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Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

Is it true my baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around his neck if I raise my arms above my head?

Re: Is it true my baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around his neck if I raise my arms above my head?

The Bump Expert

We can’t believe this myth has survived all these years, but clearly it’s still going strong.
So let’s set the record straight:The truth is, your movements have absolutely no effect on the umbilical cord. It’s pretty common for the cord to be around baby’s neck when baby is born, and it’s not necessarily anything to worry about.
In fact, your OB will be able to unwrap it from baby’s neck in just a few maneuvers, if need be, so it’s definitely not the life-threatening situation it’s been made out to be.

Kerry Dougherty | March 01 , 2010 2:47 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

That is exactly what I said to my mother-in-law when she told me that. It was something that her mother had told her. I didn't believe her and did what I wanted. I even went peach picking two days before I gave birth. Not to upset anyone, but we lost our son the night before his birth. He was completely intangled in his cord. Saying that it is definitely not a life-threatening situation is most definitely the wrong thing to say. You should not give advice about things you know nothing about. Yes, seventy percent of babies, at some point, have the cord wrapped around them, somewhere. Yes, raising your hands above your head and reaching for whatever you want, whenever you want probably won't hurt anything. But when you lose a child all you think about are the things that maybe you shouldn't have done. I am not saying that raising your hands above your head during pregnancy equals cord wrapping, I am simply saying, why do something you don't have to do that might cause a problem. With this pregnancy I am in now, I am much more likely to have my husband reach for things rather than myself.

jasonamy101307 | May 20 , 2010 9:25 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

I'm dying to see how people who believe this one get dressed in the morning.

PurduePicc | September 12 , 2010 10:34 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

that's a stupid myth. It is impossible for the cord to get wrapped around the baby when you lift your arms up. The cord is connected down below with the placenta.

jack321 | March 03 , 2011 10:50 AM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

I also did not believe this and thought it was a myth when my grandmother told me about it. So I did what I wanted (as far as reaching above my head) during my 1st pregnancy and when my son came the cord was completely wrapped around his neck and choking him. If I would have pushed anymore my obgyn said it would have killed him. I had to have an emergency c-section. So with my daughter and with this pregnancy I will not be risking it. I don't know if that is really why it happened but I feel like there is no reason to take a chance.

HappyMama23 | June 01 , 2011 1:20 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

@HappyMama23, the exact same thing happened to my son in my 1st pregnancy as well. Now, I'm 32 weeks into #2 (a girl) and I just won't take that chance, again. Why gamble? I will not stretch and/or reach for semi-heavy items above my head weeks/ days prior to delivery. I have reached for can-goods maybe, 3x during this pregnancy by knocking the cans down with a long cooking utensil, when my husband is at work but will soon stop. Thanx for your post.

hazelgreen2 | June 19 , 2011 11:03 AM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

Oh my God! Lol... did you also brush your teetch while you were pregnant? Take a shower? Have sex? Walk? Breathe? Maybe that's what caused the cord to wrap around their neck! Nothing the mother does physically can cause the cord to wrap around the baby's neck. It just happens sometimes. Doing something while you were pregnant and then having something else happen that can happen ANYWAY, does not in any way support the one causeing the other. Scientific method people. Correlation does NOT prove causation. *reaches for the cookies*

serendipity83@yahoo.com | July 22 , 2011 10:31 AM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

I've heard this myth as well, albeit from some of the older ladies I work with, and i am going by the idea that if i need to reach for something on the top shelf, i will go for it as long as the stretching does not hurt. Case in point, I realized the other day that turning around as far as I usd to in order to check my blind spot while pulling out of a parking space was no longer an option. My body let me know that I could not twist in that way, and I am willing to bet that it will let me know when I can no longer reach for things on the top shelf!

lexib6224 | August 06 , 2011 5:02 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

I totally believe this because I did the same as some of these other ladies n I ended up losing my baby at 36 weeks. Never doin it again. I would advise u to show precaution against doin this.

Mikababy092886 | August 31 , 2011 10:46 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

I agree with lexib6224 it is all about listening to your body. If something doesn't feel right, don't do it. I know when I was born I had the cord around my neck quite tightly and the doctor told my mom it was because she was 3 weeks late and they had been trying to induce her etc... The baby moves and things happen. I agree it must be horrific to lose a child so close but I don't think it had anything to do with reaching your arms.

zepher15 | September 02 , 2011 7:38 AM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

i heard this at work the other day from a bunch of ladies, and was shocked. i'd love to know how i'm supposed to say wash or blow dry my hair and shave my armpits, to name a few things that necessitate my arms going above my head. this has had me so worried, ty ladies at work!!!

saundersrt781 | September 10 , 2011 4:00 PM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

It's assenine to think that lifting your arms above your head while pregnant can wrap your child in the cord! Babies are basically acrobats in your belly, and accomplish tangling themselves in their cord by themselves with all of the movement in a confined space.Think about the thousands of years that women have been giving birth while continuing to do manual labor and reaching above their heads - the world's population has continued to grow. While it's tragic and devastating that some of you have lost children, I think it's time we use a little common sense with busting this myth...

mikeandcristina | November 11 , 2011 11:04 AM

Q&A: Is it safe to raise my arms above my head while pregnant?

True or not true, I am very happy letting my man do all the reaching for me when he is around. I do it myself when Im alone and honestly it doesnt feel good. Im considering letting everyone else reach for things a side benefit to being pregnant!

alexchez | April 10 , 2012 11:58 AM

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