When a mother is expecting a new baby, she should also be prepared to hear a lot of advice from pretty much everyone she meets as soon as her bump starts to show.
While that can get a tad annoying for women (especially when it's not their first time being pregnant), there are a few people who they should actually make sure to listen to — obviously their doctor, but also their mom and grandma!
Sure, sometimes it can feel like they're taking a nagging tone or even telling you something that can't possibly be true, but considering many older ladies have been through the experience multiple times, they really are some of the best sources of information about your budding bundle of joy.
Take a look below to see a few of the tips women have passed down through their family trees that every mom-to-be should know before they get anywhere near their due date.
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1. Don't Eat Bananas If You Want A Girl
While you might assume your grandma had a slightly dirty mind when suggesting this while you were trying to get pregnant, studies have shown it actually has to do with the potassium found in the fruit, which is surprisingly linked to having boys more often.
2. Gravity Won't Do The Work For You
It's a common misconception that tilting your body after intercourse will help guide things along, and some grandmas might have even believed this at one point themselves. But these days, they'd probably smile and let you know that theory is a bunch of hooey.
3. Babies With Lots Of Hair Give You Heartburn
Grandma might not realize why the gorgeous locks on some little ones' heads tend to put their mothers through pain. But this is a result of the hormones involved in hair growth also relaxing stomach muscles that would ordinarily keep acids contained.
Even if she doesn't know why, she knows to look forward to a full head of hair when the baby finally pops out.
4. Timing Isn't Everything
While trying to get pregnant, you might think math is your best friend and wait exactly 14 days after your period ends to start trying.
Of course, as ladies who attempted to rely on this method before the days of oral contraceptive can attest, our bodies don't know how to read a watch and the hormones can vary from woman to woman. It's better to pay close attention to your personal signals or invest in an ovulation test kit.
5. Girls Cause The Worst Morning Sickness
Doctors are just as puzzled by why this happens, but decades of research have found that women who endure more severe nausea (especially during their first trimester) really do have a higher chance of meeting a little girl on their delivery day.
6. Don't Attend Funerals
Though this started as an old superstition, it's actually solid advice considering the mom-to-be is already in a highly emotional and hormonal state of mind. It's often better to just send a kind message along with flowers, especially if the deceased passed away from something even remotely communicable.
7. Never Take Hot Baths
A relaxing bath or steam in a sauna might sound like just the right thing to soothe away all the aches that come with having a little human taking up space inside you. However, some studies have confirmed your grandma's finger-wagging, especially when it comes to how much damage raising your body temperature could cause your baby.
8. Boys Will Be A Long, Difficult Labor
Obviously, labor varies from baby to baby, even among siblings, but grandma was right to warn you about this one: On average, male births take a harsher toll on mommies.
Boys also tend to weigh a bit more than girls after sending a few extra cravings while they're still inside the womb.
9. Go Ahead And Eat Fish
You might think your grandma has her facts backwards on this one, but studies show that as long as the food is cooked properly and contains minimal mercury, it's perfectly fine to chow down on fish — it can also help increase your child's IQ before they're even born!
10. Stay Inside For Weeks After The Birth
This old mindset might take the idea a bit too far, but sheltering your new kiddo from germs and bacteria is essential if you venture out with them in the first few weeks.
Did we miss something your grandma told you about pregnancy that sounded far-fetched but totally turned out to be right? Or perhaps something you've passed along to your own kids?
Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your loved ones!
