What does a modern woman do when she finds out about her pregnancy and decides to become a mother? She buys up the entire assortment of "mother's" literature at the nearest kiosk, discusses what she read with her friends who are "in the subject", listens to the advice of family and friends, but as a result has not reliable information, but a complete set of myths and legends about pregnancy and childbirth.
Let's try to dispel the most common ones.
The first myth. Peace, peace and more peace
You're pregnant, but you haven't really turned into a crystal vase, have you? If you are feeling well, doctors do not talk with you about the threat of miscarriage and do not recommend strict bed rest, live at your usual pace. There is no point in quitting the pool, gym, or cycling. But it is worth discussing the intensity and training scheme with the instructor.
The second myth. Pregnancy doesn't change anything
Unfortunately, not always. Even with a safely proceeding pregnancy, something will have to change. The office will suddenly become very stuffy, despite the presence of air conditioning and an open window, the car will smell suspiciously of gasoline, the aromas in your favorite coffee shop will cause nausea and vomiting, and by the third trimester you will know all the points of city toilets on the way to work.
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The third myth. My body won't change
This is really a myth. Will change. Someone has more, someone less. Someone will easily get "in shape" after childbirth, someone will need efforts. Perhaps these changes will be noticeable only to you. But they will.
The fourth myth. Cream for stretch marks and cosmetics for pregnant women
A modern pregnant woman clearly knows that it is imperative to use a cream for stretch marks. If a woman has stretch marks, she either did not smear the problem areas at all, or she saved when buying and bought a cheap brand instead of an expensive one. In fact, the role of the cream in this matter is insignificant, but the role of genes is significant. Ask how things were with the skin after pregnancy with your mother, grandmother. Most likely the same will happen. Whether stretch marks appear on the skin of the abdomen, breasts, buttocks and thighs depends on the type of your skin, and not on whether you have a cream and not on its price.
Should I use only special cosmetics for pregnant women during pregnancy? During pregnancy (as well as before and after) you should use good cosmetics. Most likely, your "everyday" cream will perfectly cope with dry skin of your hands, and hair loss will reduce the timely intake of good vitamin complexes. There are women for whom the status of a future mother is very important, and they do their best to emphasize it. If the very presence of "special" cosmetics on your shelf gives you joy, use it to your health. She's no worse, really no better than the rest.
The fifth myth. Do not paint, do not cut your hair
The myth is very common. You can't dye, your mom will tell you, because dye is harmful to the fetus, the dye won't "stick" to the hair, etc. The grandmother will explain that you cannot have a haircut, because you take away the child's health (mind, strength). In addition, nail polish, deodorant, decorative cosmetics and perfume will be rejected. Do not be surprised that after that others will look at you with pity and sympathy: "Yes, pregnancy does not decorate everyone." In fact, split ends of hair, 5 centimeters of unpainted "roots", unkempt hands and the smell of sweat do not adorn anyone.
Is the paint harmful to the fetus? Not. First, modern hair dyes and hair dyes from the period of your mom and grandmother's youth are different things. And even perhydrol is only dangerous for your hair and your scalp, nothing more. Every day, we ourselves, unwittingly and without knowing, are faced with a mass of harmful substances. But our body is sufficiently protected and able to cope with negative factors, and one of the functions of the placenta is not to let harmful substances into the fetus.
Unfortunately, during pregnancy, the desired result is not always obtained when dyeing your hair. However, this can only be found in a practical way. A "heightened" sense of smell and nausea can also become a problem, and beauty salons are always full of different smells. But communication with a hairdresser and manicurist, if desired and necessary, can be organized at home.
The sixth myth. About stress
Stress for a pregnant woman is very harmful.
You can hardly argue with this statement. Constant and severe stress is generally not good for anyone. But, if you think about it, a person every day finds himself in a lot of small, insignificant and sometimes even unmemorable stressful situations. This is normal. The human body can and should periodically receive doses of adrenaline into the bloodstream. When it comes to some difficult stressful situations, it is not they themselves that are important, but your attitude towards them. Constant contemplation on the topic “did it harm my baby” is much worse than a short emotional shock. Do you want positive and positive emotions? Tell yourself that you will be fine anyway.
The seventh myth. Pregnancy is not a disease
It's true. However, pregnancy is a fairly strong burden on the woman's body, so during this period your chronic diseases may worsen or new ones may arise. A mother's illness can adversely affect the intrauterine development of the child. Therefore, monitor your well-being and listen to the recommendations of the doctor who is observing your pregnancy.
The eighth myth. Women's consultation is a resident of evil. All doctors are reinsurers
Unfortunately, this is only partly a myth. Service in antenatal clinics leaves much to be desired. But today you can not only choose another doctor for pregnancy, if you do not like your own. You can choose another medical institution. Take it easy on the number of tests that you will have to pass and the number of specialists you will have to visit: this is the standard pregnancy management scheme. But when prescribing any drugs to you, be vigilant. There can be no "just in case", since pregnancy is a normal physiological state. Therefore, there must be a reason for prescribing any pill. If you continue to be plagued by doubts, and your doctor seems to be a reinsurer to you, consult another. It is unlikely that several specialists will be reinsured at the same time.
The ninth myth. Courses for pregnant women must be attended
Rather truth than myth. If you do not visit them, disaster will not happen. But the courses will tell you how the childbirth goes, how to behave during contractions, attempts, teach you how to breathe correctly, relieve you of unnecessary fears, etc. Those who plan to give birth with their husbands should definitely attend the courses.
The choice of courses should be considered carefully. Ideally, these should be activities for couples, not just for expectant mothers. It's good if the courses tell not only about childbirth, but also about how to feed and care for a child. If in the classroom, in one way or another, they are trying to convince you that giving birth is only worth at home, that in the maternity hospital only the rudeness of doctors awaits you, the fight against their ignorance and cesarean section in one hundred percent of cases, urgently look for other courses.
The tenth myth. You cannot buy a dowry for a child in advance
It is possible and necessary. Of course, none of us is immune from tragic accidents. But the percentage of infant mortality does not correlate in any way with the percentage of people buying baby things in advance. The reality is that after giving birth to deal with issues of the situation in the nursery, the choice of a stroller, clothes for the baby, etc. you will have no time. If, nevertheless, for one reason or another, you absolutely do not want to buy baby things before giving birth, just select them and make a detailed list for your family. They will have a few days to make purchases according to your clear directions. However, it is worth taking care of things for yourself personally - disposable panties, pads, nursing bras - all the same, and in advance.
Eleventh myth. A healthy woman with a normal pregnancy can give birth at home
In theory, yes. As a result, some of these healthy women with normal pregnancies are delivered by an ambulance to the nearest maternity hospital. There are situations when the count goes on for minutes - the ones that are enough to transport a woman from the delivery room to the operating room, but not enough to get to the hospital. Nobody is immune from these situations. And in any case, maternity hospitals are not very happy about “inexpensive at home” - no one likes to correct other people's mistakes. If you are in the mood for a home birth, choose a good experienced midwife, be sure to keep a fully completed exchange card with you and find, just in case, “your” doctor at the nearest maternity hospital. It is in the nearest, because in critical situations on the other side of the city the ambulance will not take you. There must always be an alternate airfield.
Myth twelfth. After giving birth, I will live the same way
Not. There are many ways to make the first years of your life in a new status easier, to make yourself more mobile, etc. But the old way of life will not be exactly. Take it for granted. Life after childbirth is completely different. Not necessarily worse. Just different. Yes, you can start working in the first month of your child's life, you can go on vacation with him. But the organization of these processes will be completely different.
Myth thirteenth. I can handle everything on my own
Can't handle it. Either way, caring for a child is very time consuming. You can, of course, spend 18 hours a day on a child, and the remaining 6 hours on cleaning, washing, cooking and shopping, but in this case, exhaustion, nervous and physical, will overtake you very quickly. There are two ways out of the situation: either someone does the housework for you, or you do it, but three to four times less than before giving birth. Try not to react to the fiery speeches of your mothers, grandmothers and mother-in-law that they once coped with everything on their own. Better remember your childhood: it will probably turn out that your grandmother did your job instead of your mother, your aunt instead of your grandmother, etc. In short, they were also helped, and regularly.
Myth fourteenth. I know everything about children (I helped babysit all my relatives; courses, magazines, books and communication with my mother / grandmother / mother-in-law prepared me for life with a child)
Do not know. Let's take this as an axiom. The degree of responsibility for one's own and other people's children differs by orders of magnitude. Think of the Little Prince and the Rose. Now you have your own, and it is more important than the entire neighboring rose garden put together.
Courses, magazines and books have given you a ton of useful information. But young parents always have questions that have no answer. After all, the books say about children in general, and not about your child specifically. The rich experience of relatives usually consists in raising and educating only you personally. As a last resort, a couple of your sisters and brothers. But many years have passed since then, and much has been forgotten. Do not neglect the help of your elders, but do not rely entirely on them either. You are raising your child and only you can make decisions.