40 Of The Most Idiotic Pieces of Advice Ever Given To Pregnant Women, As Shared In This Online Group
Pregnancy is a very delicate period of time in a woman’s life. After all, they’re growing a teeny-tiny human being inside of them who can’t fend for themselves and thus relies heavily on their mother making the right decisions in life.
And when you become pregnant and people find out (or eventually start noticing) about it, there’s also bound to be an expert or two popping up, giving you advice on how to properly be pregnant. Because people.

Image Credit: Jerry Lai
Reddit user u/FuzzyTortoise asked the pregnant women and mothers of Reddit what was some of the worst or even craziest advice someone has ever given them about their pregnancies. And many women delivered.
Check out some of the worst advice anyone could ever give a pregnant lady in the neatly curated list below. And while you’re down there, vote, comment, and share some of the craziest advice you’ve ever been given on your pregnancy.
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Currently pregnant, and currently dealing with my mother who became an anti vaxxer 13 years ago. I had no idea, just found out recently when I mentioned I got my tdap and flu shot and I asked if everyone in the family was caught up because the baby is due next month and flu season is right around the corner. She called me a [fudging] idiot for putting "rotting DNA" in my body while pregnant. She refuses to get a flu shot, so I refuse to let her see her first grandchild. Not taking chances with my kids life because you cant be bothered to do legitimate research or listen to me when I try and explain it to her.
I have recently blocked my mother from my life because of the damage she could do to my children. Not only is she anti vax she also enjoys a cult.
I feel you and I believe my mother joined that same cult. She chose it over grandchildren.
Load More Replies...Look, the remark is crazy as hell.. But.. in most of Europe, the flu shot is hardly given to healthy people. If you are not in a risk group or working health care, I wouldn't even know where to get one..
In the UK you can get one at pretty much any pharmacy.
Load More Replies...You are doing the right thing! The health and safety of your child is so much more important that someone's uninformed opinion. Hugs and best wishes to you!
Well, not taking the flu vaccine doesn't mean you're antivaxxer.. For a healthy normal person this is not an absolutle necessity unlike other vaccines that help prevent the spreading of deadly diseases.
It might not be an absolute necessity to you but if you choose to not get it and get the flu you're endangering those around you. Stop being selfish and think about others. The world doesn't revolve around you
Load More Replies...Not sure about the extreme reaction on this one. The flu shot is only guess and is only effective some of the time anyway.
My adorable father in law told me I HAD to deliver vaginally. If I had a C section, I wouldn't love my baby as much because I didn't suffer for him. First of all, the kid was comfortably sitting and was NOT turning around, you utter [bung]hole. I was not about to risk my kid's life in a feet first delivery, no sir. Second, a C section is a major surgery and a pain in the ass, believe me, I did suffer. You try being cut open like that while awake and then deal with a feisty colicky new born while recovering from it. Third, really? I need to feel pain in order to love my child? I can't even. Fourth, you don't even have a uterus, old man. Zip it.
Actually it's true. As a father I found I was incapable of loving my child until I stubbed my toe on the way to the vending machine in the delivery ward. Until I felt that suffering I found it impossible to love. Science be crazy that way.
What reasonable father-in-law would even tell his child's wife she had to "deliver vaginally". That's just creepy.
Also, does he love his children? He never pushed them out in agony.
Load More Replies...So that would mean that fathers won't love their children as much because they didn't give birth.
This coming from a guy is just, well just mind your business mate, you turd.
Even if a c-section was painless this is ridiculous.. I'm pretty sure someone who carried a child they want under their heart for 9 months probably have already loved the child for as long as they known of the child's existence if not longer.
When I found out I was pregnant a 4th time (3 losses in row) I heard so many from strangers mine isn’t necessarily advice but more open mouth insert foot “Are you SURE this one is going to work?” I was also told if I was on my cell phone or around my modem/router it would cause brain damage to my unborn child. She’s 4, perfectly healthy, no brain damage and let’s just say it took a lot of medical attention to get her to full term. What caused my miscarriages they said my hormones couldn’t sustain a pregnancy and after the 3rd I was told that with my hormone levels getting pregnant again wouldn’t happen. She was a surprise and the best one ever. It took an educated doctor that wanted the best outcome. Previous doctors just looked at my history and was like sorry for your loss maybe next time will go better.. The best day of my husband and mines life was finding out that she was alive, thriving and having an amazing doctor who moved heaven and earth to make sure she’d make it. He was at work when I found out he actually yelled and his entire office heard him he almost ran around the office he was more excited than me!
My aunt (a pediatrician) went through a similar struggle. Their daughter was pregnancy 4 or 5 and it took 4 months in hospital to manage her medications and hormone supplements around the clock. Luckily their healthcare was good and they’d saved up for IVF if the fifth natural pregnancy didn’t work out. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Her mother told her to quit her job, because her body must smell she’s around so many sick kids and refused to add a child to that environment. You know, how we throw up when someone else does because our body fears we ate the same poison. She told her mom that that was impossible, incredibly cruel, but also that she didn’t care to be angry with her because any stress on the pregnancy was too much. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ She visited her former patients at the child wing every week and she believes it kept her calm enough to make it to 8 months. I’m so incredibly glad to hear you two got your precious healthy child. It’s something irreplaceable.
Who says "are you sure this time is going to work" at a woman that lost three babies!!!😡😡😡
Honestly a LOT of doctors should NOT be doctors. I genuinely don’t know mine got a degree. I have having breathing problems and she literally said “it’s all in your head” A real doctor did an x-ray was able to determine that I had inflammation and gave me meds.
Most doctors anymore give your health issues any kind of excuse, just so they can bill your insurance or you, for the full 15 to 20 minutes. I have Cellulitis in both my legs, and 2 different ER doctors on two different occasions told me to use homeopathic soap to wash the Cellulitis away, and the other one was literally in early 20's and told me I was wrong. He said it wasn't Cellulitis and gave me water pills...guess who still has Cellulitis?
Load More Replies...I was chaperoning a field trip once and watched a parent volunteer tell a kid (not her kid) that the cell phone his parents gave him could cause brain cancer. She backed this up by saying she is an RN. The look on that poor kids face broke my heart. I could just tell he was considering that dingbat an expert on the subject and wondering why his parents would put him in danger.
No one gets to question your choices in this matter. I'm happy for you :) my own mother lost some before me. Miscarriage isn't as uncommon as we wish it were
I would never understand that deep necessity for reproduction in a planet at the brink of an ecological disaster, overpopulated... and with orphanages fill with abandoned children waiting for a home... Why, oh why do you people NEED that the children be "yours", will the child need your "special genes" to extract a sword from a rock when he reaches the proper age or what??? For f*ck sakes, people... adopt!!!
My labor should be painless because Jesus died and erased the “pain during childbirth” penalty humans got from Eve. If I feel pain, it’s because I don’t believe in Jesus’ redemptive powers.
Wish it worked that way, but having a baby rip your vagina is gonna be painful.
Especially for us humans as our heads are technically too big for that
Load More Replies...You know those warning labels on toasters that say "Do not use in shower" ? This is who they have these for...
Whoever said that forgot the bit about women having to suffer childbirth as punishment for giving the apple to Adam.
I was thinking the same thing. Imma go hang with Lillith.
Load More Replies...My MIL said it's ok to drink mixed drinks... she went on to say that my husband was a margarita baby. I now call him that when he gets on my nerves.
I’m a tomato juice baby! My mom wouldn’t have anything else, even with dessert.
My cousin was a carrot baby:) all my aunt wanted near the end was carrots, as much as possible. When she was born the thought she had jaundice because of her yellow colour; turns out it was carotene or whatever it is in carrots! It faded pretty quick she was fine, just a little oompa loompa :)
Load More Replies...I'm a water and tea baby, maybe with a bit of coffee thrown in XD
I was due on Boxing Day, my mum had been told I'd probably be late because I was her first. She decided to have a vermouth and lemonade on Christmas Day having not drank at all through her pregnancy, 3 hours later she was in Labour and I was born on my due date the following day. Weirdly, I'm never late to anything and like having a drink (or three).
My aunt told me if I drank a beer it would make my boobs bigger when I was pregnant. Seriously.
Pregnancy makes your boobs massive anyway, why would you want to make them even bigger??
Load More Replies...I had a co-worker tell me that eating peanut butter (I was eating an apple with peanut butter on my lunch break) would give my baby cancer. I already thought she was the world's greatest idiot so that nugget of wisdom was just confirmation.
She was probably referring to aflatoxins, certain studies have shown potential to cause cancer but you would have to eat massive amounts every single day, or possibly xylitol, the sweetener used in a lot of crap peanut butter, it's not good for us and it can cause cancer in dogs but nothing linking it to cancer in humans, as far as I'm aware.
Load More Replies...I have heard people say not to eat peanut butter whilst pregnant coz it can cause the baby to have peanut allergies but not that it gives the baby cancer. Either way there is no evidence to suggest either is correct.
The opposite has actually been proven in recent years. After so many layed off peanuts while pregnant, there was a massive spike in children with peanut allergies. https://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/food-allergies-early-exposure (plenty of peer reviewed studies not on WebMD too ;))
Load More Replies...That makes sense. I mean, that that nugget of wisdom was confirmation she was an idiot, of course :D
The only things I was able to eat from week 6 to week 13 of pregnancy was cheese&crackers and peanut butter on toast. Everything else --> straight back up. At week 16 now and pretty sure if this was the case my bump would be more cancer than baby!
huh ? so food gives babies cancer , how the hell are we all still here ? i am assuming all our parents ate food , silly me
Certain foods can - Brazil nuts for example are radioactive, the recommented amount for adults are only 2 nuts per day actually
Load More Replies...I got shamed at work when I was pregnant because I was eating a brie sandwich, I didn’t realise it was bad, but as I’d just been dealing with a pregnant heroin addict it kind of put things in perspective.
Oh! I was told that I need to shave down there or the baby will get carpet burn. Like.. Wut?
Yeah I was thinking this one might be a joke. I don't know anyone who's pregnant right now, but if I did I would try and make a point of saying this.
Load More Replies...Yes of course, after all the trauma of birth, a few hairs on the way out is really what you gotta watch out for.
I the baby shoots out at a speed high enough to get friction burn you have a WAY bigger problem than hair.
They used to insist women were shaved before birth. Thank goodness that's no longer a thing.
Could imagine that it was more hygenic and thus preventing infections back then - but I'm not a doctor
Load More Replies...To anyone wondering that's not actually the biggest cause for concern during labor.
Not to drink hot tea because then I would boil my baby.
People drink red raspberry leaf tea to try and induce labour. Don’t know if it works or not.
Takes weeks of consumption prior to fasten that, but can help during labour. Fresh pineapples - more the Bromelain they contain - are rumored to induce labour
Load More Replies...Apparently Chamomile tea can trigger early contractions, so it is true not to drink some teas... or at least be careful
... but it has nothing to do with boiling the baby in utero
Load More Replies...The baby does not develop in the stomach, it grows in the womb! The f**k these people think you gave birth and now the food you eat goes nowhere?!
More importantly, tea doesn't go down boiling... It would burn your mouth and throat...
Load More Replies...Whoever thought this has no idea how the human body or beverages work.
Someone told my SO not to bathe because the baby would drown. Edit: the reasoning for this advice was that the umbilical cord acted as a sort of snorkel from the baby to the mothers navel. If the navel was submerged the baby wouldn't be able to get air.
Hilarious!!! Just let the belly button above the water level like an island and you're good :D
I've heard the drowning thing before, never the "explanation " about the navel tho haha
I read somewhere that was a popular old wives tale a hundred years ago.
Getting older is natural, getting education needs initiative
Load More Replies...According to my mother, everything can cause miscarriage. Coffee? Miscarriage Tea? Miscarriage Too much meat? Miscarriage Not enough meat? Miscarriage. Sewing? Miscarriage Paddling the school canoe Oh, you better believe that's a miscarriage. Had two miscarriages before finally having my daughter. Just bad luck chromosomal abnormalities... but she made sure to remind me not to do all of those things again next time, you know... just in case. Thanks for the subtle blame, Mom.
Don’t eat, don’t drink, don’t talk, y’know what, don’t breathe either, all of those cause miscarriage.
Load More Replies...That’s just sad. There is a lot of blame that comes with pregnancy/infant loss and people making those comments just makes it so much more worse.
Paddling the school canoe sounded strangely specific and out of place. I googled it. I am an idiot.
Actually my father said that my 3 miscarriages occurred because I didn't rest enough (I just went hiking in the very first weeks, nothing difficult or dangerous). I know he was wrong but I don't blame him because he was just worrying for me and hoping everything be OK. Sometimes people you love say stupid and harmful things without realizing.
So, so many pregnancies end in miscarriage. I'm glad that more people have started talking about it, because we all should know how common it really is.
You realize this when you start talking about miscarriage. Everybody around knows someone who experienced at least one or explain this happened to them.
Load More Replies...Not me but my sister. She had to have an emergency c section when she had my niece. Her mother in law said she wouldn’t be a “real woman” unless she had a vaginal birth.
Let alone that C-section is pretty big wound that takes a long time to heal and leaves a scar. It's not really easier than vaginal birth, it's just different.
Load More Replies...That is just bullshit. I had vaginal births and they were easy compared to what I imagine a c-section would be. So much more risks involved and the recovery time is longer etc. Women who have cesareans for ANY reason are a million percent real women and real mothers.
My grandmother (my mom's mom) and my mother both had C-sections then full hysterectomies shortly after their last child was born. I never had a C-section, but did have 3 vaginal, 2 with epidural and one natural birth...my own fault for that one. I don't care if you gave birth vaginally or by cesarian, last I checked, you were a real woman regardless how you gave birth. People (and I mean mostly women) shouldn't open their mouths unless they want to have a shoe or boot shoved sideways up their a**s!! Women can be so freaking rude! I would apologize for my comment if someone takes offense to it, but hell...people get offended just by being them.
Load More Replies...Now, what exactly is a "real" woman? Unless she isn't imaginary, she's real, for f**k's sake.
I've never given vaginal birth. I have no kids. Am I a real woman?
Load More Replies...Before we had medical assistance and hospitals, the mortality rate for birth was so much higher than it is now, for a reason. What a stupid, mis-informed, cancerous old bitch.
She could have been as lucky as me and have the first twin vaginally and the second one a c-section. Lol. That was loads of fun.
My wife was in labor for 30 hours, fully dilated and the baby just wouldn't come out. We had a full plan for a natural birth, but the doctor lost the baby's heart beat, and we immediately made the c-section decision. Everything turned out okay, but don't tell my wife that she never went through childbirth.
My mom was talking to my paternal grandma while pregnant with me then winced because I was kicking her ribs. My grandma told her "swat it so it'll know!" She wanted my mom to spank fetus-me through her own belly for kicking her. After my mom told us that story, "Swat it so it'll know" became a common response any time someone was complaining about something.
I would have been black and blue inside and out then! I swear my son was practicing skateboarding for six months before he was born.
Honestly, I may adopt the phrase, too. It's pretty funny (as a tounge-in-cheek response to family & life, NOT as a response to a fetal kick.)
I wonder if this came from the book "How to raise up your child" or something like that. It was trending years ago because it was an abuse book, and people were upset Amazon was selling it.
I honestly didn't know so many people were that stupid. I hope the new Moms ignore the idiots. Unbelievable.
My grandmother made a comment about my weight gain with my first pregnancy around month 5. For reference, I started severely underweight at 87 lbs and was closely monitored by my doctor because of it. At this point, I was nearing 125. When I told her that the OB/GYN was happy with where I was, she told me of her own doctor's advice (in 1956), "Smoke a pack of cigarettes per day to keep your weight down. The baby can gain it's own weight after birth."
y'all i thought pregnancy was a thing that made you gain weight, you know? since you're growing a human inside you? turns out, that baby don't need no weight
True, it makes you *cking hungry though, and everything tastes delicious!
Load More Replies...You don't have to "eat for two", but you should not diet or try to keep your weight down.
I was very petite when I got pregnant and felt like I was starving for literally 9 months. I gained 50 pounds (and lost it the next year) but my ex-MIL commented on how much I was eating. I would eat 3x my normal serving size and not feel full, had to snack all day, and would literally wake up in the middle of the night ravenously hungry. I tried cutting down but would cry because my stomach hurt so bad from hunger. The first night that didn't happen was when I was in the hospital after the birth. 23 years later and I still think about her judgement of my pregnancy eating. My son and I are both skinny as rails and I have no explanation.
ok this is dumb smoking can kill you and the baby I guess this doctor wanted to kill someone well keep going you will get there eventually
My mother did that, the smoking, she was thrilled that she only gain 7 lbs (3kg) while pregnant with me. I was born 5 weeks premature ( @33 weeks) weighing only 4 lbs. (1.8kg). I spent 6 weeks in the NICU. But she was so proud that she was back to her pre pregnancy weight 3 days after she had me. *full term is 38-42 weeks 38 weeks is 2 weeks early but not premature.
-sitting with my legs crossed wil cause miscarriage. -don't take a bath, itll cause a miscarriage. -lifting more than 5lbs will cause a miscarriage. -wearing tight fitted clothes will cause a miscarriage. -spicy food would cause a miscarriage -I worked retail. A stranger informed me that morning sickness and smell sensitivity isn't real, while I was heading to the bathroom to throw up. -also had a customer tell me that the baby isn't actually affecting my bladder. -had a third customer tell me to not drink tap water. Can't remember why. Probably causes miscarriages. -my cousin tried to tell me that I had morning sickness because its Gods way of telling a woman she isn't ready for a baby. -I had an anterior placenta, so we couldn't feel kicks until close to 30 weeks. My mom was said there's no such thing, and the reason we couldn't feel kicks is bc I was fat. Tldr; literally everything causes miscarriages and morning sickness is a lie.
i would not be able to have a child then, i don't know how to sit with straight legs
yes I am screwed. No baby for me ever. My legs are crossed right now
Load More Replies...Screw the "customer is always right" i should be "the customer should mind their own f*****g business" >.>
The customer is always right is supposed to refer to supply and demand - like if customers keep asking for X, you should start selling it. It’s a shame it’s turned into people thinking customers should always be catered to and employees should have to listen to the utter BS out of customers’ mouths. Especially when it comes to personal stuff like pregnancy!
Load More Replies...I had a customer tell me I was too young to be pregnant. I was 19 and engaged in a 3 year long relationship. But not just that, it was none of her damn business.
-lifting more than 5lbs will cause a miscarriage. Hope you don't already have a child! /facepalm
Try telling that to my daughter, who had all day sickness for nine months x twice. How she gave birth to two beautiful, healthy, fabulous babies I will never know.
5lbs?! I'd better stop holding my 2yr old whilst being pregnant with my 2nd then... 🤦♀️
My friend's dad was a chiropractor. She told him I had had miscarriages. He told me, "No wonder. You will lose every pregnancy with a pelvis like that." Freaked me out SO MUCH and I guess I ruined the party by crying and leaving, and my friend was mad at me. I have back trouble, yes, but I have three children living.
Wow, your friend got mad at you for leaving the party that she ruined by telling her dad about your miscarriages causing him to say something completely inappropriate, which caused you to, understandably, freak out.
Yeah, if someone is in a pregnancy, you should just expect to be a little more understanding and empathetic. And a comment like that from the dad is just irritating and unhelpful.
Load More Replies...Well, if chiropractors didn't exist, my mom would be in a wheelchair
Load More Replies...Its so frustrating that quacks like Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Osteopaths, Homeopaths, etc. continue bilk gullible people that lack the background to properly understand the scams.
Some things can only be 'cured' by a swift but well aimed kick in the balls.
Cut that 'friend' off at the knees - fcking ignorant ; especially the Father .... hope his chiropractice goes down the tubes !!
There's nothing wrong with your pelvis, but there may be something wrong with society
Oh I’ve got this: the lady at the counter in the village bakery told me that I should smear my face with SEMEN to counter pregnancy acne. It was the first time I’d ever met her.
What the watermelons... Can I steal that, please?
Load More Replies......still not a reason to smear it on your face... gross.
Load More Replies...I bet the lady at the bakery got her advice from her husband/boyfriend...
LOL. You must have a bad outbreak of acne if you need more.
Load More Replies...Oh I’ve heard that before. It’s something to do with the proteins and hormones in semen that are good for your skin.
I've heard it too - but I thought it was a myth men are spreading?
Load More Replies...Sounds like something wacky that someone like Gwyneth Paltrow might recommend.
Frozen cabbage leaves in the bra to help with swelling and pain due to breastfeeding. While it felt awesome for the whole minute or so they stayed frozen, they eventually turn to mush and make a mess. Advice I wish someone had given me - get a mattress protector. Not just for when your water breaks. Carrying a big baby next to your bladder means just the act of rolling over in bed can cause leakage. And if you are too tired after the birth to take the baby to a changing table or the floor, you're gonna want a layer of protection on your mattress. Soon as that diaper is off, baby will projectile poop. Sheets and walls can be washed, but mattresses can't be. Poopsplosions are real. Prepare yourself.
Cabbage leaves are often recommended (even by professionals) to help with mastitis. The coolness and also the shape of the leaves make it convenient and helps with the swelling and pain.
Not been pregnant, but I did somehow get a bug bite on my boob that got really hot and itchy, those gel bra insert push up pad things, when left in the fridge for a while did the trick. >.>
I had a NICU nurse who swore only boys needed to be covered quickly during a diaper change. As I was feeding her twin sister at the time, I only laughed at the nurse and said,"we'll see". Twin B got nicknamed Bullet Butt for quite a while; it took 30 minutes for the department responsible for sanitizing the isolets to determine a lot more time was needed before they turned their attention to a different isolet. At the time, I was only allowed to hold the babies for 20 minutes each because of their prematurity. I held my daughter for 45 minutes and she showed no sign of distress. The 20 minutes ban was lifted and the idiot nurse is credited with doing me a favor. (she's 19 now and should she deign to fart in my presence, "take cover!!" Indelibly follows!.)
There is some truth in the cabbage leaf theory for breast engorgement and mastitis, Look it up
The cabbage leaf thing would work better if you wrap them in clingfilm, that way when they do eventually mush you won't have a mess.
My very first OB visit (first baby) handed me a book about month by month pregnancy and said that if I had any questions to just refer to the book. Then I said well what if the baby...she cut me off right there and pointed to the book and said “ah, ah, ah, it’s in the book.” I changed OBs. For those who are asking my question was not in the book. I had questions about the baby being premature (my brother and I were born very premature) and I was going to ask her about it. And my baby ended up being born 3 and a half months early and I had a lot of complications prior to that. Being high risk is not fun! But he’s healthy now :)
Please educate me, what problems would be caused by being way too early?
Load More Replies...My husband and I went to a birthing class run by our hospital that was run by a nurse. We dropped out of the class when we realized she was planning on doing a stage whisper every single time she said the word vagina. At first we laughed, thinking she was joking, then we realized she was for real. Imagine being a birth instructor and being uncomfortable with the word vagina. Sigh.
Oh my goodness. I was born a month early and I already have my own problems including lung issues and neurological problems. I can’t imagine what this baby would’ve had to go through. But incredibly glad he’s healthy.
While pregnant with me, my mom was told that drinking beer would help her baby develop and be nice and chubby. I was five weeks early and barely six pounds. Yeah, it could have been substantially worse. Apart from being an early small baby, I don't have any fetal alcohol related health conditions. Conversely, when my grandma was pregnant with my mom (her first) in the 50s, the accepted wisdom was that smoking while pregnant was a good idea for first time mothers because it lowered the birth weight. Which was supposed to make labour and delivery easier. But low birth weight is extremely dangerous and makes the process harder. My mom was born two months early and weighed about two or three pounds. She was so tiny that my grandma dressed her in baby doll clothing and my mom spent her first month of life in the hospital's NICU.
I was born in 1974. My mother was allowed to smoke in the delivery room.
About 15 years ago I had a colleague who smoked through the entire pregnancy because at that point there was no conclusive evidence that smoking was harmful (and at least no social stigma as drinking would have) and because she had heard that it would keep the child's weight down.
15 years ago it was very well proven that smoking affects development negatively. That knowledge has been around some time.
Load More Replies...That if you try really hard and stretch a lot, you too can have a vaginal birth. Not actually a bad plan, as long as you don't wind up not freaking dilating after 30 hour and have an emergency C section due to fetal distress. Because I just didn't try hard and stretch enough.
Why do people hate so much on a c-section? I'm glad I didn't have to push an 8 pound baby out of my area. It was an emergency one so don't over judge me, I didn't choose it. Just glad now.
Plus after 4 days of labour and no sleep, I would've been too tired anyway.
Load More Replies...Even doctors make that mistake. My son ended up being delivered via emergency C-section with spinal block and looked like an ice cream cone (quoting the nurse here) after being stuck in my not so dilated birth canal. First thing I hear when I'm opened up was "there is no way that baby was going to come out". Well no sh!t doc, I coulda told you that two days ago...
If you're fit before and during your pregnancy, both pregnancy and childbirth might be easier, but being fit helps recovery go more quickly.
Same happened to me with my first 37 hours induced ending in emergency c-section. On my second one my doula tried to convince me to it natural and I told her I was all for it, if the baby decided to come before my scheduled c-section. No way I was going through that again, it was also in my chart that I needed a c-section. Never wondered or looked back.
Had emergency c section after 47hrs , when opened me up son had his hand wrapped around a fibroid, if we had ended up naturally me at least could have died and perhaps him too.
Ooh! Same here, but you beat me by 3 hours (27 for me.) You're a boss!
Don't eat spicy foods or stand under the moon.. ugh.. As someone pointed out in the comments, it's the full moon, not just the moon in general. This was a decade ago, and my memory sucks. The spicy thing comes from the superstition that spicy foods will give your kid a birth mark.
I have a lot of birthmarks. No idea what my mom ate but I don't think those two things are connected
Load More Replies...My mom only ate rice it was her only craving is that why I have vitiligo?
I actually think most birthmarks look really cool. My friend has one on the back of her neck, and it looks vaguely like a carrot.
How does one not stand under the moon? Do they mean don't go outside?
I was about 8 months pregnant, i said something at family dinner one sunday about how i was scared of labor, my gram shouts out “ you know you should smoke a blunt”. now my family’s open about their pot use, most of my family will smoke from time to time but my grandmother has never smoked in her life so i was a bit confused. I just looked at her and keeps going “ if you smoke blunts well your in labour it will keep you calm and help with the pain, i’ll find you some weed just smoke in the bathroom of the hospital..... but wear socks you have ugly feet and the doctor won’t want to help you if he sees your cracked heels” my grandmother is something. I didn’t take my grandmothers advice, and the doctor delivered my baby even with my cracked heals, and once i had the baby and could reach my feet again i made sure they weren’t cracked anymore.
I was high as a kite when I gave birth to my first child. I was high on gas not weed though.
First time I had gas I stole the mask and wouldn't give it back. Apparently I ran off with it? Not sure how that works but I can't remember the whole day anyway
Load More Replies...11/1942. I was the first baby. The doctors administered ether to help with the birth. When she was told, "It's a girl." She replied, "Put it back."
My great-grandmother lost a 12 pound boy and 9 pound girl.because she wasn't actually pushing, being under ether. It was quite dangerous, glad you were ok, although you're mother's reaction wasn't as enthusiastic as you may expect. She could've just been delirious because of exhaustion, I was after my daughter's 36 hour + c-section birth. Had to ask the nurses to show me how to make the baby latch on for 3 days in a row. I was definitely in an altered mental state..
Load More Replies...Love your grandma. Not necessarily for the advice, but for being a unashamed outspoken person.
To not drink water because it causes nausea.
Ah yes, women love dying during pregnancy because they don't drink water /s
This advice was brought to you by Budweiser - "the official beer of pregnancy"
someone: do you like water? mom to be: yes, i drink it so i dont die. someone: well DONT you will feel like pukeing. ahhhhhhh yes i love me a good cup of logic
Ahhhh, who are these idiots, please everyone should drink water, pregnant, not pregnant whatever, ahhhhhhh.
well yeah it causes nausea... for you... if you dont drink enough water you can get really nauseous
What a stupid advice! Still water often causes nausea BUT you start trying to drink something else only if you throw up a lot when drinking it!
Well i am the husband/father but a doctor told my 38 or 39 week pregnant wife that her condition was no excuse to not keep me sexually satisfied. Not even sure why it was brought up. She was just getting a regular checkup. I wasnt even there. Doc busts out with this. (Not her regular doctor. Her regular doctor was also off pregnant). She was NOT impressed to say the least. So theres the advice. Being pregnant is no reason to not please your SO.
stupid doctor. Let me guess, it was a man who has never carried a child?
I suspect this is just a case of something coming out wrong. He was probably trying to tell her that pregnancy doesn't mean you can't continue having sexual relations with your spouse, but he put it badly.
I need 5 mins alone with that doc in a small room, with a piece of 2x4. I'll show him 'satisfied!'
At that stage we have finished our over nesting habits and are now couch/bed bound due too exhaustion before bubs comes.
Don’t raise your arms above your head, it will tangle the baby’s cord and the baby will die.
just file this one next to "the uterus just sometimes wanders around the body and that's why ladies get upset"
"I must go, but I remain at your cervix" *tips tiny ovary hat*
Load More Replies...If you, for example, have a job requiring you lift your arms often and for long periods through out the day, it can strain your stomach muscles during the last few weeks of the pregnancy. A legitimate concern back in the day when mom had to do laundry by hand and hang out laundry for her husband and 9 kids. Drs. may have found the umbilical cord story more persuasive?
My sister (older) almost died because she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck but she survived
Me too! My mom said I looked like a smurf. And the labor was so fast I was born in the hospital hallway.
Load More Replies...My MIL told me that my husband would have to take over hanging out & brining in the washing because raising my arms above my shoulders would tangle the cord around the babies neck , I asked which arm the cord was attached to so I could keep that one down & still do the washing.
The foot bone's connected to the leg bone The leg bone's connected to the knee bone The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone Doin' the skeleton dance The thigh bone's connected to the hip bone The hip bone's connected to the backbone The backbone's connected to the neck bone Doin' the skeleton dance
got severe itching all over the body during 7th mo. did the routine test for liver function.all normal Colleague advises, rub your husband's underwear which he has left for wash/laundry all over ur body as remedy for itching. No. I DID NOT FOLLOW IT.
I think you’d just have so many worse problems that you just wouldn’t notice the itching🤮
Load More Replies...“Don’t worry about the swelling and high blood pressure, thats normal.” -my midwife days before being induced due to preeclampsia
More dangerous than most realise. My Mum had this happen and the doctors said it was normal and it ended up with her having permanent diabetes and it nearly killing both of us during birth.
Load More Replies...Preeclampsia is a very dangerous condition that can kill both mother and child. The only way to avoid this fatal ending is to induce birth (immediately or not, depending on the situation). It can happen from week 20 to the birth and affects 1/100 pregnancies (so very frequent). High blood pressure is the major warning signal. What a half-wit midwife!
I take it she was NOT a modern, qualified midwife? If she was, she needed to lose her licence.
Sheesh, no. Swollen ankles near the end? Sure, but your BP should be the same or very close to your normal numbers. High BP needs treatment in pregnancy same as when you are not.
My OB told me that pre-eclampsia is something you don’t f**k around with.
Makes me wonder about the training of the midwives/doctors of these countries?
I was told that heart burn during the pregnancy meant that the child had a lot of head hair. Had a [crap] load of heart burn. Kid barely had hair.
I had a lot of heartburn in my last trimester (I know it is because of my weird cravings, but whatever...), and my son was born with a full head of black hair--note, ex is a brunette and I'm a ginger. Fell out within a week and he's now a 6'3" strawberry-blond-haired 19 y/o.
Funny, because my husband, an RN, told me he thought I was pregnant when I got heartburn after taking a bite of a half smoke (sausage, not tobacco). I laughed at him, but a few days later bought a pregnancy test, and he was right. He said that was often the first sign among his female nurse colleagues.
LOL yep same with me. My son had peach fuzz and a rat tail... I had a crap ton of heartburn.
When I found out I was pregnant a nurse friend of mine felt the need to rattle off an endless list of [crap] that could potentially be wrong with my baby. Another friend of mine, when I started telling people I was pregnant after the three months and was accused of telling people too early, said "It doesn't matter when you tell people, you could have a miscarriage at any point during your pregnancy." They both meant well, but really guys lol shut up!
One of the reasons why I chose the hospital I gave birth in. Hospital one: this could happen, then we do that and also that could happen which is handled as followed ... and so on. Hospital two: That's the breakfast room, choose to eat what you like, open from ... to ... etc. One woman asked about c-section and the doc answered: "Yes, of cours that may happen, but it is not that often and we are very good at it." I went to hosptial 2, of course.
Well, I lost my son at 34 weeks due to a gene mutation being undiagnosed, as well as Lyme disease. Both of us testing positive after the birth. So it happens a lot, even with no definite cause. The US has the highest infant mortality rate too. I don't understand it...
Load More Replies...It is sad, but true, but no need to say it. They could have thought it and kept it to themselves. It is risky telling so early though. A friend of mine was so excited (had been trying for a while) she couldn't keep it to herself, and told a few friends at 12 weeks, she sadly lost it about 14 weeks. Her next she didn't actually tell anyone, she just eventually couldn't deny it anymore, and now has a beautiful little boy.
Not to sit on stairs because it will cause you to have a miscarriage... people are crazy.
isn't sitting on chairs and stairs the same thing? you're just on something else, it doesn't change anything
Stairs can be cold, and according to the myth can cause UTIs. I would guess the reasoning is along those lines
Load More Replies...That I should drink her [crappy] MLM aloe vera juice every day... It's not advisable for pregnant women... Turns out it was indeed herbal life.
my entire family was super judgmental/against breastfeeding for some reason, it was really strange. ‘how long are you going to do THAT for?’
And i mean the meat, not the baby, don't that mistake happening again.
Load More Replies...It's natural to breastfeed, just don't do it for too long. I heard a story--and I actually think it was here on BP--about a woman who breastfed her kid till he was 7 years old. Do NOT do that.
I had a coworker whose wife was expecting his first child and about two weeks before the due date, he went and stocked up on jars of baby food because he thought that babies started eating baby food from the word go. I know it isn't advice, but it was funny.
Well, there was a time, where they actually told mothers that formula was in general better for the baby than breast feeding. That was late 40s/50s I think (and there is definitely evidence, that at least some doctors and nurses got paid to say that). Anyway, if a mom can breastfeed - great! If not, your baby will be fine with only formula or a mix of both - you have not failed as a mom, just because you can't breastfeed!
All 3 of my kids were baby formula only. My supply didn't come in till about 3 weeks after each child was born. The amount of hate I got for not breastfeeding and the shame I got for doing only formula. I even asked one customer who said I was poisoning my child with artificial poop, how could I do that to such a beautiful baby? Asked them so would I be just as cruel if I let my baby go hungry because I had no breast milk what so ever, or am I just cruel for giving formula? The HUH? is what gets me. Like people don't realize some women dry up to fast, never get milk supply in, or it shows up late. If baby is happy leave well enough alone. Also, we as a society have let prevented and unhinged thoughts control how people handle situations that many hate mothers who breastfeed due to how objectifying the mother's breasts have become...
Load More Replies...Mine too, my mother told me that my breasts were not big enough to produce enough milk for the baby.
1) 'first milk' has magical stuff the kid needs. 2) If the child is exposed to something that the mom has no immunity for, the baby s saliva can 'tell' the brest and it will provide that immunity. *(true! look it up!) and 3) Which would you rather do in the middle of the night; get up and stand over the stove heating a bottle or just roll over and let the kid eat?
My little brother would loose it if I breast fed around him, I was fully covered, couldn't see the baby, years later his comes along and his wife pops it out in front of every one, I don't care and doesn't bother me in the least but bro... remember when I had to go to another room?
Do not go to the zoo Bc if you look at a monkey your baby will be ugly
I'm wondering how stupid or isolated from society you have to be to still believe in this kind of BS
Wasn’t there someone in the 17/18th century who claimed to have given birth to a litter of rabbits because she’d been startled by a hare? This was at a time when witches were supposed to take the form of a hare.
When I was pregnant past my due date a co-worker advised me to drink cod liver oil mixed with vodka. Apparently this mixture would upset my digestive system, give me horrible diarrhea and thus trigger labor contractions. Edit: I did not drink this combo to help with being overdue. I ended up several days later being medically induced and labor/delivery was swift and baby healthy. He is a grown man now.
I have heard of women drinking castor oil to bring on labour but not vodka and cod liver oil.
I was told to drink raspberry tea, you people are psychos. (Yes I did drink raspberry tea, no I don't think it did anything, but it was tasty)
She probably meant castor oil. It causes bowel contractions, which can in turn stimulate the uterus. In folk medicine it is considered to have abortifacient properties if consumed in early pregnancy.
I've heard that lavender can induce labour...don't know how true that is though.
My mom was overdue with me (9 days), after 7 days the doctor recommended champagne and running as fast as she could up and down the stairs...
Not allowed to sew either using sewing machine or hand. It will cause the umbilical cord to tangled.
Yes, because the umbilical cord will sense that you're using string to sew, and it will try to mimic the string, tangling itself up because it's not sewing string. Obviously XD
Sympathetic magic. Like having an ugly baby if you see a monkey, giving the baby a harelip if you see a rabbit, etc.
Load More Replies...This medical fact well documented in the highly respect 'New England Journal of Seamstresses'
My fiancé's mother cross-stitched while she was in labor at the hospital XD
what did she think you were gonna do, get the umbilical cord mixed in with the thread?
But now we’re down to just superstition, surely…? Or, rather, I HOPE we’re down to superstition because if anybody anywhere tries to make that make logical sense, I’ll get worried.
Taking a bath can cause a miscarriage. To be fair, it was from my husband's (incredibly sweet) grandmother, who meant well. She was 92 years old at the time and hadn't been pregnant in a very, very long time! She also had a good number of miscarriages (my father in law and his sister are 15 years apart in age), so I think she was coming from a different place than most.
My mom only had one miscarriage, and my sister was supposed to have a twin. However, I think that if she did have a twin, my mom wouldn't have had me. But my brother that's closest in age to me is 9 years older, my oldest brother being 16 years older, so that'll be an interesting story to tell my future children.
Having a very hot bath when you are in the very early stages of pregnancy did run a risk of miscarriage; it was used by desperate women trying to get rid of their pregnancies.
I think excessively hot baths can be dangerous in pregnancy... perhaps she was thinking of that?
One person told me I would never be able to fit a baby out of my body because I wasn't big enough "down there" and to just get a Csection....not a doctor. A random person who had literally never seen "down there." No I'm not going to get major surgery just because you don't think I'm large enough.
It's almost like Nature designed a solution to the problem. Who would've thunk it?!? :)
Load More Replies...Umm... a random person came up to you and told you that your vagina isn't large enough for a baby, even though they've never seen that area?
Probably someone who made this assumption based on OP being petit and therefore should have a pelvis too small or something? Not saying that you can see possible complications due to a small pelvis area on a person, I'm just guessing that might be what this person was claiming to the OP
Load More Replies...Same dude who thinks a woman who has slept with a few guys will have a 'bucket' down there.
The wife of a friend of mine is skinny (about 100lb wet through) and had three kids. The first one, she was in labour for 90 minutes. The second, 45. The third, under 30. He said to me, "If we were going for a fourth, we should set fielders."
Think it has more to do with the size of the pelvic opening than anything else which can stretch or be cut
I could answer that, but that wouldn't end up as family friendly as BP would like....
Load More Replies...So not really about pregnancy advice, but someone told me to put baking soda in a cup and piss on it first thing in the morning. If it fizzed, I was pregnant with a boy. If it did not fizz, I was having a girl.
Hmm if it fizz your urin is on the basic side, but don't see how the urin would change from basic to acidic (or neutral) based on the baby's gender...
...So the pH of your urine changes based on the gender of the baby.... This is Sir Bedevire level of "Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science" crap.
Sounds like a fun science experiment, not. Well maybe kinda, like the ring thing.
When I was 6 months pregnant several senior citizens informed me I was having a girl, it was all at the front, boys wrap around you. They were correct
All mine were predicted to be girls on that basis; 1 out of 3 correct didn’t impress me!
Load More Replies...I remember someone telling me once that you could find out if you were pregnant by dumping a cap full of bleach in your urine and if it turned black you were pregnant
One of my work colleagues was obsessed with recommending that I eat citrus fruits, especially the easy-to-peel Cutie tangerines. She was convinced it would give the baby a higher IQ in the long run.
Pretty harmless tho I think, or is there a downside to eating a lot of tangerines while pregnant?
i don't think my mom ate many tangerines when pregnant with me, and i have i rather high IQ for somebody my age.
I hear that if you eat fish while pregnant the baby will turn into a winged, fire breathing lizard monster.
Load More Replies...My grandma constantly told me not to argue with my husband because it would cause the baby to be “fussy” and “difficult.”
Once again, this is a myth that sounds like it was started by a controlling spouse somewhere in history.
This could be valid. Who knows how much the little one can hear from in there and nobody need to hear a damn argument, especiall the parental ones. Kids learn by example, so behave yourselves! Some folks do play music for the little guy, though.
Of course, grandma should have told the husband not to argue with mom-to-be, because the baby would be negatively impacted by the stress of mama NOT setting papa straight as well.
Load More Replies...Ok so this wasn't a piece of stupid advice but more like a horror story lol. When my mom gave birth to my little sister my grandma called my mom irresponsible for giving birth at 1:00 in the morning. Ain't my grandma special XD
Because considerable mothers only give birth from 9 to 5
Load More Replies...Why is "mind your own dang business, especially in personal matters" such a difficult concept for some people?
my advice to all expecting moms: ignore all the advice of other moms/grandmas. if you want to be kind, just smile and thank them for their concern. if you feel bitchy, tell them to mind their own business as it is your pregnancy and not theirs.
I'm not expecting, but, I would listen to my mom if it made sense. She is one of the most brilliant people I know.
Load More Replies...I don't have children, but let me give all of the pregnant moms the advice my mother gave my SIL when she was pregnant with her first (and my mother had thirteen children). "Slow down, take a deep breath, do what you can, rest when you need it, ask for help - no one expects you to do it all. You are growing a whole human being and you should be kind to yourself. Let go of any expectations that you have for yourself or your baby because motherhood is nothing like you expect and does abide by plans, but it is the most fun you will ever have."
Your mom & mine would have probably been very good friends, because that's almost word for word what my mom said to my sister, and a few years later to me! Wise women for sure.
Load More Replies...I had no idea so many people are against medically necessary c-sections. It’s like they forgot that before that (and other factors) came along there was a really high mortality rate for mothers and babies during the birthing process
Or maybe they remember and if you and/or your baby dies then that is an acceptable price to pay to see if you are a “real woman”
Load More Replies...My MIL told me I would not be able to breast feed, because my breasts were too small. So I breastfed my first baby for eight months and my second for ten months. It also meant no-one else could monopolise the babies.
That's so ridiculous. Breast size has nothing to do with lactation. Trust me, I'm not that big, but I suffered from hyperlactation. I could fire 'em across the room 🤣
Load More Replies...Every one of these I want to just sarcastically write “facts” as a comment because they are so stupid
Doesn't really count but since I was a picky eater my mom used to tell me that kids who finish their entire plate will have beautiful kids and I did believe it :)
Ok so this wasn't a piece of stupid advice but more like a horror story lol. When my mom gave birth to my little sister my grandma called my mom irresponsible for giving birth at 1:00 in the morning. Ain't my grandma special XD
Because considerable mothers only give birth from 9 to 5
Load More Replies...Why is "mind your own dang business, especially in personal matters" such a difficult concept for some people?
my advice to all expecting moms: ignore all the advice of other moms/grandmas. if you want to be kind, just smile and thank them for their concern. if you feel bitchy, tell them to mind their own business as it is your pregnancy and not theirs.
I'm not expecting, but, I would listen to my mom if it made sense. She is one of the most brilliant people I know.
Load More Replies...I don't have children, but let me give all of the pregnant moms the advice my mother gave my SIL when she was pregnant with her first (and my mother had thirteen children). "Slow down, take a deep breath, do what you can, rest when you need it, ask for help - no one expects you to do it all. You are growing a whole human being and you should be kind to yourself. Let go of any expectations that you have for yourself or your baby because motherhood is nothing like you expect and does abide by plans, but it is the most fun you will ever have."
Your mom & mine would have probably been very good friends, because that's almost word for word what my mom said to my sister, and a few years later to me! Wise women for sure.
Load More Replies...I had no idea so many people are against medically necessary c-sections. It’s like they forgot that before that (and other factors) came along there was a really high mortality rate for mothers and babies during the birthing process
Or maybe they remember and if you and/or your baby dies then that is an acceptable price to pay to see if you are a “real woman”
Load More Replies...My MIL told me I would not be able to breast feed, because my breasts were too small. So I breastfed my first baby for eight months and my second for ten months. It also meant no-one else could monopolise the babies.
That's so ridiculous. Breast size has nothing to do with lactation. Trust me, I'm not that big, but I suffered from hyperlactation. I could fire 'em across the room 🤣
Load More Replies...Every one of these I want to just sarcastically write “facts” as a comment because they are so stupid
Doesn't really count but since I was a picky eater my mom used to tell me that kids who finish their entire plate will have beautiful kids and I did believe it :)
