The Strangest Pregnancy Trends

When we think about strange things during pregnancy, we tend to think about weird food cravings. However, this is simply something that our bodies want at that specific moment, and indulging is typically not a bad thing. On the other hand, there are some rather odd decisions that people that are expecting a new addition to the family are making, which oftentimes don’t make sense to other individuals. That being said, it doesn’t mean that they’re all bad. With that in mind, let’s go over some of the recent trends.

Free births

For starters, more and more birthing parents are opting for a free birth. This means that they will give birth unassisted, without any medical professionals present. Parents-to-be also tend to skip checkups and scans that are typically recommended to expecting parents to check on the health of the little one. While giving birth without midwives and doctors has been happening for millennia, it has seen a recent resurgence although experts warn against them due to various health risks, including death.

Lotus birth

Another trend that experts are saying might be harmful to the baby is lotus birth. During a typical birth, the umbilical cord is cut as soon as the baby is born. On the other hand, parents that opt for a lotus birth keep the cord attached until it breaks off from the placenta naturally. Advocates for this trend claim that it helps the newborn adjust to life outside the womb. Medical experts, however, say that placenta provides the perfect environment for bacteria to appear as it is dead tissue. There is a risk of spreading the infection to the baby if it is attached to the decaying organ.

Casts of the pregnancy belly

A trend that is more appealing is probably making a cast of the pregnancy belly that the parents can keep forever. Some parents-to-be do this on their own while others turn to professionals that offer this service and cover the belly with plaster until it takes shape. This memento doesn’t harm the baby or the parent in any way and is typically done during the seventh or eighth month of the pregnancy.

Tattoos covering scars and stretchmarks

It’s not uncommon that parents are ashamed of their C-section scars or stretchmarks even though they are completely natural and have allowed them to bring their new favorite person into the world. One way how some people are choosing to make themselves more beautiful is by getting tattoos that will cover these marks. As designs are truly countless, they can do whatever they want that will make them feel better about their body. However, if the person gets pregnant again, their body will change once more and the tattoo might morph a bit.

Simulated labor pains for dads

Many birthing parents can experience anxiety about the delivery and the whole process, and being pregnant during a global pandemic can only make things worse. In many cases, their partners might decide to learn more about the whole process and take it upon themselves to show that things are not so bad by trying a labor pain simulator. However, in many cases, men that have used a device that can simulate labor pain say that it’s some of the worst pain they’ve ever experienced. On the other hand, when women who’ve already given birth used the same device, they said that the pain is mild and barely noticed the lower intensity levels.

Pregnancy suits for men

Non-birthing parents sometimes feel left out or bad that they’re not experiencing all the changes that a body goes through over the nine months of pregnancy. There are now also pregnancy suits that can replicate various symptoms of pregnancy such as weight gain and baby kicks. Water sacks replicate the belly and the breasts, and people use them to see what it really feels like carrying all that extra weight.

Preparing meals with the placenta

A trend that is becoming popular is making a meal that will include the placenta. Some supporters believe it can help with postpartum depression even though there are no studies that show the health benefits of this practice. One person describes the taste as “almost beefy.”

While some trends do come with benefits, others are simply odd seeing as how no scientific research has confirmed their perks. What are some of the strange trends you’ve noticed?

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