True or false? 8 of the most common pregnancy and parenting beliefs, checked against the evidence

“Don’t eat that, dear.” “Take the baby out in the morning sun for a bit.” Almost every Thai mom has heard lines like these, from her mother, her grandmother or the auntie next door. Let’s say this first: every one of these warnings comes purely from love and worry. Our elders raised us with the knowledge they had at the time, and many of these sayings really do have a hidden reason behind them.

But medical knowledge has come a long way. Some of these we now know are not true, and some are only half true. So we took the 8 beliefs we hear most often from our “True or false?” cards and checked each one against the evidence. Every one links to a full article that explains it in detail with complete sources, in case you want to talk it over gently with the elders at home.

Does a yellow baby really need to be held out in the morning sun?

Quick Answer: False. Natural sunlight cannot treat jaundice, and it risks your baby overheating. The doctor will measure the bilirubin level and decide on phototherapy.

Jaundice in newborns is very common. It usually starts on days 3 to 5 after birth and mostly clears up on its own within about 2 weeks. But both the AAP and the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital confirm that putting your baby in the sun is not a safe treatment. What really helps is feeding often and going to your checkup appointments. If your baby turns yellow within the first 24 hours, or the yellow keeps getting deeper, go to hospital right away. Read more in Newborn jaundice: does your baby really need sunlight?

Do pregnant women have to sleep only on their left side?

Quick Answer: False. The left and right sides are equally safe. What matters is that after 28 weeks of pregnancy you start going to sleep on your side, not on your back.

There is currently no clear evidence that the left side is better than the right. The NHS recommends going to sleep on your side from 28 weeks, both at night and for daytime naps, because going to sleep on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake up and find yourself on your back, don’t panic. Just roll back onto your side and go back to sleep. Read more in Pregnancy sleep positions by week

Is som tam off-limits in pregnancy because papaya causes miscarriage?

Quick Answer: Half true. The main risks are raw crab and fermented ingredients that haven’t been heated. As for papaya latex causing miscarriage, the evidence comes from animal studies, and there is no clear research in humans yet.

Pickled crab or raw rice-field crab may carry parasites and bacteria, and raw pla ra (fermented fish sauce) carries a risk of liver fluke. If you still want som tam, the middle ground is to choose som tam Thai or a version made with cooked pla ra sauce, wash the papaya well, eat a moderate amount, and avoid papaya latex or concentrated papaya extracts. Read more in Can you eat som tam while pregnant?, and see other foods to avoid in Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Do you really have to give up coffee completely when pregnant?

Quick Answer: False. You can drink it, but your total caffeine for the day shouldn’t go over 200 milligrams, and Thai tea and green tea count too. In practice, that means no more than 1 cup a day.

The 200 milligram figure comes from NHS and ACOG recommendations. A common mistake is thinking that once you’ve quit coffee, you can happily switch to Thai tea instead. But a survey in Thailand found that a single Thai tea has about as much caffeine as a coffee, and some café coffees come close to the whole day’s limit on their own. Read more in Can you drink coffee while pregnant?

Does your baby’s cord really need wiping with alcohol every day?

Quick Answer: Half true. WHO only recommends keeping it clean and dry, but if your hospital taught you to wipe it with alcohol, that is not harmful. It may just fall off a little later.

The cord usually dries and falls off by itself within 1 to 3 weeks. “Clean and dry” care means leaving it open to the air and folding the diaper down below it. If it gets dirty, wipe it with clean water and pat it dry. Don’t apply powder, medicine or herbs. It’s fine to follow what your hospital taught you, and take your baby to a doctor if the cord area is swollen and red, has pus, or smells bad. Read more in How to care for your baby’s cord

If a baby under 3 months feels hot, can you wait a night and see?

Quick Answer: False. A fever of 38°C or higher at this age should be checked by a doctor right away, even if your baby is still feeding well, and don’t give fever medicine yourself first.

Young babies’ immune systems are not yet strong, and fever may be the only sign of a serious infection, such as a urinary tract infection or a bloodstream infection. Fever medicine can also bring the temperature down and make it harder for the doctor to assess. If you remember only one thing from this page, make it this one. Read more in Fever in a baby under 3 months

Does a baby cry every evening because mom doesn’t know what she’s doing?

Quick Answer: False. Colic can happen to healthy babies, it is not caused by anything mom did wrong, and it mostly gets better by itself at around 3 to 4 months.

Colic is excessive crying, usually worst from the afternoon into the evening, and nobody knows the exact cause yet. Holding your baby close, gentle rocking, white noise and burping can help a little. If you feel you can’t cope, put your baby down on their back in a safe crib and step away for a short break, and never shake a baby. And honestly, the line “she doesn’t know how to raise a baby” hurts a mom far more than the person saying it realizes. Read more in Hard crying every evening

If your online sales are under 1.8 million, you don’t need to file tax?

Quick Answer: False. 1.8 million baht is the VAT registration threshold. If your income for the year is over 60,000 baht (single), you have to file a return, even if in the end you may not have to pay anything.

This one is a bit off the health topic, but online sellers really do hear it all the time. Income from selling goods counts as Section 40(8) income, and you have to file PND 94 mid-year and PND 90 early the following year. Many people file and don’t have to pay, because of the flat expense deduction and allowances. But if you don’t file, you may be charged back taxes plus a surcharge. Read more in Do online sellers have to pay tax?

Go to hospital now if…

Quick Answer: Whatever the elders at home suggest, don’t wait and see with these symptoms. Go to hospital, or call the hospital handling your prenatal care, right away.

• Your baby is under 3 months old and has a temperature of 38°C or higher
• Your baby turns yellow within the first 24 hours, the yellow keeps getting deeper, poop is pale, pee is dark, or your baby is drowsy and not feeding well
• The cord area is swollen and red, has pus, smells bad, or bleeds and won’t stop
• Your baby’s cry sounds different from usual, or they cry with a fever, vomiting, or refuse to feed
• You are pregnant and feel your baby moving less, or differently from usual

How do you talk to the elders at home without upsetting anyone?

Quick Answer: Thank them for caring first, then say “the doctor at the hospital recommends this.” It’s easier to hear than being told they are wrong.

Honestly, most elders don’t want to win an argument. They just want their grandchild to be safe. Try reading an article or the pink book (the Thai mother and child health record) together, or invite them along to a checkup, which can help a lot. And for things that aren’t dangerous, like how to swaddle, or certain foods that carry no risk, letting them help in their own way does no harm.

If this has put your mind at ease, try passing it on to a mom friend who is getting the same set of warnings. She might be waiting for someone to tell her, “It’s not your fault.”