Pregnant? Then You Need To Know About These 5 Pregnancy Myths

Time to bust some myths of pregnancy!

Myth#1: You Shouldn’t Exercise, Or You Could Hurt The Baby

One of the most common pregnancy myths, this one is just an old wives tale. Once your Ob-Gyn clears you for low-impact workouts, they become a great way to control your weight and prep for baby. The fetus of a physically active woman has a slower and more variable heart rate — both signs of excellent cardiovascular health.

The babies of exercisers have lower birth weights too. Swimming, water aerobics, long walks and prenatal yoga classes are all good options.

Myth#2: You Can’t Eat Cheese or Seafood

False again! Some kinds, like cheddar and Swiss, are innocuous because they have been pasteurized. It’s the soft, unpasteurized products like Brie, feta, and goat cheese that might carry food-borne illnesses. And of course you can enjoy seafood in moderation! Not all fish are created equal.

When perusing a menu, go with seafood with lower mercury levels, like salmon, shrimp, and tilapia. And always eat cooked fish…forget sushi for a while.

Myth#3: You Should Be Eating For Two

Of the many myths during pregnancy, this one proves to be the most harmful for expectant mothers. Pregnancy is not a time to over-indulge and completely pig out. You certainly have a bit more leeway when it comes to a second helping of dinner, but on average women need only about 300 extra calories a day.

Gaining too much weight during your pregnancy will only make child-birth harder on you.

Myth#4: You Will Always Feel On Cloud Nine

This one is not true either. Yes, most women are ecstatic during their pregnancy because they are excited to become a mom, but about 10%-20% pregnant women suffer from pre-natal depression and anxiety. And it’s an illness, not something ‘wrong’ with them. Depression during pregnancy can increase the risk of premature delivery, so don’t ignore this.

Myth#5: You Should Avoid Both Chocolate and Coffee

Neither is true. In fact, research now proves that that these myths in pregnancy are far from the truth! Daily chocolate consumption by pregnant women could have a positive effect on placenta and foetal growth and development by improving blood flow, lowering risk of preeclampsia. Also, moderate caffeine intake isn’t likely to harm you or your baby. Feel free to have a small cup of milky coffee in the morning!