Pregnancy Taboos

Smoking.... it can do many horrible things to you unborn child.

My mom told me not to drive at all.

well, i've often heard the old people tell pregnant women not to wear a necklace because so the umbilical cord will not coil around the baby's neck and kill him/her.

When I was pregnant I was giving a paper by my doctor telling me not consume any raw foods, shellfish, sushi, etc. Also he said that if I eat tuna or anything else high in mercury to keep it to once a week or less. My mother told me to avoid putting my arms over my head or the umbilical cord could strangle the baby, but I realized quickly that it is almost impossible to not put your hands up over you head for 40 weeks. With my first pregnancy I was told not to take baths, but for my second and third I was told baths are fine, but not too hot, too long, and to use caution getting in and out of the tub. I have also read that you shouldn't get your hair dyed while pregnant, but I don't anyway so it wasn't a problem for me.

Well...in India..most of us are advised against pineapple and papaya. I read somewhere that there are some enzymes in pineapple that MIGHT harm the baby especially during the first two trimesters and if it is eaten raw. But the women of older generations believe that papaya increases the heat of the body and may cause harm. Nowadays, most pregnant women are not allowed to move about and asked not to do even their daily chores. But earlier (during my grannie's time), everyone was active right until the time of delivery. My grannie advised the same thing and first time round, I just went ahead and did everything I had to do...and luckily I had an easy delivery. I was careful though about not slipping and falling and stuff like that. I have been advised to be very careful for my second one now because the umblical cord was sighted NEAR the neck and the doctor didn't want me doing any heavy work in case the cord wound around the baby's neck. Another 'taboo' I heard last week...'a pregnant woman isn't allowed to thread a needle for someone else'..I don't believe in such taboos.

Im wondering if you question of taboo was understood? I am a mexican woman who has a filipino fiance and when I was pregnat I was always told not to let myself go without something I was craving. my mother & grandmother always said if I was craving something then I should eat it or my child would be born with it's mouth open. My niece was born with her mouth open & she swallowed her own poopoo. :( she was sick for a while too. My fiances grandmother, is filipino. she used to tell me NOT to walk outside barefoot. she said there were lil fairys outside that would try to harm me or my child. When I asked my fiances mother about this she said it was an old wives tale they told back in her country. :]

I live in the United States I was always told not to eat Orsters or certain types of sea food. And also not to hold your arms above your head while your pregnant. That suppose to have something to do with causing the cord to wrap around that babies neck.