Heartburn in PregnancySouthern Folklore About Hairy Babies
With my young'uns, I heard plenty of people sayin' 'you’ve got heartburn every night, that baby’s gonna come out with a head full of hair.' This one comes up often. With my young'uns, I heard plenty of people sayin' 'you’ve got heartburn every night, that baby’s gonna come out with a head full of hair.' This one comes up often. Origin
This superstition has long been passed down in the South and Appalachia. Women would swap stories, comparing their heartburn and their babies’ hair to see if the saying held true. While modern science has mostly dismissed it, one small study found a loose correlation - but for Southerners, it was already a staple of pregnancy folklore.
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How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 7). Heartburn in Pregnancy
Southern Folklore About Hairy Babies . HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/heartburn-in-pregnancy-hairy-baby - MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Heartburn in Pregnancy
Southern Folklore About Hairy Babies ." HillbillySlang.com, 7 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/heartburn-in-pregnancy-hairy-baby. - Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Heartburn in Pregnancy
Southern Folklore About Hairy Babies ." HillbillySlang.com. October 7, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/heartburn-in-pregnancy-hairy-baby.
Dislaimer
What you're reading here is old Southern folklore and storytelling - not medical advice, and not meant to guide health, or pregnancy decisions (especially pregnancy decisions!). These tales are part of how folks once made sense of the world, passed down from grandparents and midwives.
If you have any medical questions or concerns, talk with a qualified healthcare professional.
Learn more on the Folklore hub page.