Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Baby Superstitions

I think every Indian pregnant lady has heard or experienced some sort of superstition regarding taking care of their fetus. I've encountered some particularily interesting ones from my own family. Here is a list.

1. Do not post pictures of baby's sonogram on refridgerator. If you must, put baby's picture on the SIDE of the fridge and not on the front so not everyone will stare at it.

2. Do not, under any circumstances whatsoever, go outside and look at an eclipse. (I got panicked phone calls from Mom and Dad a few weeks back when there was a cool lunar eclipse).

3. Do not scratch an itch for a WHOLE 24 HOURS during the day of an eclipse or any other astronomical event. Your baby will come out with birth marks.

4. Keep a fast (pregnant ladies can keep fasts?) on the day of an eclipse.

5. Do not tell people about the pregnancy, even if you are gaining weight at an exponential rate and people wonder why you are feeling sick etc so it would be pretty obvious (especially when you refuse that glass of wine). Do not discuss pregnancy unecessarily with people.

6. Do not purchase baby clothes or baby products before the baby is born.

7. Look at pictures of healthy babies and do not watch sad or scary movies. Read religious texts to improve mind of baby.

I've pretty much let these go in one ear and out the other. On the day of the eclipse I humoured Mom and just avoided going outside so I wouldn't be tempted to look up at the sky, other than that scratched myself all over and had hamburgers for dinner (hehe so no fasting!). And I have posted the pics of baby on the fridge...it makes me happy to look at them so why not? I realize these superstitions are to ward off the "evil eye" or whatever, but personally, if something is going to happen to the baby it will happen regardless of these things. Myriads of stuff can go wrong, and I'm not going to blame discussing the pregnancy with a friend as the cause of something that goes awry. I take another view...if I'm comfortable and can vent out my feelings and also share the excitment, it will be better for the baby rather than feeling anxious and nervous about random stuff.

5 comments:

*~mad munky~* said...

aww, thanks for popping by my blog :o)

hmm...i'm sure my mum has one about not standing in the shadow of a woman who's had a difficult pregnancy :oS

it reminds me of the superstition about growing - when i was a kid, it was drummed into me that if someone walked over my legs (as i was sitting on the floor with legs out-stretched) - i'd never grow taller!

:o)

Sraikh said...

I remember my mom being so freaked out when I bought a stroller in my last month of pregnancy.

Chikki said...

mad munky ~ Weird I've heard that superstition too! We were forced to go BACK over the the person's legs we stepped over to "reverse" the effect. :-)

sraikh ~ so silly! when are we supposed to go shopping...when we are super exhausted post labor?

Anonymous said...

Heh - I remember walking over your brother at your house once, and the big deal that was made over it, lol. :-)

Chikki said...

Kathryn - I don't remember it totally but I believe it, we were so used to not doing it. :-)