Common Pregnancy Myths Exposed

Here are some things I have heard about pregnancy that aren't necessarily true, from my experience.

Pregnant women are fragile/broken/incapable of lifting anything without doing irreversible harm to the baby.

Not true. As you get larger, you might feel less interested in lifting things, but in the early months of your pregnancy, you're just as capable of lifting things as you were before you got pregnant. As always, check with your doctor to determine if there's a max weight you should be toying with. (Mine is 25#.) If the pregnant girl wants to lift something, give her credit for knowing if she's capable or not. She'll gladly take you up on your offer a few months later.

Pregnant women shouldn't eat fish.

Not really true. There are some fish you should avoid becuase of the potential for high mercury content, but fish can play an important role in brain development, not to mention it's a great low-fat, high-protein food. Stick with canned chunk light tuna, two servings a week. Read more from the EPA.

Pregnant women shouldn't eat sushi.

Not really true. First, let's use our common sense. Do Japanese women avoid sushi while pregnant? I don't think so. Secondly, fish that is served at sushi restaurants are typically flash-frozen before being thawed for use at the sushi bar. That freezing process is likely to kill any nasty little things living in the fish. Also, compare the average standard of cleanliness between your favorite sushi restaurant and your favorite burger joint - which do you think is cleaner? I say, like most everything else during pregnancy, all things in moderation. Read this article.  

Pregnant women should never let a drop of alcohol pass their lips.

While I'm not advocating frequent use or abuse of alchol during pregnancy, I'm here to tell you that an occasional drink is not going to harm your baby. I'm living proof, even though you might argue that I act like a total moron sometimes. And I also asked and got confirmation from my doctor that it's true. So if you see a pregnant woman indulgently enjoying a beer or glass of wine and she's not three sheets to the wind, don't judge. If she's plastered, you might want to consider some kind of intervention. A related article.

Pregnant women should avoid street drugs and needle sharing.

Just checking to see if you're paying attention. Finding out that *now* was a good time for me to give up illegal street drugs was the funniest part of What to Expect When You're Expecting for me. And guess what? I agree!! :)