If there’s one thing that marks out pregnancy as a “special” time in your life it’s the discovery that you are supposed to obey a lot of rules. Rule upon rule, upon rule.
Many of them are practical and important. And backed by rigorous research about best outcomes for babies and parents. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t take drugs.
Other rules are meant to helpful but are their importance is often overstated. Don’t go near soft cheese, don’t have hot baths, don’t drink coffee (or tea!). And my favourite – don’t pick up a cat (because toxoplasmosis).
And then there are the rules that have no grounding in the health of your unborn child – they just exist to make society more comfortable about uncomfortable things.
Like the 12 week rule.