A friend of mine has been munching alot of carrots in her first 2 months of pregnancy and she told her mother about whilst chatting on the phone. Her mother advised her to be careful as the - is it carotene?? - could turn the baby's hair ginger.
I have not laughed so hard in a long long time. I couldn't believe it. Her mother was being serious i think aswell - she totally believed it. As did the baby's father's mother when my friend told her!!!
makes you laugh ay?!
I tried to explain that what you ate would have no effect over the colour of the hair, eye, skin etc and that it is purely genetic. she seemed to look at me like I had no idea what I was talking about!
well yes it does have some basis in truth and i would not be too sure that the baby would not actually be delivered with a rather strong suntan, it depends on whether the mum to be has also eaten certain other foods that naturally would counter act the effects of the excessive comsumption of the carrots and indeed the absorbtion into the body of the carotene.
Eating too many carrots can cause carotenemia which will turn your skin orange. This cannot cross the placenta so the baby will not be affected but can be passed through breast milk.
Not so stupid, then.