What's the most bonkers advice anyone has given you during pregnancy?

[Eaglebird]

Yesterday one of my elderly aunties advised me not to do any wallpapering. Not because of the hazard of falling off the stepladder...because reaching up would cause the umbilical cord to snap .
I was dying to laugh, but kept a straight face and told her I'd bear it in mind.

[fryalot]

well, you can't be too careful

[suzywong]

that is rather amusing

my MIL told me not to eat any lamb
over heats the blood, dont' you know

[Eaglebird]

My mother also said 'and you'll be starting your maternity leave at 6 months, won't you?' I said I'd start my leave when I felt I needed to, but ideally wanted to work as long as I could so that I could spend more time with the baby afterwards before going back to work part-time. She looked horrified, as if working beyond 6 months into a pregnancy was the most evil thing I could do.

[yesireallycan]

In the philippines they think reaching your arms above your head in pregnancy causes the umbilical cord to get tangled round the baby's neck. Some cultures in Asia believe that pregnant women should not handle knives or anything sharp. Or look at an ugly animal - otherwise the baby will resemble that animal.

[jumblesale]

'Make sure you get plenty of rest'. With a 4 yr old and a toddler. hee hee.
Also told not to pick toddler up, even though she'd fallen over and was crying. I think there'll be some great ones on here!

[SlightlyMadSuperhero]

I was told not to eat pizza because the mozerella can cause food poisoning....I have only just found out (and my youngest is 12m) that the mozerella you find on supermarket pizzas is actually not authentic and usually pasteurised...so actually OK.

IT WAS A BLOODY GP THAT TOLD ME THAT...

[WeaselMum]

My mum told me not to lie on my front because I would squash the baby. I was four weeks (yes, weeks) pregnant at the time!

[Anchovy]

When DD was breach I was given some rather unusual advice that involved going into a dark room and a torch...

[ShowOfHands]

On hitting the 37 weeks mark: "If you're impatient then you can use a knitting needle to break your waters."

[SlightlyMadSuperhero]

Am crossing my unpregnant legs thinking of that one SoH

[beckmo]

Anchovy...what where were you supposed to flash the torch????

[MrsMar]

I was told to be careful about weight gain, that in fact I should diet cutting out all animal products and dairy (too much saturated fat) should only eat 1000 calories a dsy and that I should have salad for every meal. That was from a GP!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!! When I questioned the lack of protein in that kind of diet he said "what do you need protein for?"

Mind you he did say my life would be much more sedentary after the baby's born so it would be difficult to shift the weight afterwards.... I don't know ANYONE who's life is more sedentary after having kids!!!! This man should be struck off, even his colleagues at the practice disagreed with his advice!

[Anchovy]

Beckmo - I think you can guess where you were supposed to be flashing the torch!

[PuppyDogsTails]

that pregnancy hormones would make me feel stable, happy and lovely.

[SweetyDarling]

SlightlyMad, To make mozzarella you have to boil it, so it's all safe - even the good stuff!

[moondog]

Eat lots of cream if I wanted to breastfeed.
Makes the milk richer apparently.

Right....

[ruddynorah]

lol yes. drink milk to make milk.

[hertsnessex]

can i just add, that the torch thing can actually work!!!! shein it on your stomach, where babys head is, down one side and thenso its head down, continually doing this over a few nights.

cx

[madamez]

Various bits of New Age bollocks, which I gave polite thanks for and subsequently ignored (hey, it was meant well, it was just bollocks).

[Anchovy]

Ah, no - the recommendation was to go into a dark place and shine the torch up your fanjo.

[thisisnotmyrealMNname]

there's a light at the end of the tunnel...

[thisisnotmyrealMNname]

my Mum made unhelpful (and totally buls**t) comments like, "I don't know why you need maternity clothes yet, I didn't show until I was 7 months..." (more like you tried not to tell anyone but I bet they had already guessed!)

As well as, when I stood up a few days post-birth the sarky comment of, "oh, is there another one in there?" (obviously been reading too many celeb mags and expected me to be a size 0).

[LynetteScavo]

My lovely Grandma told me not to wave my arms in the air, as the umbilical cord might get wrapped around the baby's neck. To scare her, I waved my arms in the air!

[hertsnessex]

Anchovy, LOL! Thats hilarious!!

loving this thread.........

[mad4girls]

my mil used to slap my knee whenever i crossed my legs as she used to say thatthe cord would wrap round baby's neck (this is at 12weeks) trouble is i used to sit like that all the time