Funny and Curious Traditional Pregnancy Beliefs Around the World

Every event in life has moments of humor that can lighten the mood, reduce stress, and make difficulties easier to bear. During pregnancy, some funny or strange beliefs and superstitions can last the full nine months, sometimes adding stress due to hormonal changes. But if the mother is in a good mood, these old wives’ tales might make her laugh. Here are 10 amusing pregnancy beliefs from around the world:

1. Drink coffee, and your baby will have thick hair

Origin: Vietnam.
The superstition claims that drinking coffee will make the baby’s hair grow thick.
Reality: Coffee contains caffeine, which crosses the placenta and can increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight. Pregnant women are advised to limit caffeine to less than 200 mg per day (about 1–1.5 cups of brewed coffee).
Still, this belief persists, imagining caffeine traveling to the baby’s scalp to stimulate hair growth!

2. Drink milk for a fair-skinned baby

Origin: India, with the traditional "kesar milk" (milk with saffron).
Some believe it can lighten the baby’s skin.
Reality: Skin color is genetically determined, not by what the mother eats.
Mothers may smile and indulge in milk anyway, enjoying its nutritional benefits.

3. Avoid scissors and needles to prevent birth defects

Origin: China.
The superstition warns that touching sharp objects could cause birth defects like a cleft lip.
Reality: There is no scientific basis for this. It may have discouraged mothers from participating in simple household tasks like sewing.

4. Don’t eat berries, or the baby’s face will darken

Origin: Multiple cultures.
Some believe the color of food affects the baby’s skin.
Reality: Berries are nutritious, rich in fiber, vitamins, and manganese, which support digestion and metabolism. There’s no effect on the baby’s skin tone.

5. Eating sour foods means you will have a girl

Origin: Widespread folklore.
Some cultures link cravings to the baby’s gender: sour = girl, sweet = girl, savory/spicy = boy.
Reality: Cravings do not determine the baby’s sex; it’s purely coincidental.

6. Place scissors under the pillow to ward off spirits

Practices appeared in China, Poland, and Egypt.
Sharp objects were thought to protect the mother and baby from evil spirits or bad energy.
Reality: While it may give psychological comfort, it’s unsafe to sleep with sharp objects nearby.

7. If spots appear on your face, the baby is “stealing your beauty”

Origin: Folklore passed down from grandmothers.
Spots or blemishes were humorously thought to indicate the baby taking the mother’s beauty.
Reality: Skin changes are due to hormonal shifts, not magical theft.

8. Walk backward to help the baby turn head-down

Some old traditions suggest walking backward prevents breech births.
Reality: Breech position occurs in 3–4% of pregnancies; fetal turning usually happens naturally late in pregnancy. Cesarean is often required if the baby remains breech.

9. Don’t cry, or your tears will “drown the baby”

Common metaphorical saying.
Reality: Babies are safe in the amniotic fluid and cannot be flooded by tears. However, maternal stress can affect fetal development, so staying calm is beneficial.

10. Complaining too much angers the baby

Origin: Russia.
Talking excessively about pregnancy is said to annoy the baby, making them “stubborn” or late to arrive.
Reality: It’s just folklore, but it emphasizes the idea of positive thinking and calm behavior during pregnancy.

Do these beliefs have benefits?

While these tales are mostly amusing and scientifically unfounded, they serve some positive purposes:

Encouraging healthy habits or foods.
Lightening the mother’s mood and providing laughter.
Creating playful “house rules” that can offer comfort and reassurance.