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Pregnancy and Birth Traditions Around the World

One popular folklore among some parents in this Caribbean country to predict baby’s sex: A spoon, a
knife and a fork are placed under three separate chairs. The expectant mom chooses which chair to sit
on: If she picks the spoon, it’s a girl; the knife, it’s a boy; the fork, the sex is undetermined (the link
between the utensil and baby’s sex varies by region). Local tradition also says that being pregnant with a
baby boy makes mom’s hair lush and full, while a baby girl has the opposite effect.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, however, if your skin looks brighter and radiant during pregnancy, you’re said to be
carrying a girl, while if you have dark circles under your eyes, you’re thought to be having a boy.
Turkey

Cravings are believed to suggest the baby’s sex: Women who gravitate to sweets during pregnancy are
suspected to be having a boy, while craving sour foods indicates a girl.

Ivory Coast

In this West African country, some women try to keep their expecting status under wraps for as long as
possible, partly out of superstition and partly out of modesty. In the southern part of the Ivory Coast,
right before a baby’s due date women often go to their mothers’ homes for help, staying there for about
a month to rest, eat and heal from the birth process. Some also keep their babies inside for the first 40
days as protection from bad spirits.
South Korea

In South Korea, once moms are discharged from the hospital, some spend several weeks with their
babies at a special postpartum care center, where staff members may include nurses, nutritionists, a
chef and even a skin care team. Moms are treated to massages, yoga classes and help with caring for the
baby. While the TLC comes with a price tag, many believe it’s critical to recovering well and preventing
joint problems down the road.

Guyana

In this South American country, tradition has it that moms forego a pre-birth baby shower in favor of
celebrating when the baby turns nine days old. Guests bring gifts, including gold bangle bracelets for
both boy and girl babies; it’s also customarily when moms take their first post-delivery bath. Some
moms also save the placenta in a container and burn it during this celebration, in part as a symbolic
celebration of the separation of mom and baby.

Canada
When babies are first born in Quebec, Canada, a government program sends a baby nurse to visit the
new mom a few times during the first few weeks to help with breastfeeding, answer any questions and
weigh the baby with a portable hanging scale similar to a fruit scale at the supermarket — a free perk of
universal health care.

United States

The U.S. has plenty of pregnancy and birth traditions, myths, superstitions and gender prediction
methods. Among the favorites: If you’re carrying just in the belly, you’re having a boy; in your hips
you’re having a girl. If baby’s heart beat is below 140 beats per minute you’re carrying a boy, above and
you’re carrying a girl. Eating spicy foods can jump-start labor. Like most traditions, unfortunately no
science has yet to back up these beliefs — though they can make the wait to meeting baby a lot more
fun!

The Philippines’ Birth Practices

The Philippines’ birth practices are unique to Filipino culture. In some regions, people believe that
placing squash leaves on a woman’s abdomen will induce labor. Some women will drink coconut water
with the belief that it will make for quick labor. The traditions that occur after birth are also crucial to
Filipino culture. One ritual performed after the child is born is the burial of the placenta. In Filipino
culture, burying the placenta is believed to signify the end of pain and blood loss for the mother.
Another post-labor tradition is to tightly wrap the mother’s abdomen because it is believed that it will
promote the retraction of the uterus and prevent further bleeding. While at home, mothers can rest
while family members come to tend to household chores. This time allows mothers time to relax and
spend quality time with their baby.

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