Old Wives Tales
The collection of old wives tales below are based on my personal experience that I have tested over the years. However, I do not guarantee that they will or will not work for everybody.
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Guiness Stout Myth
Most confinement ladies recommend bathing the newborn baby in Guiness Stout. |
Reason
This will reduce body heatiness. True or False? |
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Chicken Leg Myth
Give baby a chicken leg to chew on his first birthday |
Reason
The child will always have food to eat for the rest of his/her life True or False? |
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Chinese Chives Myth
Rub baby's gum with chinese chives |
Reason
Teething will be less painful and easier for the baby True or False? |
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Washing hair on cold rainy days
Do not wash baby’s hair on rainy days |
Reason
Baby will catch cold easily True or False? |
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Eating tidbits
If a man loves eating tidbits he will only have daughters and no sons |
Reason
I do not know True or False? |
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Giving porridge to baby
Do not give porridge to baby if he has a fever |
Reason
The fever will go up True or False? |
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Fifty cent coin myth
If baby has an umbilical hernia, place a fifty cent coin on it. |
Reason
To close the hernia True or False? |
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Bitter gourd vine myth
Bath the baby with boiled bitter gourd vine |
Reason
To reduce ‘heatiness’ in babies True or False? |
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Charcoal and nail myth
Place a sharp piece of charcoal and a nail in a red packet |
Reason
Prevent your baby from being disturbed by wandering spirits True or False? |
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Baby thigh myth
The crease(s) on your baby’s thighs will determine the sex of your next baby |
Reason
I honestly do not know the reason True or False? |
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Pomelo leaves myth
To stop a baby from crying non-stop bathe him with pomelo leaves |
Reason
Pomelos are supposed to have cleansing properties against spirits so bathing with the leaves will drive the spirits away. True or False? |
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Mosquito bite myth
To stop the itch from a mosquito bite, use your nail and gently press all over the swelling |
Reason
Pressing with the nail will disperse the toxin in the mosquito’s saliva. True or False? |
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Tissue paper myth
Place a piece of wet tissue on your baby’s forehead to stop hiccups. |
Reason
I honestly do not know and neither does the contributor of this myth but I have tested it over the last 4 months. Contributed by: Brigitte Rozario True or False? |
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Black thread myth
Tie a piece of black thread on the ring finger to cure or prevent a stye from becoming worse. |
Reason
I am not sure but according to my late grandmother, the thread is supposed to tie the root of the stye and kill it. True or False? |
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Bread crust myth
Do not give bread crust to children. |
Reason
They will choke on it. True or False? |
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Underwear myth
If your baby sleeps all day and stays awake during the night you should put a pair of his father’s underwear upside down above his head for a couple of days. |
Reason
It is believed that the baby’s sleeping pattern is upside down therefore by placing the underwear in the upside down position it will revert the baby’s sleeping pattern to 'normal'. True or False? |
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Hammer myth
When my mother told me about using a hammer to treat bumps and bruises following a fall I actually laughed at her and said what nonsense. |
Reason
Nobody knows. True or False? |
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Mirror Myth
Do not let a baby under 4 months look at the mirror. |
Reason
The outcome is the child will be very good at telling lies later. True or False? |