50 myths you'll hear now you're pregnant

50 pregnancy myths and pieces of advice you'll here now that you're pregnant

There’s nothing quite like the well-meaning pregnancy advice of a ‘helpful’ mother-in-law or great aunt Ida to get us laughing until our pelvic floors can stand no more. From not hanging out the washing (the umbilical cord will end up around bub’s neck, don’t you know) to avoiding pineapple so your baby has smooth skin, we’re diving into the strange advice you’ll hear now that you’re pregnant.

We’re also revealing the endless pregnancy myths that seem to get passed down from generation to generation – from what you can and can’t eat, to avoiding stretch marks. We asked our huge community of Mum’s Grapevine mums to spill the beans on the things they’ve been told now that they’re pregnant, and their answers don’t disappoint.

Here are 50 weird and wonderful things you’ll hear now that you’re pregnant.

50 things you’ll hear now you’re pregnant

1. “That you can somehow magically tell the sex of the baby by the shape of mum’s belly.” – Jacqui

2. “That wherever you are itchy on your body during the pregnancy is where the baby will have a birthmark!” – Tahlia

3. “That baby brain is a total myth! Why did I put my keys in the freezer then?!” – Nat

4. “If you eat pineapple baby will have rough skin.” – Kate

5. “The shape of the hairline of your first child will determine the sex of the next child. If it’s straight across the back it will be the same sex, if it comes to a point it will be the opposite.” – Freya

6.”That morning sickness only happens in the morning. So, so wrong!” – Edith

7. “Holding a necklace over/in front of your belly with your wedding ring strung on it. And if it goes in circles or back and forth you can determine the sex.” – Marie

8. “Hanging out the washing (lifting arms above head) will cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby’s neck. I laughed out loud when my MIL told me that one! So did my OB when I asked her!” – Natalee

9. “That if you wear fitted clothes the baby can’t grow.” – Tammy

10. “Heartburn = baby will have lots of hair!” – Tara

11. “Don’t scratch your belly when it itches … it will give you stretch marks! I scratched like crazy and didn’t get any!” – Amber

12. “The brown line down your belly means you’re having a girl and eating strawberries will cause a birthmark. I had/did both and neither came true. What a load of garbage!” – Alice

13. “If you carry out the front it’s a boy, carry all around it’s a girl. I carried all mine out front like a basketball shoved up my shirt and had two boys and one girl.” – Louise

14. “That if you pee on bicarb soda and it fizzes ur having a boy … Lol!” – Jamee

15. “I was told If you eat plenty of sweet potatoes, then you can have twins.” – Kayla

16. “The salty or sweet food cravings determine the sex.” – Paige

17. “That pregnancy makes you glow and feel a million bucks! Haha!” – Taryn

18. “That pregnancy is not an illness. It may not be in itself but for some, it is extremely debilitating.” – Rosalie

19. “Eat pineapple, it will bring on the labour. Nope.” – Lauren

20. “Your baby will have a birthmark in the shape of the food you craved.” – Linda

21. “I shouldn’t get my hair dyed because of the chemicals.” – Rach

22. “Don’t eat fish in your first trimester, heard this from an English friend. Weird.” – Emma

23. “Mayan pregnancy predictor – your birth year + your child’s birth year = even = girl. Odd = boy.” – Jess

24. “If you eat too many oranges whilst carrying, the baby will come out with orange skin.” – Gaynor

25. “Swallowing grounded pepper will bring on labour.” – Clara

26. “Drinking tea during pregnancy will heighten the risk of peanut allergy.” – Jasmin

27. “If you have sex slow and sensual, it’s a boy. Hard and fast, a girl! Like seriously?!” – Mel

28. “If you have a shock and touch a part of your body the baby will have a birthmark where you touched … crazy.” – Kim

29. “Not to get a filling in my tooth because it’s bad for the baby.” – Briar

30. “If you don’t have or only mild morning sickness it’s a boy!” – Christy

31. “Cold to touch tummy indicates girl and if it’s hot you’ll get a boy.” – Kavita

32. “If you hit a certain part of your body or get a bruise your baby will get a bruise too.” – Channice

33. “My MIL told me if you stay mad at someone during your pregnancy, the baby will end up looking like them!” – Brandy

34. “You’re more likely to go into labour during a full moon.” – Kirsty

35. “If the father of your baby puts on weight during your pregnancy, it means you’re having a girl.” – Kate

36. “You can tell if you’re having a boy or a girl by the heart rate of bub.” – Marnie

37. “You shouldn’t get a massage during pregnancy. So crazy, it’s when I needed it the most! And my midwife said it’s perfectly safe.” – Meaghan

38. “My sister told me I have to get rid of the cat while I’m pregnant. Nope – just need someone else to change the kitty litter.” – Sandy

39. “That if I get a cold, my unborn baby can catch it too!” – Faith

40. “I should stop wearing high heels.” – Cindy

41. “I shouldn’t go to a rock concert because it’s bad for my unborn baby.” – Tarlee

42. “Eat for two. I’m having triplets so does that mean I get fourths at dinner?!” – Kirsten

43. “That I have to be ‘well-groomed’ down there before I give birth or my baby will get carpet burn! I actually laughed out loud!” – Caroline

44. “Eating white foods, eg. coconut, white chocolate will make the baby’s skin fair, eating dark food like dark chocolate will make the baby dark skinned. And spicy food will make the baby bad-tempered.” – Urvishi

45. “That I can’t eat honey because it’s bad for babies, even while they’re in our belly.” – Sharnie

46. “Don’t have a bath, it will drown the baby. Um, ok …” – Thea

47. “Spicy food causes heartburn. Spicy food was all I could keep down, especially with my first.” – Shilo

48. “If your first baby is well-behaved, your second will be a handful.” – Prishma

49. “Going ten pin bowling will hurt my baby. Don’t think so!” – Jane

50. “Rub your nipples with sandpaper to toughen them up for breastfeeding. Wait, what?!” – Lily