Telling tales can be fun! As long as you remember they are just tales…

Depending on what stage of your pregnancy you’re at, you are bound to come across what some call “words of wisdom” but are probably better known as “old wives tales”.

Let’s liken it a little to medical students. When they are at certain stages of their training, they self diagnose. They truly believe they have every ailment in their textbooks. Be forewarned pregnant & breastfeeding women of the world – you could fall into this same trap! Either take the sayings with a good old pinch of proverbial salt or snap that book shut, force quit, move to trash!

Granted, they are good for a giggle… Take the following three tales for example:

“If you’re carrying in front, it’s a boy and wide, it’s a girl.” Of course you’re carrying in front – where else would the baby be? Wide? Is that not just how the baby is lying?

“If your belly is low, you will deliver soon.” Well that’s a no-brainer!

“A big belly means a big baby.” It might but it may also mean you have fluid retention, twins, your pelvis may be smaller and so you’re baby bump sits in a more prevalent position.

There are so many of these old wives tales out there – have a snoop around. Some other particularly wacky ones we thought we’d share, go like this…

“Do you feel like your nose is growing and getting wider?  If so, you might be having a boy.” Or, perhaps you need a mirror with a better glass in it or even spectacles! Perhaps you’re so into analyzing every part of your beautiful body, you’re taking extra special notice of your nose too. Maybe you can’t see your toes any more and your nose has become the thing you look at most?

“If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.” Sorry to say, the headaches will probably start in earnest once that boy is out there on the party circuit, kicking up at school, creating mayhem. (And then tugging at your heart strings as only boys can.) Or, perhaps you are dehydrated? Give doubling your water intake a whirl.

And this one was particularly close to our hearts – pun intended! “If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl.  If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.”

Left breast, right breast; left foot, right foot; left ear, right ear; left hand, right hand….need we go on? We are asymmetrical!

But hey, we don’t want to spoil the fun! At the end of the day, part of the excitement of being pregnant are the discussions surrounding the topic. Those who have been there before are full of wisdom and knowing looks. Some say too much, others – frustratingly – not enough. Perspective, we say, keep everything in perspective!