Maternity Monday - Going into Labor On a Full Moon

[ok...so its tuesday...but it counts because tonight there's a full moon!]

As we all know, there are so many ol'wives tales when it comes to pregnancy. I think mostly because the whole journey of pregnancy is such an unknown...I can't even imagine what it would've been like without all the medical knowledge we have nowadays. I think these ol'wives tales were a way that women could give themselves - and each other - some comfort during this time in their lives. I for one am a perfect example why ol'wives tales are just that - tales. Because if they were medically true, I would be the mom to TWO little boys...not girls!

But with that being said, this is one ol'wives tale that I truly believe in - not only because my first baby was born on a full moon [and many of my girlfriends] but my mom was a NICU nurse and during the full moon (unfortunatly) they would be at their busiest. So this theory has to have some merit.

The theory is: the moon has a gravitational pull that effects the water in the oceans and even in our bodies, therefore it may also effects our amniotic fluid in much the same way. Your water "breaking" is your amniotic sac bursting under pressure, this is usually caused by the pressure of your contractions [think of squeezing a water balloon until it bursts]. During a full moon, the same thing can occur to the amniotic sac due to the effects the full moon is having on the fluids in your body. This is when you water may break without any of those fun contractions - exactly what happend in my case!

Have you read the book "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant? From thousands of years ago it talks about women and how their cycles are related to the lunar cycles. With the onset of every full moon the women would prepare to spend 3 days in the red tent [if only we could still be practicing this tradition today].

So to all you pregnant women out there. See how tonight goes with the full moon.