“Step on a crack, break your mama’s back.” “Don’t open an umbrella indoors.” “Sharing your birthday wish with someone will cause it not to come to pass.”
We have all heard these superstitions and more before, but when you become a parent, you are introduced to even more of these wild beliefs. I thought since October is here, it would be fun to share some prevalent but questionable urban myths and parental superstitions.
One of the first parental superstitions I experienced as a mom was the teething egg. Have you heard of this one? As a new mama, I indeed had not. Back when my oldest began cutting teeth, we experienced night after night of crying from pain and discomfort. It’s the most awful thing in the world to see your baby that way, plus a lack of sleep for everyone makes it even worse. After sharing our experience with a friend, she suggested the teething egg. No, not the rubber egg shaped teething ring, but an actual egg. She explained to place the egg in your baby’s room, close to their bed and that it helps lessen their oral pain. I looked at her the way you are probably looking at your screen right now. I thought she was off her rocker and thanked her for the advice I knew I would NOT be using.
But then, after almost a week of my baby being miserable, desperate, and sleep-deprived, I thought, “What could it hurt to try this teething egg?” and did just that. We placed the egg in a container and put it next to his crib, and guess what? He literally slept the rest of that night so peacefully with no struggle or soreness. Completely flabbergasted, I just had to know that I wasn’t crazy and that there was a reason behind our experience.
Scientifically speaking, it is loosely stated that the eggshells absorb carbon dioxide at a more rapid speed, reducing pressure off of babies’ gums. Whether you believe in the debatable science of the matter or the credences shared throughout centuries, the teething egg, without a doubt, worked for us. Now, I find myself being the weird friend sharing this bizarre advice to other sleep-deprived parents with disconsolate babes as a result of their new pearly whites.
Another parental superstition revolves around little ones and their locks. It is the belief of many that cutting a baby’s hair before their first birthday brings bad luck. The origin of this superstition dates back many centuries when hair was a primary source of warmth for humans. So it is quite possible that cutting hair at that time exposed children to the frigid element, making them more vulnerable and susceptible to illnesses. Through the years, this belief has been passed down, and many still will not part with their baby’s hair before the age of one as a result.
Beyond these, have you ever seen your baby or toddler trying out new yoga positions? Specifically the downward dog? Supposedly, when they do this, they predict another pregnancy for mom as they are “looking for their new sibling.” If you are trying to get pregnant, this could be fantastic news, but if you have no plans to expand your family anytime soon, maybe keeping your kiddos from yoga is best for now. There are many noted cases where moms say they found out they were pregnant again because their current child(ren) told them so. Is there validity to these stories? I have no idea, but they most definitely intrigue me and make my mind wonder.
As for me, I am a natural researcher, so I believe there is a reason for everything. I am also a proud Christian, so I try not to get too deep into superstitions. However, as parents, sometimes we find ourselves in situations (hence the wee hours of the night with a screaming baby) where we are willing to bypass logic and give the urban myths a try.
