers who restrict their chocolate intake (probably because the babies enjoyed the chocolate as well, but that’s just our guess.). And eating five or more servings of chocolate weekly during your third trimester has been linked with a 40% lower risk of developing preeclampsia. Life is a box of chocolates and we’ll eat the whole damn thing.
Myth
If you didn’t exercise before you were pregnant, you can’t start working out now.
Truth
You can totally start now. In fact, prenatal workouts are very good for you and for your baby. After clearing this with your doctor, start gradually with a low-impact workout such as yoga or a long walk, and work your way up to a 30-minute workout three-to-five times per week.
Myth
You need to stay away from caffeine.
Truth
Don’t worry, you don’t need to get rid of your coffee. Recent studies find that a moderate amount of caffeine is safe for you and your lil one. You can consume up to 200 mg of caffeine daily, which is equivalent to a 12 oz cup of coffee. Just remember that caffeine is also present in chocolate, soda and in many types of tea - so if you’re upping your cocoa intake (see above myth), you’ll probably have to drink less coffee to accommodate it.
All of that said, you get to decide how to navigate your pregnancy. Whether it is coffee or beets, following your own intuition and your heath care team's advice is always the safest bet. You got this, mama!