Anyone who has ever been transported and gives birth to a child will probably tell you that pregnancy is a wild ride.
While I would not recommend questioning someone whose hormones can trust less than a young child with a permanent index, here are some fun pregnancy events from history to remind you that when someone says they are going through it, they are not exaggerated and certainly not alone.
1. Ancient Egyptians invented the first pregnancy tests
Instead of a stick, Egyptian women as early as 1350 BC. They used to pee in barley and wheat seeds to find out if they were pregnant. The damaged seeds were equivalent to a sign of modern day, but could get the best part of a week to get results. This method has been tested in a more recent history and was found to be about 70% accurate.
2. Victorian women were asked to avoid enthusiasm while pregnant
In 19th -century England, pregnancy was considered more than a “situation” than something to celebrate. Pregnant women were then informed not to participate in “dangerous” behavior, such as reading novels, games of toys or laughter too, as this kind of emotional stimulation was considered harmful to the unborn baby. These peoples really knew how to take part!
3. Royal pregnancies were public glasses
If the idea of climbing yourself in front of the delivery group during this final impulse was not bad enough, in the 17th and 18th century Europe, Queens was born to the public so that everyone could get into action. This was to avoid rumors of changing the baby and secure a legal heir of the throne.
Nothing says “Welcome to the world” like a bunch of wigs of dust that rise themselves to the look of your mom’s bay. Happy birthday, baby!
4. In some cultures, pregnancy was celebrated with tattoos
Whether you are a sports portrait of your first or a cartoon cat that blinks its butthole, explaining the deeper meaning of your tattoo in a random foreigner on the grocery line is basically a passing rite for anyone with ink.
For members of certain indigenous and racial cultures, these run-ins can be a little less difficult, as their tattoos were indicators of significant life transitions, including pregnancy and childbirth. Inuit women, for example, took facial or hand tattoos to mark fertility and maternity.
5. Pregnant women once said to ‘think of beautiful thoughts’
Think of a wonderful thought … any pleasant thought. Especially if you are pregnant in 18th -century Europe, where people believed that a mother’s thoughts and experiences could shape their baby’s appearance and personality.
I guess this means that there were no true crime documentaries on the Netflix tail for those waiting for parents.
6. Bananas were a pregnancy of ‘superfood’ in the 1930s
At the beginning of the 20th century, doctors were (probably) giving their interior Gwen Stefani and exclaimed, “this shit is bananas” as they were prescribed to them for almost everything, including morning disease, constipation and even as a gentle childhood food. Some maternity books suggested that they eat 6+ bananas a day. The shit were really bananas.
7. The pineapples were a symbol of fertility
In Europe and America of the 18th century, pineapples were luxury objects associated with fertility and hospitality. These tropical pleasures proudly appeared or were given as gifts as a desire for a fruitful marriage or a growing family, which may be a little different than would be known for these days.
8. The first line of maternity clothing started in 1904
Lane Bryant is a brand that you can recognize for the sale of clothing for sizes 14 to 28. The concept of clothing for pregnant women was completely revolutionary and an instant blow for those who could afford it.
Early advertising for the deterioration of Lane Bryant’s motherhood was strictly orally, since 1910, it was taboo to advertise any pregnancy associated with the newspaper.
It took a year to persuade New York Herald to run an ad, and when they did, Bryant’s whole stock that was exhausted the next day.
Then a Lane Bryant Mail -Der maternity list was created, and by 1917, more than a million dollars were made in sales (this is about 25 million today!)
9. Lucille Ball changed TV history
It seems wild to believe that there was a time when even the word ”Pregnant “was very outrageous to television. Yes, even the simple proposal That a couple had met in practice of baby production was once considered very sexually clear and was not a non-television.
So it was a pretty big affair when the I love Lucy The show decided not to hide Lucille Ball’s pregnancy and hugged it instead (as much as they could, anyway). Although they are not allowed to say the word “P” and had real concerns that their performance could be canceled, on December 8, 1952, the episode “Lucy is Enceinte" aired on television.
Not only did the show pave the way for pregnancy to television, but it also brought to a huge viewer, with over 70% of US households tuing for the episode “Lucy goes to the hospital” when her baby was born (Little Ricky).
10. The first pregnancy test at home came out in 1977
Before home testing, you had to send your urine sample away to the lab and wait weeks for the results. In the 1960s, some expect parents even sent the pee through the mail (I can only imagine the smell after a few days in a hot mail bag).
One of the coolest things for the first DIY test is that the idea came from a graphic designer for a pharmaceutical company called Margaret Crane, who had seen a pregnancy test intended for laboratory use and could not wrap her head around why women would have to wait up to 14 days. He created an original of a home test, called “The Predictor”, which (of course) took about a decade to finally get to the market in 1977.
11. Baby’s first photo was a courtesy of Submarine Sonar Tech
Although Sonar technology was originally used to detect submarine, in 1958, a obstetrician named Ian Donald collaborated with a mechanical called Tom Brown to use a modified version of technology to get a better view of a baby on the Utero.
Later that year, the first picture of an ultrasound of a pregnancy was published in the medical journal “The Lancet” and the rest is history. There is no word about how many jokes “Periscope” was done by technicians during these first ultrasound.
12. In Nigeria’s Igbo-Ora, you are likely to see double
If you are looking for a travel destination where life is twice as much as fun, consider heading to Nigeria’s Igbo-Oh, which has been called “Twin Town” because of the high twin birth rate.
There is even a five -day annual festival to celebrate this local phenomenon. The peoples in the city suggested that the high twin born could be linked to their diet, which is rich in leaves and leaving Okra, but experts suspect that it is probably related to genetics.
13. In Kenya, women Maasai give birth to
If you’ve ever had a baby lying down while screaming, “there must be a better wayyyyyyyyy”, you might have gone to something.
In Maasai culture, women often give birth to standing, holding a rope or tree branch for power, with the help of a midwife or older woman. The method is believed to reduce working time and encourages gravity to do its job.
Well, you have it.
Proof that pregnancy is not for the faint heart, as well as a small rebuild for your arsenal for “exciting but probably useless events” that could be useful in a baby shower or a night. Take these tidbits and go lightly, wise.
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