As with any generation, there are things that they do that the world should hold on to and other things that are best forgotten. While moms in the 1950s were prescribed Thalidomide for morning sickness, we now know that it has been linked to several birth defects. It also used to be common practice to simply tell a pregnant woman to stop eating if she was getting too big.

We’ve left a lot of this terrible advice in the rearview mirror, but with each new generation comes new pregnancy trends. And as the next generation starts to have babies, the trends of the past are evaluated yet again.

Millennials are no different, although they might be under an even more strict microscope than normal. When looking up "millennials" or "millennial parents" on the internet, results are mostly about how they're the worst parents of all time, which is just not true. They aren’t doing everything wrong. From eating organic to switching to green cleaning products, pregnant millennials are making some very savvy choices for themselves and their babies-to-be. But there are a few trends they are embracing that should not be followed by millennials or the next generation to come.

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20 Documenting Every Week Of Their Bump Progress

Chalk it up to the ease of digital cameras and smartphones, but millennial moms are embracing their bumps in a whole new way. Sometimes called the “bumpfie” aka a bump selfie, more and more moms-to-be a tracking their pregnancy with week-by-week or month-by-month photos. With the pictures, you can actually see the bump progression and be wowed by the awesome power of the female body.

It used to be that professional maternity photoshoots were the way that parents-to-be would memorialize their pregnancy. But when you think about it, that only gives you a glimpse into one week, one moment of your nine-month journey.

And your body changes so much from week 4 to week 40, so why not capture all the moments in between?

It’s a great way to remind yourself about the entire pregnancy journey instead of just the one time you put on a beautiful, flowing dress and had a photographer expertly pose you. (But, hey, you can definitely do that too!)

There are a lot of creative ways to document your bump. From something as simple wearing the same outfit and standing in the same position each week to incorporating a chalkboard with your baby’s stats, the possibilities are endless.

19 Scrutinizing Every Single Ingredient They Eat

When we think back to our own mothers, they weren’t as paranoid about every single thing they put into their bodies. They had no problem consuming all the processed foods that they craved, they used whatever shampoo and conditioner they had always used and they didn’t bat an eye at getting their nails done in a salon or at home.

Millennial moms, on the other hand, take the time read every ingredient that goes in or on their body. We all know the main offenders: no raw fish, no deli meats, no hot tubs, no unpasteurized cheese. But millennial moms-to-be aren’t stopping there.

They are saying goodbye to any products that contain Phthalates (in everything from shampoo to body lotion), Formaldehyde (yes really, it is often found in nail polish), Dihydroxyacetone (found in spray tans), Thioglycolic acid (used in hair removal creams), Aluminum chloride hexahydrate (found in antiperspirants), and many more.

It’s not unheard of for a millennial mom-to-be to do a complete overhaul of her cosmetic stash once she finds out she is pregnant. And hey, it’s a great excuse to try out some new eco-friendly cosmetic and personal care brands!

18 Switching To All Organic Everything

Much like their cosmetic bag, millennials who are pregnant are also overhauling their fridges. According to the Organic Trade Association, 52% of all organic food consumers are millennials. And even more, millennials choose the organic food route once they become pregnant.

So why should you eat organic while pregnant? To be considered organic, it has to be grown, handled and processed in a specific way. It cannot have been grown with pesticides, chemical fertilizers or weed-destroyers. It cannot be genetically modified. And it cannot have received hormones or antibiotics (for chicken, beef and pork). These all sound like things that a growing baby could definitely do without.

There have yet to be any large-scale studies that have proven that organic is without a doubt better for baby. But there is no harm in adding some organic produce, meat and dairy to your pregnancy selection.

It can be cost-restrictive to go completely organic, but experts suggest splurging on organic meat and dairy when you can because animal-based products have higher levels of pesticides. "Animals are exposed through their feed, and the pesticides can accumulate in their bodies," explained Kate Geagen, R.D., author of Go Green, Get Lean.

17 Making Their Cleaning Supplies Green

While our moms and their moms might not have thought anything of scrubbing the tub with bleach, millennial moms are stepping away from the harsh chemicals and cleaning their homes with green alternatives. "No longer will there be chemicals absorbed into the skin or breathed in by the person cleaning," said Leslie Reichert, author of Joy of Green Cleaning. Because remember, what goes on your skin, goes in your skin.

Some research has found links between using household cleaners with harsh chemicals during pregnancy and childhood respiratory problems and wheezing. So why not take a page out of the millennial mom playbook and get rid of all the cleaners in your home that aren’t green?

It’s a great step to take during pregnancy, as you’ll want to keep those cleaners out of your house once the baby comes along as well.

It can also be a cost-effective option if you choose to make your own cleaners with household items you probably already have. "For home cleaning, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, etc. can do the trick for pennies on the dollar, compared to buying conventional cleaning products," said Sara Snow, author of Sara Snow’s Fresh Living.

16 Reading Every Book They Can Find On Being Pregnant

When my mother was pregnant, back in the late 80s, she had one book that she turned to. It was extremely dogeared after three kids, but it was her pregnancy bible. There might have been other books on pregnancy that she could have picked up or borrowed from the library, but that one book was all she needed.

Flash forward to today. I am six months pregnant and I have no less than 8 different books on pregnancy sitting on my bookshelf. Not to mention the 6 more books that I have on hold at the library. In all honesty, I’ve only read 2 of these books, but having them here makes me feel better for some reason. I mean, I still have 3 more months to get through them all and I plan to read every one, cover to cover.

Turns out that 67% of millennials read a book at least once a week. And once a millennial becomes pregnant, she starts to inform herself about everything that lies ahead of her.

From the classics like What to Expect When You’re Expecting and the Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy to more modern favourites like Bringing Up Bebe and Jenny McCarthy’s Belly Laughs, millennial moms-to-be devour books during their nine-month journey.

15 They’re Still Dying Their Hair

For a long time, moms-to-be steered clear of dying their hair during pregnancy. They worried about the chemicals being absorbed through the scalp and what effect that might have had on the growing baby. It was an era of exposed roots and hats!

And while the research is limited, most indicates that the chemicals found in both semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. They are, indeed, safe to use during pregnancy. Add to that the fact that the amount of hair dye that would be absorbed through the skin is very small and would not likely reach the fetus and you can see why millennial moms are hightailing it to the salon.

Also, the general hairstyle trends that millennials often choose don’t even have the hair dye coming in contact with the scalp—think balayage, ombre, highlights and babylights.

To err on the side of caution, you should avoid getting your hair dyed during the first trimester when your baby’s organs are developing. It is also important to remember that your hair changes a lot during pregnancy. From colour to texture, make sure your stylist is aware of any recent changes so they can adjust their treatments accordingly.

14 Indulging In Something They Shouldn’t Every Once And A While

Once you’ve passed the first trimester, a lot of millennial moms start to be a little more lax with the rules that previous generations held as gospel.

They aren’t heading to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant or having wild benders. But they might, every once and awhile, have a piece of sushi or two with their meal. Or maybe they take a sip of their partner’s drink.

According to WebMD, the outcomes of having a small amount of alcohol during pregnancy are unknown. “For decades, researchers have known that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects. But the potential effects of small amounts of alcohol on a developing baby are not well understood.” Because of this reason, you may choose to avoid it all together.

When it comes to something like sushi, you might choose to indulge… just a little bit! Turns out there is no scientific evidence that links eating sushi while pregnant with health risks to babies or pregnancy complications. In Japan, it is completely normal for pregnant women to eat sushi, as long as the fish as low levels of mercury. According to Dr Amos Grunebaum, Director of Obstetrics and Chief of Labor & Delivery at Cornell Medical centre eating sushi is totally fine for expecting moms.

Always check in with your doctor or midwife when you’re planning on indulging. Just to be sure!

13 They Are Heading Out On Babymoons

When I booked my babymoon, my parents and my in-laws both had no idea what a “babymoon” was. Basically, it’s a chance for an expecting couple to get away one last time before the baby arrives. But the idea of a vacation just because you’re about to have a baby is something that millennial moms have embraced with open arms. And hey, if you can find a reason to use another cool hashtag, why not!

In truth, there are a lot of benefits to taking a babymoon. First of all, it gives you a chance to relax. Growing a human is no easy feat, so taking some time for yourself to rest and relax is always a great idea when you’re pregnant.

It’s also a wonderful opportunity for couples to spend time together. It may be the last time it’s just the two of you, so make the most of the time you have.

So whether you are dreaming of far away beaches (may I suggest Hawaii, a great Zika-free choice) or a cottage a little closer to home, booking a babymoon that fits your budget is one millennial trend that all moms- and dads-to-be should embrace with open arms.

12 They Are Educating Themselves About Their Options

When I spoke to my mother about her pregnancies, one thing that I quickly realized was that moms didn’t always have as much choice and as much information about their options when it came to their own care.

My mom didn’t get to choose which hospital she went to give birth. There was one hospital in the area and that is where she delivered. She stuck with whichever OB she was referred to by her family doctor and didn’t think twice about it.

Nowadays, millennial moms take the time to research their midwives, their doctors, and even the hospital where they plan to give birth.

I know more than one new mom who switched their OBs midway through their pregnancy. It probably has a lot to do with the internet and the availability of information online. My mom would only have had friends recommendations and possibly the Yellow Pages to help her track down a new OB. Whereas I could hop on the internet and within seconds have a list of other potential OBs in my area. All those options so easily available and moms have so much choice that it can be overwhelming, but in the end it's definitely better to have an overload of information than not enough.

11 They Are Getting 3D And 4D Ultrasounds

Every parent in the history of the universe waits with bated breath for those few moments when they get to see their baby growing inside of them.

But millennial moms are taking ultrasounds into their own hands. Instead of waiting for their next doctor or midwife approved ultrasound, they are opting to pay for 3D and 4D ultrasounds.

It’s a great chance to see your baby up close and personal. And if your own ultrasound tech hasn’t been getting the clearest picture, you might be tempted to sign yourself up for 3D or 4D scan.

It is important to note that while ultrasounds are safe by all accounts, 3D and 4D ultrasounds are new technology that has yet to undergo many long-term studies. According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting, there is still some uncertainty about the safety of the procedure.

“At this point, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that there is no reliable scientific evidence showing that ultrasound is harmful to a developing fetus, but the potential risks are still unclear. And according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when ultrasound enters the body it heats the tissues slightly, which in some cases can create small pockets of gas in body fluids or tissues—and the long-term effects of this are unknown.”

As always, check in with your practitioner before you make an appointment.

10 Everyone Has A Doula

While millennials were certainly not the first generation to use doulas, they are the first generation to make having a doula at your birth a trend. A doula is a trained professional who is there to look out for the mom.

Your OB or midwife’s main priority during your labour is, in fact, taking care of your baby. That’s where a doula comes in. Their main priority is to provide the mother with emotional and physical support during and after labour and ensure that her birthing experience is safe, memorable and empowering.

If you’ve been considering a doula to help you through your own pregnancy, this is a trend you can happily partake in. According to the study “Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth”, “having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labour by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%.”

Those are numbers we can get behind! Having a doula to help take care of the mom's mental and physical wellbeing allows for doctors, midwives, or whoever is delivering the baby to better focus on their work.

9 There’s An App For That!

Like never before, moms-to-be are now able to have all kinds of help right at their fingertips. This is another trend that millennial moms started that has a lot to do with the technology that is available now. Our mothers and grandmothers didn’t have the benefit of the internet and smartphones. If you’d have told your mom you got a new app back when she was pregnant, she probably would have thought you had tried a new appetizer at a local restaurant (which isn't a bad idea either).

But with apps, you can track, monitor and inform yourself about everything that’s going on with your growing baby. There are apps like The Bump, What to Expect When You’re Expecting and Hello Belly which let you track the growth of your baby. If you’re more interested in getting the nitty-gritty help information, you can download the WebMD Pregnancy app.

There are apps that will help you pick out a baby name, apps that can arrange a baby pool if you and your friends are the betting type, apps that will help you monitor your contractions and apps that will let you track how often your baby is kicking.

8 They Are Posting Updates On Social Media

If you log into your Facebook or Instagram account, you’re more than likely going to see at least one baby bump picture. And if you’re on Twitter, you might even read a few hilarious posts about cravings, morning sickness and the general ups and downs of pregnancy.

“It’s a relatively recent phenomenon—and clearly a by-product of the rise of social media, reality TV, and our fixation with celebrity—that we now feel not only compelled but entitled to witness each other’s rites of passage,” write blogger Patricia Garcia for Vogue.

It’s totally up to each mom what she chooses to post, but millennial moms are definitely embracing the social media sharing trend. As one blogger from Today’s Parent explained, it’s almost expected that you will see at least one baby bump or ultrasound a day on social media.

“I think the ultrasound upload is happening more often now because we think in pictures instead of text-only status updates. And modern childhoods are photographed endlessly, so why shouldn’t a baby’s life in pictures start before he or she’s even exited the birth canal?” A great point. If a mom wants her pregnancy to be thoroughly documented and to update her friends and family about how she's doing, why shouldn't she?

7 They Turn To Dr Google With Every Strange Feeling They Have

What did pregnant women do before the days of Google? When they had a feeling they couldn’t quite place when they had a sore back and didn’t know why or when they were wondering if they were able to eat something, where did they turn for their answers? The obviously did okay, seeing as how we are all here!

Before the internet it was all about seeking out advice from your friends and family, looking for the answers in a book or, in more extreme situations, giving your doctor a call or visit. But millennial moms don’t have this problem. Instead, they can turn on their laptop or even just pick up their smartphone and do a Google search.

"Google is the new grandparent, the new neighbour, the new nanny. The good news is that parents know more about child development than ever before," one expert said in an article in The New York Times.

Google is great, but as a pregnant woman, it is important to trust the source of your information. Remember that not everything you read on the internet is true. Exercise judgement when you are reading online and if you are ever unsure about the advice you’ve received online, speak with your doctor.

6 Trick Out A Designer Nursery

While this one might be seen as a negative by some parents-to-be, millennial parents are embracing their personal style and are designing tricked out nurseries for their babies. They are ditching the more traditional colour schemes—blue for boys and pink for girls—and going with more timeless colour palettes like grey and other neutrals.

Elizabeth Lawson, an interior designer, explained that there are many reasons to go gender neutral when choosing a paint colour for your nursery. “A lot of my clients request a nursery that isn’t too juvenile. They want the room to grow with their child. They also want a nursery with a gender-neutral colour scheme, because, later on, the room may be used for a second child.”

They almost always feature a theme that can be carried through every aspect of the nursery. Think woodland creatures, travelling the world, the ABCs, starry night and adventurer.

And while it might seem like you need to spend a lot of money to get a designer nursery, you can definitely have the nursery of your dreams within any budget. It's the room where the baby will be spending hours and hours every day, even unsupervised time, so it makes sense for parents to put thought into it.

5 Weird Trend: Live Streaming Their Labour

Personally, the idea of having anyone in the whole wide world watching me give birth is basically my nightmare. That is a moment that I would like to share with just my husband and our doctors, thank you very much. But it seems that there are actually a lot of people in my generation (aka millennials) who don’t agree with me on this one.

With the rise of bloggers who are keen to share their every move, it seems that more and more people are live streaming their births. Rebecca Meldrum, a 28-year-old blogger from Aberdeen, Scotland live streamed her third child’s birth to a whopping 26,000 strangers across the world.

Kali Kanongata’a, who lives in Carmichael, California, live-streamed his wife in labour. The video has over 210,000 views, but Kanongata’a didn’t actually realize that he was live streaming! "I thought it was just going to my family and friends!" he said. He had set up the live stream so his family on the Polynesian island of Tonga were able to be in on the action.

So to each their own, but I am going to be sitting this trend out (and I think a lot of millennials will too)

4 Weird Trend: Dropping Serious Cash On A Maternity Wardrobe

Depending on where you live and when you get pregnant, you could find yourself in need of a completely new wardrobe. And if you’re lucky enough to live in Canada like me, you might need to buy 1.5 new wardrobes. My pregnancy has straddled winter and summer here in Canada, meaning I had to get warm weather and cold weather clothes.

The average American woman spends approximately $400 per pregnancy on new clothes. But thanks to millennials and an increase in designer maternity wear that number is on a steady increase.

I can’t justify spending $100+ on a single item of clothing that I will be able to wear for a few months. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t look at all the gorgeous maternity clothes and dream about winning the lottery. So how can you save money on your maternity wardrobe and still look great?

First of all, take a good look at what you already have in your closest and see what could work for you throughout your pregnancy. You can also look into maternity wear swaps, where formerly pregnant women offload their own maternity wardrobes for cheap. Also, keep your eyes peeled for sales as most maternity stores offer pretty regular discounts.

3 Weird Trend: Encapsulating And Consuming Their Placenta

Thanks to celebrity moms like Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Alicia Silverstone and Mayim Bialik, encapsulating and eating your placenta has become a hot new trend with millennial moms. But why oh why would you eat your own placenta? Well, it is said to help you heal faster, improve your energy level, help with postpartum depression and boost your milk production.

But in reality, it can be really unsafe and has no proven benefits. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology advises against eating your placenta. "Don't eat your baby's placenta," said senior study author Dr Amos Grünebaum. "There are no benefits, and there are potential risks."

The risks can affect both the mother and the breastfeeding baby. There is the potential for viral and bacterial infections, and “the risks of ingesting toxins and hormones that accumulated in the placenta during pregnancy,” the review concluded. Whether you’re grilling or encapsulating the placenta, the risks are still present.

This is one millennial trend that you need to avoid. Hopefully it won't catch on with the majority of new moms today or stick around for long, but it's here and moms are doing it. Of course they can do what they want with their own bodies and eat what the like, but why take on unnecessary risk?

2 Weird Trend: Trying An At-Home Fetal Heart Rate Monitor

A new trend that more and more millennials are trying out is using an at-home fetal heart rate monitor. You can now buy these do-it-yourself dopplers over the counter. It’s normal for parents to want to get as much insight into their growing baby.

If I could hear my baby’s heartbeat every day, I would be one happy camper. But these heart rate monitors may be causing more harm than good.

“The device isn't intuitive, and it's not something a person who isn't a medical professional trained to use it could just pick up and understand. Regardless of how you operate the device, simply using it could harm your fetus. For instance, a mother might not detect a heartbeat and assume something bad has happened, even when it hasn't. This can cause needless stress to a pregnant woman when she cannot pick up her baby's heartbeat," said Elizabeth Hutton, CEO of Kicks Count—a stillbirth charity. "It can lead to raised blood pressure in the mother and premature births."

So as much as you might want to hear your little one’s beating heart, wait until you are at your doctor’s office to ensure you aren’t misreading what you are hearing.

1 Weird Trend: The Gender Reveal Party

If you haven’t actually been invited or attended a gender reveal party yet, I am sure you’ve at least seen some of the viral videos. Excited mom- and dads-to-be popping giant balloons, releasing colour smoke bombs, hitting coloured baseballs or the classic cutting into a cake to reveal blue or pink.

Look, I am all for every parent doing pregnancy their way. But a gender reveal party isn’t for everyone.

First things first, gender reveal parties fly in the face of those who are choosing to embrace gender neutrality. By identifying your child by pink or blue, you’re also getting right into the nitty gritty of gender stereotypes that we have been working so hard to break down.

And as a mom-to-be, I cringe every time I watch these reveals and see a mom or dad who doesn’t react in the way the world expects. Here’s the thing, if you think you’re having a boy and find out it’s a girl, you may very well be disappointed for a few minutes. And to have all your friends and family around during those few minutes is probably not an ideal situation.

Instead, why not find out with just your partner and let the rest of your friends and family know after the fact? It just seems like a safer option to me!

References: foodbusinessnews.net, fitpregnancy.com, care.com, mommysbundle.com, mnn.com, americanpregnancy.org, webmd.com, parents.com, whattoexpect.com, americanpregnancy.org, vogue.com, todaysparent.com, nypost.com, mirror.co.uk, parents.com, lifescience.com, bustle.com, pinterest.com, wetpaint.com, jennifermairo.com, boredpanda.com, instagram.com, pinterest.com, instagram.com, pinterest.com, instagram.com, pinterest.com, mirror.co.uk, instagram.com, pinterest.fr, instagram.com, pinterest.com, pinterest.com, instagram.com, mirror.co.uk, dopplerstodiapers.com, pinterest.co.uk.