Tips pregnant women of the past: from ridiculous to downright harmful

The goal of every decent pregnant women to ensure a healthy and happy 9 months of waiting. Even modern expectant mothers difficult to understand the diversity of conflicting advice on this subject, but the women of the past had it even harder — they had to follow a strange, grotesque, and sometimes unhealthy advice, considered in its time a model of common sense.

1. How do you know that you are pregnant? It is now we can buy a simple pregnancy test at any pharmacy and tell the news to the whole family after a few minutes. But just a few decades ago pregnancy was a long and complex process. When in the beginning of XX century, scientists discovered the pregnancy hormone HCG, they have not invented anything better, how to inject urine female immature rabbits or mice. After 5 days the animals were killed to examine the ovaries. If they were enlarged, the woman could begin to congratulate him on the impending addition to the family.

2. What not to eat? Diet of pregnant women is built around exceptions that can harm the unborn baby. However, as now. However, the potential "pests" has greatly changed. For example, in the XV century, pregnant women are strictly forbidden to eat the rabbit's head, because this could lead to cleft lip in a child, or soft cheeses, which the boy could be a small penis. Any other tips? Of course! For example, is not sharp, because the child may go blind.

3. That, on the contrary, it is? Medieval doctors often advise pregnant women to eat "warm, dry meal" (whatever that is...), and wash it down with some great red wine. A wonderful Finnish tradition that we would have liked the majority of today's moms-to-be were advised to eat the chocolate that the child was happy. As for the weird food cravings and sudden compelling desires of pregnant women believed that they define the tastes and favorite foods of the unborn child.

4. What to think? Doctors of the Victorian era believed that the thoughts of a pregnant woman are transmitted to the child. And his future character depends on the feelings, emotions and experiences of the mother during pregnancy. In other words, quiet and happy mother's did calm and happy children.

5. Wear a corset! In the past for pregnant women, there was nothing worse than looking pregnant. The solution to this problem has been the manufacturers of clothing and advised to wear all the mothers hard corsets. It was assumed that the wearing of a corset good for the baby, as it provides him being "in the right place." Support is actively used in our time, but in those corsets for pregnant women it was difficult to sit there, and just breathe.

6. Whether to engage in sex? The answer is obvious — only if you want your baby to be born a pervert. John Harvey Kellogg — the inventor of the famous corn flakes — part-time was a doctor, known for his work in the field of sexology. His advice to future parents were very strict and clear: no, no! "Sexual activity during pregnancy should be postponed for the benefit of both the child and the mother. The harmful effects of the satisfaction of passions on the child during the period when pledging his character, no doubt a lot more than we used to think. We have not the slightest doubt that this is the main reason for the transfer of the child tendencies to immorality". In other words, the offspring will definitely become a pervert, if mom and dad have sex. In the end, it is necessary to wait only 9 months. And then another 18 years of commercials... just In case.

7. Why go outside when you can sit at home and do crafts? Experts from the mid-1950s years warned pregnant women from excessive activity, advising rest and relaxation as the best exercises for the expectant mother. Too late to go to sleep, to stay in stuffy rooms and to experience emotional distress — all this was considered extremely harmful. Instead, it was supposed to sit by the family hearth, to read books, listen to the radio, do crafts and conduct intimate conversations. I wonder who?..

8. If you are still out on the street — follow the fashion for pregnant women! When the corsets finally abolished and women, including pregnant women, have been able to sit normally again and to breathe, producing clothes for pregnant women began to do it more "interesting" and "fashionable". However, their main goal remained the same — as long as possible to hide the pregnancy. Books for pregnant women the mid-twentieth century urged expectant mothers to wear blouses and dresses free cut, hiding the growing belly that serves as an obvious reminder to the world that the woman (horror of horrors!) had sex. In General, it is better, of course, was still to stay at home. Away from sin.

9. Smoke cigarettes! Hard to believe, but until the second half of the twentieth century doctors were not warned pregnant women about the dangers of Smoking to the unborn child. On the contrary, in 40-e and 50-e years doctors even encourage the use of certain brands of cigarettes, claiming that they are "healthier" than others. Some went even further, suggesting that cigarette Smoking makes pregnant women safer and, therefore, brings the child benefit.

10. Don't forget about the husband! Closer to the resolution of the world both past and present focus mainly on the process of birth and subsequent recovery of a young mother. However, according to the advice of some Housewives of 1972, before his trip to the hospital is also to take care of her husband: "Just be careful that from this moment on, he always had a supply of clean linen for the duration of your absence. And if he is home alone, fill the pantry with products with which he can cope".