Pregnant Women Should Not Take Baths
This idea is false; however some of the beliefs behind it are true. Pregnant women can and should take baths. It is a great way for a pregnant woman to take some of the weight off her back and relax, especially later in pregnancy. If your water has broken however you should NOT take a bath as your uterus is then vulnerable to infection. You should also avoid throughout your pregnancy taking baths or sitting in hot tubs above 100 degrees. This can raise your body temperature too much and cause problems to your baby, especially during the first trimester.

Holding Your Hands Above Your Head Can Hurt The Baby
The truth is that the positioning of your hands has nothing to do with your baby’s positioning in the uterus or the umbilical cord becoming wrapped around him. Babies born with the umbilical cord wrapped around them is actually quite common as it happens in about 1/3 of all pregnancies and is actually caused by the early movements your baby makes in utero, while they are still small enough to make them.

Wearing A Lei Can Choke Your Fetus
This Hawaiian superstition is just that…a superstition. It makes no sense that a pregnant woman who wears a lei could be choking her baby.

You Have to Drink A Lot of Water or Your Baby Will Get Dirty
A pregnant woman should drink water because it is good for them. However it has nothing to do with how clean or dirty the baby’s amniotic fluid is. The truth is your baby pees in and drinks the amniotic fluid surrounding them, and the amniotic fluid actually replenishes itself every three hours. Staying hydrated helps your baby, but your baby will not get dirty if you do not drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day.

You Need Boiling Water Nearby During Childbirth
Fact or fiction? In reality no one is really sure WHY midwives used to order the husbands to get boiling water. Some think it was just a ploy to get the husbands out of the room during tense times of labor. Others speculate that it was an effort to make sure the few tools that were used, were properly sterilized. Along the same lines so believe that it was a way to keep the tools used at room temperature instead of letting them get cold. Today there is little, if no need to have boiling water nearby during childbirth.

If You Have Heartburn During Pregnancy Your Baby Has A Lot of Hair
Because of there being less room in your stomach since there is a baby growing and pushing on it, heartburn is actually extremely common during those nine months. There is no proof or reason to believe that having heartburn is a sign of a baby being born with a head full of hair.

Your Partner Will Get a Sty in the Eye if They Don’t Feed You What You Crave
While this is fun and definitely something a pregnant woman might be able to get away with holding over her partners head, it is not true. However, that doesn’t mean that the person who denies their pregnant partner the food she craves is safe…

Sex Can Kick Start Labor
This one is actually true! Female enjoyment creates the hormone oxytocin which can help ripen your cervix and get it ready for labor. A mans semen contains the hormone prostaglandins which can cause contractions. Sex is often recommended at the end of a healthy, normal pregnancy. Ask your OB!

Full Moons Bring the Babies
While it is widely believed and noted in L&D rooms every where, however this myth has never been scientifically proven.

These are just a few that we have put together for you. To see our list of gender related pregnancy old wives tales, click here.

Itching during pregnancy is quite normal. The most common cause is dry skin, also known as xerosis, which can be caused by not staying well hydrated. Xerosis can be treated by increasing daily water intake and rubbing lotion on the itchy areas.

Other causes of itchy skin include a liver abnormality called intrahepatic (within the liver) cholestasis (pooling of bile salts) of pregnancy, chicken pox, Fifth’s disease, or even a possible reaction to prenatal vitamins or a new medication. If you have a rash that will not go away, or is accompanied by a fever, you should consult your doctor.

Some women may experience some vaginal itching during pregnancy. This itching can be caused by a sexually transmitted disease, or an infection, but is more commonly caused by the change in your vaginal PH level. Yeast infections during pregnancy are also very common and can be the cause of moderate to severe itching.

What Can You Do?
Before trying to treat vaginal itching with over the counter or home remedies, you should consult your doctor or midwife to rule out the possibility of any STDs. If it is determined that your itching is being caused by a change in your PH level, there are several things you can do to try to relieve the itch.

• Run a bath and add baking soda to it
• Make a paste of baking soda and water to put on the itchy areas
• Place a cold compress on the itchy area

Preventing Vaginal Itching
There are many things you can try to do to help prevent the vaginal itching from starting or returning during your pregnancy.

• Keep yourself clean and dry
• Always wipe from front to back to keep bacteria away from your vagina
• Refrain from douching
• Use scentless detergents
• Wear loose clothing and cotton panties
• Take warm baths free of perfumed bubble bath, and use soap for sensitive skin to wash

If you still experience recurrent itching, whether on your belly, arms, legs or vaginal, consult your doctor to discuss other causes of itchy skin and what you can do about it.

Having a baby comfortable in the water is the first thing you can do to prepare your child to be safe in the water and to have a love of swimming. As parents we let our children forget the wonderful sensation of free-floating. It is important to expose your very young baby to the feeling of floating on water. We forget that babies spend their first nine months of life in water!

Start by getting used to being in the water with your young baby. When the baby has some control of his head movements, get in the bathtub with your baby. (See the video example in www.swimbea.com) Hold him from underneath while he floats on his back and looks up at you. Turn him on his belly and hold him under his chin with his face above the water and gently move him back and forth to get him accustomed to sensing the water. Talk and sing to him tenderly. Stay in the tub for a short period of time. Keep the room and water warm. Do not let the baby get cold.

Every time that you give your baby a bath, run a little water down his face before you wash his head. Wipe his nose to keep any water from going up his little nose. These activities will accustom a very young baby to the water and prepare him for total submersion with you or in a swimming program.

Every parent wants their children to be comfortable around the water but may feel nervous about submerging their child. The following are some strategies for teaching infants and children to hold their breath and open their eyes while learning how to swim. Watching my video will give you confidence as you perform the activities. (www.swimbea.com) You will watch other parents doing the same things with their children. I can assure you that if you follow my suggestions, you will not be hurting your baby. You will not be holding your baby under the water long enough for the baby to swallow water. Add your own games and toys to distract the baby, praising and clapping for each accomplishment. Even if a child cannot swim any distance, teaching your child to hold his breath may save him if he falls in the water. (A minute after you notice he has escaped and you pull him out of the water!!

For a baby up to 6 months old, blow like a gentle gust of wind onto the baby’s face. If the baby takes in a gulp of air and makes a funny face, then you will blow on the baby’s face before putting him under the water and watch him hold his breath. Follow these steps. After the baby is comfortable and playful in the water, hold the baby under the arms facing you, and make eye contact with your baby. Count to three to set the signal, blow quickly on the child’s face, and watch the child make the funny face then smoothly and gently lower the baby’s head completely under the water for one second.

To teach a toddler and young child to hold his breath, count to three (to set the signal) and pour water on his face. When the baby is used to closing his mouth while having water on the face, the baby will be ready to be submerged. First, count to three and pour water over the baby’s face. Then lightly raise and gently lower the baby under the water for one second. After a few times you won’t need to pour water over the baby’s head. The count will be the signal. Every time you count to three, you will put the baby under the water or you will confuse the baby! Many parents pull the baby into the water or throw the baby up in the air while playing with the baby. That is great, but don’t count to three unless you are going to submerge the baby. Be consistent with the signals.

For all infants and young children: When you raise the baby, wipe the baby’s nose so that not even a tiny water bubble will go into his nose. Give the baby a hug to your chest so that the baby will blow out and not swallow air. You are teaching the baby to hold his breath. By blowing out the baby will not develop a hard tummy which sometimes becomes a big burp, and may even lead to throwing up.

As the young child becomes used to going under water, you extend the time under the water to up to 5 seconds pulling the child toward you for a short glide as you step back.

Next you put your hand behind the child’s head gliding the child to another person, to a toy or to the side.

As the child starts enjoying going under the water encourage the child to put his own face down and kick and dig while going to a toy or to the steps. Teach the child to stand up. Continue to hold the child since he may not have the skills to propel himself and swim alone. The child must trust you and master each step with confidence. To teach an older child to hold his breath and go under water, explain each step. Always say close your mouth, the child may not understand “hold your breath”. Have the child count to three and put a toy under the water telling the toy to close its mouth and wipe its face. Then, both of you put your faces under the water together. Have the child dunk you under the water. If the child won’t open his eyes, let the child see you open your eyes under water as you swim to him. Try waving to each other under water. Make noises when you blow out or spit. Wipe each other’s faces. Hold up a finger like a birthday candle for the child to blow out when he comes up from under the water. Pretend to crash the wall while the child has his face in the water and kicks. Hold up a finger like a birthday candle for the child to blow out when he comes up from under the water. Play with the child to open his eyes so he will realize that the water won’t hurt his eyes. If after all this the child continues to swallow water or has sensitive eyes, try goggles or even a mask that covers the nose. The child has to be comfortable and playful going under the water in order to learn to swim.

Encourage the child to open his eyes: It is very important for the child to open his eyes under the water. If a child doesn’t open his eyes, he probably remembers soap stinging his eyes in the tub. Go under water and open your eyes so the child can see you swim to him with your eyes open. Have the child hold a toy and you get it under the water so he can see your eyes open. If the child still won’t open his eyes, buy some swim goggles! (Don’t let the child become dependent on the goggles. Do some swimming without the goggles.) If you have our video, (www.swimbea.com) all of this will be shown with real children acting out their activities. You will see as you hear me talk and explain the progression and you will be able to teach your child to go under water too! Now get in the water and do it!!

copyright 2005 Beatriz Skeens, Swimbea Productions

About the Author:
A swimming teacher since 1971 to children, babies and adults, Miss Bea decided she had to share her experiences. She is featured in the recently released Swim Lesson DVD-video, 35 minutes each, in English and Spanish called Learn to Swim with Miss Bea. You can watch and learn how to swim from the children with the easy to follow instructions and activities. Bea Skeens is also National Board Certified Classroom Teacher in Glynn County, Georgia, with 20 years experience teaching Spanish. Visit her site www.swimbea.com or email her at beaskeens@gmail.com.