Pregnant Women Reveal the Craziest Advice They’ve Been Given

Regardless of whether you have children, grandchildren, little siblings, or a combination of any, please do not offer random pregnant women advice about how to live life during pregnancy. Sure, you might have some good ideas. Maybe a cousin or other family member will come to you for guidance one day.

However, a lot of people try to pretend that they know a lot more about pregnancy than they really do. Those same people love giving unwarranted advice to women who more than likely just want to be left alone. You’re just trying to be helpful, but the people who are going to be the best decision-makers for the baby are, in fact, the parents.

Some people didn’t get this memo, and now pregnant moms are coming out of the woodwork to share stories of the most insane things others have told them.

Morning Sickness Is All in Your Head

I was told by my coworker that my morning sickness was all in my head, and if I didn’t think about it, it’d all go away. It was during a conversation about how I missed a lot of work due to me violently puking my guts out. Made worse by the fact that my morning sickness hit hard shortly after I found out I was pregnant. “You only have morning sickness because you know you’re pregnant now.”

I had it during my entire pregnancy and vomited during labor too. Still, it was all in my head apparently. Reddit User: shiraageha

Uncross Your Legs

I’m pretty newly pregnant (only 8 weeks/2 months along), and a male colleague literally walked up to me yesterday while I was sitting down and physically grabbed my legs to uncross them because “the first trimester is a very dangerous time. You have to be careful!” Everyone acts like you’re made of glass.

The majority of miscarriages occur regardless of what the pregnant woman does, and I’m pretty sure crossing my legs while seated is not going to cause my embryo to just up and leave! Reddit User: SydneyBarBelle

Stress Can Make Women Go Overdue

A guy at work told me that women go overdue because they stress too much. All they need to do is relax and then there are no issues. Being the super huge cranky pregnant lady I was, I somehow managed not to hit him. I didn’t go overdue, but that wasn’t because I was relaxed, it was because of the drugs they used to induce me.

(They were worried that the baby was going to get stuck because she was big, which turned out to be true.) Reddit User: [redacted]

Do Flips in Water

The doctor we picked turned out to have some serious problems with advice given among the midwives. My favorite two pieces of advice: to help the baby turn, go to the pool and do front flips in the water. Also to help the baby get in the right position, stick some herbs between your toes and burn them.

It was after these that we decided that most of the other crap that they told us that we actually tried was stupid and didn’t do anything. Reddit User: lightamanonfire

You Have to Have Your Mom in the Delivery Room

My aunt, whose daughter had a child a few years before I did, insisted that I would be crying for my mommy in the delivery room after I told her that I only wanted my husband. She wouldn’t let it go. She went so far as to cry actual tears during my shower to my mother about how naive I was being.

I had the easiest delivery ever, didn’t even break a sweat. My mother was overjoyed that I didn’t call her in the middle of the night to come with me. She hates hospitals. Reddit User: Sockbum

Don’t Spoil Your Baby

My son was born 6 weeks early and was in the NICU for 2 weeks. I tried to be at the hospital as much as I could, but with two other kids at home, I was limited to a couple hours a day spread out so I could try to be at multiple feedings. While I was there, I wanted to hold my son; I think any mother would feel the same.

One nurse told me I was spoiling him by holding him so much, because he liked to be held for the feedings when I wasn’t there. Reddit User: BetOnWaifu

My Sister Smoked and Her Baby Was Fine

I quit smoking immediately after I found out I was pregnant. I was about 3 months in when I was standing next to a friend of a friend who lit a cigarette, so I had to take a few steps back away from him. He asked me why I did, and I told him I quit because it will harm the baby and the smoke made me nauseous.

He said, “My sister smoked and her baby was fine; here, have one so you won’t be so stressed.” Then he tried to hand me a cigarette. Reddit User: [redacted]

Don’t Eat Bleu Cheese

I had a huge spinach craving, I had to eat it like 5 times a day. One of my favorite ways was in a salad with strawberries and blue cheese. My “friend” told me I shouldn’t eat blue cheese because it was bad for the baby. She was also pregnant at the same time, and she continued to smoke throughout her pregnancy; she found nothing wrong with doing that.

I had to explain to her that bleu cheese is pasteurized, so it is fine. She still didn’t believe me. Reddit User: ghchika

Mother-in-Law’s Wisdom

“Washing your hair on your period will wash out all your hormones and prevent you from getting pregnant!” – my mother-in-law. “Doing housework or just standing up too much will cause you to have a hysterectomy!” – mother-in-law again. “Don’t you dare drink coffee or alcohol while you’re pregnant!” – my mother, who smoked cigarettes throughout her pregnancy with me.

“Get off that stepladder! You’ll have a miscarriage if you climb steps while you’re pregnant!” – mother-in-law. “Well I didn’t have an epidural because I didn’t want to give my babies hormones.” – my mother. Reddit User: OSUJillyBean

Just You Wait…

What I hated the most were people who would tell me “just you wait…” stories. I’d be saying something like, “Oh, I’m tired, I might hit the sack early.” And they’d be like, “Just you wait, once the baby is here, you will be tired all the time.” And they did it with everything. So I just told this person that I didn’t appreciate this negative tone of his.

What will I gain from it? “Just you wait, they will cry all the time.” “Just you wait until you have to clean a poopy diaper every time he needs a diaper change.” Reddit User: sokkerpunch

Don’t Raise Your Arms Above Your Head

My mom-in-law has a store I worked at, and she’d scream at me whenever I raised my arms above my head because it will “wrap the cord around the baby’s neck.” I don’t know where she learned this or why she doesn’t understand the dumbness of it. I evenly snapped at her that that doesn’t even make sense because your arms aren’t attached to the inside of your uterus.

She no longer believes it, but it was still frustrating to have to put up with it for so long. At least she’s over it, I guess. Reddit User: [redacted]

Cut Your Hair!

“Not as much about my pregnancy but soon-to-be-mommy advice I got while pregnant: “Get rid of your cats! They’ll smell the milk on the baby and smother him in his crib.” This old wives’ tale came from my sweet 80-year-old grandma. We still have our cats. “Cut your hair. It will be so much easier once the baby comes.”

My hair is halfway down my back, and I got this from so many people, even strangers! Unless I’m shaving my head bald, I cannot fathom how short hair I’d have to take time to style every day is easier than a ponytail. Reddit User: Amyfelldownthestairs

Don’t Look at the Eclipse

I was pregnant during the recent eclipse right near the path of totality, and I was told to wear red panties and not look directly at it or go outside until it’s finished or I’ll lose the baby. This came from my neighbor who was a little coo-coo for cocoa puffs. So I went commando, took my DSLR, a telephoto lens, and took photos of it instead.

Needless to say I have a happy 7-month-old baby girl now, and my neighbor is as dumb as ever. Reddit User: Naleric

Morning Sickness Is Your Body Not Accepting the Baby

I was told that morning sickness means that your body is not accepting the baby and therefore isn’t suitable to carry a baby healthily. This was during my first trimester, and I was told this during a period of morning sickness. I was terrified of miscarrying because I had trouble conceiving in the first place.

I was also told that when you’re pregnant you never forget the people that were unkind to you during your pregnancy. I guess so far that’s true, because I haven’t forgotten that comment! Reddit User: the-password-is-meow

Don’t Drink Milk

This woman (worked in my dept) while I was pregnant with my first child told me not to drink too much milk or I’d “end up with a stone baby” and that if I raised my arms over my head the cord would wrap around the baby’s neck. Who just tells pregnant women terrible things like this?

For those who don’t know, a stone baby is a baby that died in your body and hardens. Half-pint of milk in one hand, I raised my arms…and later delivered a healthy baby. Reddit User: cnokennedy2

Drink Wine, Don’t Eat Salad

I did most of my prenatal care while in Italy. My doctor advised me to drink a glass of red wine at dinner every night so I’d be relaxed and not stress the baby. (I did not follow this advice.) Interesting how different cultures react to pregnancy. If I was out and was offered wine, I’d say I couldn’t because I was pregnant, so they’d pour me a half glass!

Also, once I had a woman take my salad plate away at a restaurant because salad is bad for pregnant women. Reddit User: [redacted]

You Should Be Screaming

My mom has a crazy high pain tolerance; when she was going through an ectopic pregnancy with my sister, she was not crying, and she warned the doctors she needed help right now. The doctor refused for a while because she “would’ve been screaming or crying if you had that.” It’s quite crazy that if she didn’t know what it was, I would’ve never been born.

My mom is calm during stressful situations, and that saved her life. My mom just casually added that she nearly bled to death and had to have a blood transfusion. Reddit User: [redacted]

Laxatives and Jump Off a Chair

My pregnancy was at 40 weeks, and someone told me to drink a laxative to get the baby to come. I didn’t think that would work, you know, since I wasn’t pooping the baby out. So I went to my local pharmacy and asked the pharmacist if it was safe to drink a laxative while preggo and if it would in any way initiate labor.

I kid you not, the pharmacist told me to “just jump off a chair.” The sudden drop would get the labor to start. Reddit User: minamayi

Don’t Let Yourself Go

This was after I had two children. I was signing up at the gym to try and get back in shape. I was feeling extremely depressed, and I was proud of myself for finally doing this. I mentioned to the guy signing me up that this is what I was going for. His response was nuts.

“Well, there was no reason for you to let yourself go this far to begin with. You shouldn’t have been so lazy during pregnancy. I’m sure your husband didn’t appreciate it.” Reddit User: Jelese111

It’s in the Book

My very first OB visit handed me a book about month by month pregnancy and said that if I had any questions to refer to the book. She went on and on about how this book would be my real OB and if, after I read the book, I still had questions, she would be happy to help.

Then I said, “Well, what if the baby…” she cut me off right there and pointed to the book and said, “Ah, ah, ah, it’s in the book.” I changed OBs. Reddit User: realelizathornberry1

Smoke Cigarettes

My grandmother made a comment about my weight gain with my first pregnancy around month 5. For reference, I started severely underweight at 87 lbs and was closely monitored by my doctor because of it. At this point, I was nearing 125. When I told her that the OB/GYN was happy with where I was, she told me of her own doctor’s advice (in 1956),

“Smoke a pack of cigarettes per day to keep your weight down. The baby can gain its own weight after birth.” Reddit User: MerrisAwesome

Rub Your Husband’s Dirty Underwear All Over You

I got severe itching all over my body during my seventh month. I mean, I was itching everywhere. It was miserable, and I ended up going to the doctor for it. I did the routine test for liver function, and it was all normal. A colleague advised me, “Rub your husband’s underwear that he has left for washing/laundry all over your body as a remedy for itching.”

“His scent is low for the baby, and this is why you feel itchy.” No, I didn’t follow this advice. Reddit User: themnmgirl

You’re Not Big Enough

One person told me I would never be able to fit a baby out of my body because I wasn’t big enough “down there” and to just get a C-section. They were not a doctor. I’ve always been pretty petite, and this was a random person who had literally never seen my “down there.”

No, I’m not going to get major surgery just because you don’t think I’m large enough. Yes, you’re a jerk for even mentioning my size. I’ve had two successful vaginal births. Reddit User: artdoesnotfart

Frozen Cabbage Leaves

Frozen cabbage leaves in the bra would apparently help with swelling and pain due to breastfeeding. While it felt awesome for the whole minute or so they stayed frozen, they eventually turned to mush and made a mess. Advice I wish someone had given me: get a mattress protector. Carrying a big baby next to your bladder means just the act of rolling over in bed can cause leakage.

And if you are too tired after the birth to take the baby to a changing table or the floor, you’re gonna want a layer of protection on your mattress. Reddit User: CheeseVampire

Swat It So It’ll Know

My mom was talking to my paternal grandma while pregnant with me, then winced because I was kicking her ribs. My grandma told her, “Swat it so it’ll know!” She wanted my mom to spank fetus-me through her own belly for kicking her. My mom obviously did not follow this advice and tried to have a talk with my grandma.

After my mom told us that story, “Swat it so it’ll know” became a common response any time someone was complaining about something. Reddit User: keekzula

Keep Your Husband Satisfied

Well, I am the husband/father, but a doctor told my 38- or 39-week pregnant wife that her condition was no excuse to not keep me “satisfied.” Not even sure why it was brought up. She was just getting a regular checkup. I wasn’t even there. Doc busts out with this. (Not her regular doctor. Her regular doctor was also off pregnant.)

She was NOT impressed to say the least. So there’s the advice. Being pregnant is no reason to not please your SO. Reddit User: wdh662

Get Rid of Your Cat

When I was pregnant with my son, his dad’s family tried to make me get rid of my cat. They said that the cat would crawl on top of the baby’s face and suffocate him because he smelled like milk. They even set up an intervention for me about the cat.

One of his relatives actually went as far as to say I was a bad mom if I didn’t get rid of the cat. Son is 3 years old now, and the cat has never cared about him. Reddit User: auntbubbie

Scented Chapstick

This wasn’t really advice about the pregnancy, but it was about birth. Taking a class about parenthood, the old woman teaching the class suggested that we bring some type of scented chapstick so that we could smell something pleasant in case we needed an emergency c-section.

She said the reason for this was that when they give you a c-section, they cauterize the wound and burn the incision shut, and your first memory of seeing your newborn will be accompanied by that smell. Reddit User: yacaughtme

You’re Too Small to Have Twins

I was 6 or so months pregnant with my twins. I didn’t look “large” because I carried one girl under my ribs and used to have awesome abs. My advice from a stranger was that I should see a new doctor because I wasn’t pregnant with twins because I was not big enough. You must be right, stranger at the mall judging me….

All while I’m being pushed in a wheelchair because I can’t breathe and need to be on low activity. I did IVF to have them. Reddit User: captkate

Sleep With Your Ankles Above Your Head

From my father-in-law: “Make sure you sleep with your ankles above your head so the baby doesn’t fall out while you’re sleeping.” Because walking around is fine, but laid flat at night, the baby could just drop out at any second. However, I disregarded pretty much anything he said after he asked if we would hear the baby talking inside my bump.

He legit thought the baby would be capable of speech inside the womb and that occasionally pregnant women’s bellies would just join in the conversation apparently. Reddit User: GBrook-Hampster

You Can’t Work

Not advice exactly, but the thing that drove me crazy was the number of men (only men) who told me that there was no way I would be able to teach through the end of the school year. It was just impossible. My due date was 2 weeks after the last day of school. I knew there was a possibility I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I wanted to at least try.

Not only did I make it to the last day of school, but I also led a training the day after and felt great. Reddit User: annonymoose

Only Room Temperature Drinks

It was explained to a pregnant me by a woman in her 40s-50s that having water (or any beverages) cooler than room temperature would kill the baby. Once the baby was born, still no beverages below room temp for a year or two, and the first six months to a year I’d pretty much recover in bed.

I was not to lift a finger, and my mother was to be 100% in charge of caring for the baby and making all decisions; she was apparently also responsible for caring for me. Reddit User: GiggleButts

Rushed Out of the Doctor’s

Not me, but my wife. I was with her at every OB appointment, and let me tell you; if your doctor is not answering your questions or is rushing visits, just change doctors. For the first 6 months of pregnancy with our first daughter, her appointments were rushed, and she wouldn’t answer any of our questions. My wife was swelling up pretty bad and having random bouts of passing out. All with no explanation and seemingly no care from the doc.

When we finally switched doctors, we found out immediately that she had pre-eclampsia that was allowed to get worse and worse. Reddit User: GrizzleyGodfrey

We Were Told We Lost Our Baby

I asked the doctor if she was sure. I didn’t want any hope if there wasn’t any. She said, twice, that she was 100% sure. She advised that I schedule a D&C that day. I went against her advice and decided to let the baby pass (out of my body) naturally. I went a week later to see where the baby was in the “dropping” process. Moments later, I’m listening to my baby’s heartbeat.

This doctor (not the same as the last doctor) said our baby was alive and perfectly well. I’ve never been happier that I ignored a doctor’s advice. Reddit User: EvilSeaWitch

You Can’t Do Anything

At work (waitress), I get told all the time that I can’t lift anything. No plates or drink trays, no running food. Also apparently bending down to pick up something I dropped can hurt the baby. Everyone tries to act like I’m going to break at any second. I have no work restrictions from my doctor because I was lifting that much before and he suggested to do 30 minutes of extra cardio a day.

This started at 12 weeks when I told everyone, and I’m now 25 weeks. Looks like I’ve still got a while to go. Reddit User: Panny205

Babies Have Poisonous Nails

My grandmother-in-law has it in her head that babies have poison under their fingernails. Her son (my dad-in-law) relayed that to me, and I set him straight. When her daughter was a baby (60ish years ago), she had scratched her eye, and it got irritated/infected. Her doctor told her that it was poison under the baby’s nails.

I’ve tried to convince her otherwise, but I don’t want to argue and she’s set in her ways. So I just smile and change the subject. Reddit User: jadrienne

Jogging Is Healthy

My youngest brother was six weeks premature, and my mother was on bed rest with him for five months because he kept trying to come early. We had one crazy neighbor who kept pounding on our door and telling Mom to go jogging with her. Not asking. Demanding. When we told her that Mom was on bed rest and could barely get up to use the bathroom, she told us jogging while pregnant is healthy and helps develop the baby’s lungs.

She only stopped when my dad told her that if Mom went jogging, she would miscarry and the baby would die, and the neighbor would be blood guilty. Reddit User: myfairdrama

Have a Girl

I was about 7 1/2 months, standing in the baby aisle at Target trying to decide what sheets I wanted. This older lady walks up behind me and says, “Oh, how sweet, do you know what you’re having?” I said, “Yes, ma’am, it’s a boy.” She kind of frowned and said, “Oh no, try for a girl next time. Sure you’ll enjoy your boy for a little while, but he’ll grow to hate you, leave for college, and never call.”

“You’ll see, boys get married and always go to the in-laws for holidays. You’ll feel childless by 60. Girls tend to stay with their mama. I wish I’d had one.” Reddit User: iwatchalotofdisney

Your Baby Will Get Stuck

The weirdest advice I got was courtesy of my grandma. I was in my first trimester, and all I wanted to do was sleep. She told me I needed to not sleep as much as possible otherwise the baby would get stuck in one position. I also had a friend of hers who came over while we were remodeling the room that would become the nursery.

He then told me I was having a girl because I was carrying so much weight in my hips and they were saggy. I was only 3 or 4 months at the time and hadn’t really gained any weight, so thanks dude. Reddit User: time343