Newborn
Traditions of Today and Yesteryear
Article about traditions from All About Baby: your source for baby
gift baskets and baby shower gifts
A
baby is safely born. Parents and families experience the universal
feelings of excitement, joy, anticipation and relief. Everyone prepares
to welcome the newest addition to the family.
Around the world, the actions and events surrounding a newborn are shaped
by many unique factors. History, folklore, religious and cultural
beliefs, superstition and family tradition all play important roles. Most
people have no idea how their customs developed, and they keep getting
passed down from generation to generation.
Sometimes the customs have endured for centuries with little change, but
often they evolve over time. Some traditions simply fade away over time.
Following are some current traditions that Americans use to mark the
addition of a new family member.
Current Traditions in the U.S.
Most
of today’s birth activities in the U.S. are dictated by religious,
cultural and to a lesser extent family customs.
For
instance, many Christian religions require a child be baptized or
christened within a certain time-period. Prior to any religious
ceremony, the parents will select godparents who will be there to guide
and protect the baby in the years to come. The parents or close family
members might give the newborn a bible or other religious gifts.
In
the Jewish faith, a male baby is circumcised on its eighth day in a
religious ceremony called a Briss, while a female child is feted with a
baby-naming ceremony.
Family traditions also play a part in welcoming a newborn. A first born
son might be named after his father, or a female is given the mother’s
maiden name as her middle name. Perhaps the family presents the new baby
with a special baby outfit that is passed down through the generations.
Many
families gather after the birth of a child to take pictures of the
parents, grandparents and older generations.
Some
families consider it bad luck to buy baby gifts ahead of time, so a baby
shower is held shortly after the newborn arrives. It is customary to also
bring a present when visiting the baby for the first time.
Often
newborn traditions involve a time for the new mother to bond with her
baby.
In
Latin American countries, for example, they still practice the
“quarentina” – a period of 40 days following the birth when family and
friends take turns caring for the new mom and baby. A similar practice
takes place in India, where the new mom is expected to stay home for the
first 45 days. Family members pamper the new mother who is not even
supposed to venture into the kitchen, since it might cause her milk to dry
up!
New
mothers in China receive a lot of care and attention. By tradition, new
moms aren't supposed to leave their home for a month. Grandparents and
other relatives take care of the household duties so the mom can
recuperate and care for baby. Mom is fed high protein soups and other
special foods until she is fully recovered.
Officially Welcoming the Newborn
Baby
announcement cards came into use in the U.S during the 1950s, and today a
baby announcement card is an expected part of childbirth. Usually the
announcement features personal information about the newborn and often a
picture.
Other
newborn traditions have been popular for long periods and then began to
wane. The cigar is one such example. For many years it was customary for
new fathers to pass out cigars to friends, family and co-workers. Most
Americans would probably be surprised to learn that this tradition came
about from the Native American potlatch ceremony that took place among
tribes living on the Northwest Coast. During a potlatch, tobacco was
smoked and then blown toward the sun to please the gods and as a gesture
of thanksgiving. Early settlers adapted this ritual and the cigar
eventually became a goodwill gesture surrounding the birth of a baby.
The
cigar custom became very widespread and thrived for years. However, since
smoking is no longer viewed as a desirable activity, the cigar tradition
has faded considerably.
Newborn Traditions of Long Ago
Today
we look back on many birth and newborn practices with a mixture of
amazement and amusement. How could anyone possibly believe that evil
spirits might capture their child? Did anyone really throw out the baby
with the bath water? Why did some cultures refrain from bathing a newborn
baby for a long period of time?
However, these rituals, and many more, were taken very seriously and most
everyone followed them for fear of harming a child or mother. Here is a
sampling of what some cultures and societies practiced and believed.
In
Ancient Ireland, people believed that a nursing mother needed to be
protected from otherworldly beings so she was seldom left alone. It was
thought that these evil beings needed nursing mothers, so a nursing woman
could be abducted.
Another old Gaelic custom in Ireland dictated that a child’s first
movements should be upward, so he or she will have great fortune
throughout life.
The
German people thought that parental actions could affect a child, either
for the good or for the bad. For instance, one belief was that a child
would be clumsy later in life unless the newborn was placed on his or her
left side immediately following birth. Many people in Germany also
believed that if the mother of a newborn put pins in a curtain within six
months of giving birth, then the baby was sure to develop very bad teeth.
In some parts of Germany, there was also the belief that if the parents
went shoeless, it would cause their child to have difficulty walking.
Strange as it seems now, the French were convinced that a sneezing powder
aided in the birth process. Royalty during the 18th century
made childbirth into an elaborate event, with many people crowded into the
birthing room. Following the birth, the baby was washed in oil, red roses
and red wine.
When
babies were born in China, a Taoist priest was present to whisper prayers
into the mother’s ears as she gave birth. Babies were never washed for
the first three days – or until the influences of evil forces were
considered to be less threatening.
In
the Eskimo culture, the husband played a major role in the birth process.
After childbirth, he would wrap the placenta in animal skin and leave it
outside the family hut for the animals to feast. The father then selected
as many as three names for the newborn. The numerous names were for
protection against the evil spirits that the Eskimo believed existed in
the wind.
In the Zuni Indian
culture during the late 1800s, a grandmother of the new baby would throw
the just delivered placenta in a nearby river to be washed downstream.
Six days following the birth, the new baby would be introduced to the
Zuni gods and be made an official member of the Zuni people.
Delivery of a baby
always took place at home in ancient Malaysia and Indonesia because a
baby's first cry should be heard at home. Upon birth, words of Allah were
whispered into the baby's ear and the baby was introduced to the
grandparents – a sign of respect and honor. The placenta was then washed
and placed in an earthenware pot with spices and kept near the mother.
After a period of 40 days, the family buried the placenta nearby the
family home.
Information for this article was gathered from a number of blogs and
websites, including midwiferytoday.com, medhunters.com, mothering.com,
parents.com and several other sites.
Click the links below
for more information:
Contemporary Newborn Rituals
Bonding with Your Newborn
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