Inherited Stank
A Scatological Solution
When she was having trouble getting pregnant, France’s 16th century Queen Catherine de Medici was told to drink mare’s urine, and to soak her privates in a delightful combination of cow manure and ground stag's antlers. While no thanks to this rather gross ritual, Catherine eventually had not one, but nine, children.
Garlic Breath
To determine if a woman was able to bear children, Hippocrates suggested placing a head of garlic into her womb. If her breath smelled of garlic the next day, one could conclude that she could not conceive because there was nothing inside her body to block the aroma, and more importantly, house a baby. Surprisingly, this can be a decent indicator of pregnancy, but we'd prefer to just take a modern-day pregnancy test.
Bowels and Bearing Children
Second century Greek physician Soranus urged men looking for a fertile mate to consider her bowel habits: chronic constipation could suffocate a fetus, while bouts of diarrhea might wash it away. Unfortunately he didn’t offer any tips on how a guy could work intestinal fortitude into the “getting to know you” stage of a relationship.
Boozing for a Boy
To increase the chances of a having a male child, one 18th century medical text from France recommended some his and hers cocktails: red wine with minced rabbit’s womb for him and red wine with pulverized rabbit’s testicles for her. Sounds like the start of a beautiful date night!
No Go Without the Big O
An unsatisfied woman would never get pregnant according to second century doctor and philosopher Galen. He believed that conception required both man and woman to have an orgasm. His claim was very popular (especially among the ladies) and led to some of the first sex guides ever written.
Dietary Hazards
You were—or rather, your child was—what you ate, according to Native American lore. Moms were typically told to avoid berries (which could cause birthmarks) and salmon, which might lead to weak ankles. Masochistic parents aiming to increase their sleepless nights could ingest seagulls to ensure a crybaby.
