If you've been pregnant, you've probably heard one or more of the superstitions listed below. And if some superstitions are fairly logical and reasonable, then others are absurd. In any case, what to believe and what not to believe is a personal matter for everyone. The main thing is that if you hear any superstition, apply your logic and critical thinking. Let's find out what superstitions are observed by pregnant women from different countries, and let's dispel some of such myths.
1. Never touch the baby bump
In good news for mothers-to-be who loathe their pregnant belly being touched without permission, a Liberian superstition states that expectant mums shouldn't be touched by strangers. It's believed evil spirits can steal a baby from the womb, so she should only ever let close family members near her. Superstition has the right to exist because you never know what thoughts another person has and what emotions he feels at that moment. Of course, no one will steal your baby from your belly, but better let strangers keep their hands to themselves :).
2. Do not keep sharp things near the bed.
The Chinese tradition relates to the bed, which is an important symbol of fertility in China — sharp objects, such as needles or scissors, are forbidden on or near the bed, as it signals the cutting of the umbilical cord or could lead to birth defects. On the flip side, a dagger is permitted under the bed — that's used to ward off evil spirits who may linger around an unborn child. We believe that it is indeed better to keep sharp objects away from the bed, but only so as not to accidentally injure yourself with them, for example, when reaching for a phone or books.
3. Avoid monkeys bears and camels.
Call off the trip to the zoo — according to an old Turkish superstition, it's bad luck to look at bears, monkeys, and camels when pregnant. And it's not evil spirits to blame this time... apparently, expectant mums should only seek out things of beauty to look at if they want to produce beautiful offspring. In their opinion, the above-mentioned animals are not endowed with beauty :).
4. Protect yourself from the moon
The Aztecs believed if an expectant mother looked at the moon, the child she was carrying would develop a cleft palate. In order to ward this off they'd wear something metallic to deflect the moon's rays. And we believe that if a pregnant woman goes to bed on time, and does not wander at night, then there is no need to protect herself from the moon. Eh ;)?
5. Don’t do certain things during the eclipse.
Staying on the lunar theme, eclipses are also off-limits. In India, they are looked upon as a bad omen, and many precautions are put in place to protect them from this event - these include avoiding the use of sharp objects, resting for the duration of the eclipse, covering the windows with newspaper or thick fabric to ward off rays of the eclipse entering the home, fasting, and not bathing until the eclipse has passed. But if you think about it, do we have eclipses so often that we need to protect ourselves from them so much?
6. Eat what your organism requires.
It would seem quite logical to eat what the body requires. But, as it turns out, this is also a sign! And this is where it came from — translated from some languages, the word "BIRTHMARKS" means attraction, so it is the moral duty of any expectant mother to satisfy any attraction to the food she feels during pregnancy. If this is not accomplished — her child will have a mark similar to the form of food that the pregnant woman denied herself (according to this superstition).
We think a pregnant woman should eat what she wants but do it wisely. For example, if you enjoy hamburgers all the time, it is better to consult a doctor about the lack of minerals or other nutritional elements. After all, healthy nutrition for a pregnant woman is significantly essential.
7. Avoid funerals
In some cultures, nurturing a new life and faring welling one which has ended don't mix. The Native American Iroquois culture carries the belief a miscarriage can occur if you attend a funeral, as the unborn child will want to return to the Spirit World with the deceased. In Jewish cultures, pregnant women are warned to stay away from funerals for fear of these dearly departed souls lingering too close to an unborn child. We are more inclined to the fact that if there is no serious reason to attend a funeral, then it is better not to do it - unnecessary negative emotions are not necessary for a pregnant woman.
8. Avoid weddings
If everything is logical with the previous sign, then this sign will seem strange to us, to say the least. Another item to cross off your social calendar when you are carrying a child is weddings - in China, at least. We all know the rule of not outshining the bride on her special day and turns out the Chinese honor this highly. If a pregnant woman and bride and groom are in the same room, there is said to be a clash of "qi energy" or "luck" which can backfire and cause misfortune to reign down upon the unborn child. The Chinese also believe in focusing on one auspicious event at a time so a pregnancy and a wedding cannot co-exist in harmony as all good luck will be cancelled out. But we are not in China, and if a pregnant woman is invited to a wedding, why not go and have fun ;)?
9. No foul language
As if an expectant mother didn't have enough on her plate, it turns out she is also required to stay pleasant at all times. Using foul language can be seen as cursing your unborn baby - and if you cry and stress, it's predicted you'll give birth to a baby who does the same. Well, this is also a completely logical sign, but it is rather connected with a psychological aspect than with something otherworldly. That is why it is said that pregnant women need only positive emotions.
10. Don’t rub your belly
How often have you seen pregnant women rub their bellies? Yes, always :) But Chinese superstition also states a pregnant woman should refrain from rubbing her stomach. This almost unconscious act of affection can apparently lead to the birth of a demanding, spoilt child. We hasten to convince you — touching the belly does not promise anything like that. And a spoiled child can grow up only if it is indulged too much.
11. Wait for the birth to open the gifts.
In bad news for the superstitious who were hoping for a baby shower, some cultures consider it a curse to receive and open gifts for an unborn child. In Jewish circles, it's looked upon as a clear invitation for the evil eye to descend and cause chaos and vengeance for daring to flaunt your happiness to the universe and can result in misfortune or miscarriage. Meanwhile, such parties are very popular in the USA and are becoming fashionable in our regions as well.
To arrange them or not is a personal matter of the pregnant woman. And if the future mother will feel positive emotions and joy, then, why believe in unfounded superstitions?
12. No pregnancy announcement
You won't be seeing any clever or quirky pregnancy announcements coming out of Bulgaria any time soon. Superstition has it that the gestation is to be kept secret for as long as possible to avoid the pregnancy being jinxed. But there is no scientific evidence for this. Moreover, it will still not be possible to hide for a long time;).
13. Avoid the ocean, rivers, and lakes.
Finally, if you're planning a baby moon to the beach before the child is born, you might want to rethink it, according to Hmong culture. It's claimed evil, jealous forces inhabit large bodies of water and will try to steal the spirit of unborn babies.
And we will dispel this myth: water has a calming effect on pregnant women, and it doesn't matter if you swim in it or enjoy the sound of the surf.
And remember, logic, maternal instinct, and common sense can sometimes work wonders!
