PREGNANCY
True
OR
Is it dangerous to have hot baths while
pregnant, and can orange juice cause
jaundice in your baby? Deciphering fact
from fiction can be confusing for new
moms. Luckily, midwife Louette
Maccallum is on hand to answer and
explain some of the FAQ’s and myths
around pregnancy.
False?
To eat or not to eat? That is the
question. Whether tis nobler to
have the sushi or a well-cooked
chunk of hake…
Sushi: Raw wild fish may contain parasitic
worms. If the fish has been frozen for at least
4 days, it is considered safe to eat. Salmon is
high in omega-3-fatty acids which has many
benefits to the pregnant woman and her
unborn baby. Know your supplier and
perhaps lean more toward cooked fish
instead, to be safe. Always avoid Mackerel,
shark and swordfish because they contain
high levels of mercury.
Soft Cheese: Soft cheeses may be made
from raw or unpasteurized milk which can
carry disease causing organisms such as
Listeria Monocytigenes. They are also less
acidic than conventional hard cheeses, and
moister, which could encourage the growth
of harmful bacteria. Listeria is relatively rare
but may cause a miscarriage, stillbirth and
complications in the newborn.
Can oranges and orange juice give
my baby jaundice?
No! There are some cultures that believe this
to be true but jaundice is a physiological
condition related to the newborn having an
immature liver.
Will drinking coffee and alcohol
harm your unborn baby?
Coffee: Coffees, teas and many beverages
contain caffeine, which does not offer your
baby any form of nutrition. Caffeine is also
diuretic, which means it causes your body to
dispel water – a process which may flush out
important nutrients from your body which
are essential to the development of the foetus.
Caffeine also affects your sleep, increases
levels of anxiety and reduces your body’s
ability to absorb necessary iron. The
conclusion? Coffee is not ideal during
pregnancy, but if you can’t do without your
fix doctors agree that if you limit your intake
to only one cup a day you should be fine.
Alcohol: No amount of alcohol is
considered safe in pregnancy. It may have
mild effects on your baby’s development or
behavioural patterns, or it may have severe
effects, depending on your consumption.
Better left alone.
Is it best to give in to cravings for
pickles and other strange things?
Pregnancy brings with it an amazing array
of feelings, emotions, symptoms and some
very strange cravings that will have your
partner running wild through the streets at
night in search of rare and wonderful
foodstuffs. Craving sweets, chocolates and
ice cream is common because these foods
produce Serotonin, a feel good hormone.
They are more a comfort food than a real,
honest craving.
Some cravings can be dangerous, such as
eating soil or slate, and these are usually a
sign of a severe deficiency. It may be wise
to check with your caregiver first before
digging up the driveway, or chipping
away the stone walls.
Is it safe to have sex while pregnant?
There is no danger to the baby when you
have intercourse; your baby is in a very safe
haven. However some pre-existing conditions
such as Placenta Praevia may cause severe
bleeding during intercourse, which will
compromise the foetus. Your Obstetrician
will advise you if at all concerned.
I enjoy taking hot baths. Is it safe
during pregnancy?
A very hot bath can raise your core
temperature to anything above 39 - 40
Degrees, and this can pose problems to
the unborn child.
Regular hot baths can also lead to varicose
veins and can make you dizzy, so it is
advisable to have a warm bath rather than
a steaming hot one.
Is it dangerous for me to hang up
washing or stretch my hands above
my head?
Some cultures believe that doing this will
cause the umbilical cord to be wrapped
around the baby’s neck. In Bolivia, they believe
that this will occur if you knit whilst pregnant.
Basically this is a great excuse to have others
hang the washing and do all the knitting!
How you carry will determine the
gender of your baby.
Every woman carries differently, and second
and third pregnancies can also vary as they
often are accompanied with more weight
gain, and bigger tummies due to softer
stretched muscle. Just as acne or nausea have
no correlation to the gender of your baby,
and heartburn does not mean a baby with
loads of hair, this is a myth.
If for any reason you are unsure of
what to do or what not to do, check
with a professional consultant. And
remember to enjoy your pregnancy,
have fun and eat and do everything
in moderation!
Pregnancy myths* our MamaMagicSA
Facebook fans were told:
If you carry most of the weight in your
bum, it is a girl. Also, you will have beautiful,
clear, glowing skin if it’s a girl. I had boy!
- Saadia Ahmad
If you eat a lot of sweets while pregnant,
your baby will drool a lot... All babies
drool though.
- Sinomtha Manene
I have 3 boys, and my nose didn’t swell at all.
- Cherry van der Berg
I suffered terribly from heartburn and my baby
was born with very little hair. So it’s a myth!
- Carol Launspach
*All of these myths are false.