Different Cultural Practices Before Birth
Religion and Childbirth
Different Cultural Practices After Birth
Preparing For Childbirth:
- Preparing the mother for childbirth is important all across these different traditions.
- Rituals and beliefs are supposed to relax the mother.
- They re-insure that the baby will come out healthy and that the complications are lessened.
- In some countries these rituals are also to protect the mother and the baby from bad spirits.
Religion plays a heavy role in influencing the process of childbearing and childbirth.
- Christianity: Natural labor is recommended and mothers are advised to embrace the pain and let go of fear.
- Judaism: Parents are expected to follow "Laws of Childbirth"
- Islam: There are customs and rights to follow when a child is born (aqiqah)
- Scientology: Silent Births
- Pakistan: Aqiqah- The infant’s head is shaved and an animal sacrifice is offered on his or her behalf
- Germany: The Mutterpass- A little booklet given to mothers at their first prenatal visit that they bring to all doctor’s appointments throughout their pregnancy
- Nigeria: Baby’s First Bath-Omugwo, the grandmother gives the baby his or her first bath, if she is available
- Israel: Brit Milah- Jewish ritual during which baby boys are circumcised and named eight days after they are born
- United States: The Baby Blanket- Kuddle-Up blanket, a company called Medline started making them 60 years ago in an effort to update the drab beige hospital blanket.
Different Cultural Practices Before Birth
Bihar, India- The mother-in-Law dips her toe into glass of water and the expectant mother is instructed to drink it.
Uganda- Expectant mothers are not supposed to drink water while they are standing up.
Nigeria- Mothers are supposed to give birth alone
Kalash (in Pakistan)- Childbirth is seen as dirty. Mothers are relocated to a building called Bashleni
Guatemala- In order to hurry the childbirth, they boil purple onions and beer and give it to the mother
China- The mother of the woman in labor is supposed to be present for the first childbirth. The father isn’t allowed into any of the births.
Different Cultural Practices During Birth
Pain management techniques differ around the world.
- In the USA, most mothers that deliver in the hospital are provided western medicinal techniques including, but not limited to, an epidural.
- In Sweden, birthing professionals suggest soothing birth pains naturally by kissing between the mother and her significant other.
- Norwegian hospitals suggest acupuncture to alleviate birth pains.
- Women in Japan are provided candy in order to help soothe their labor pains.
- Birth professionals in Britain, suggest dancing to distract and expedite as well as help with labor and the accompanying pain.
- Holland mothers usually partake in hydrotherapy (water birth), for which their maternal and fetal outcomes are better than USA's
- Meditation for mothers in Manitoba to promote healthy labor and decrease pain
Religion and Childbirth
- Amish: Prefer home birth or birth centers instead of hospitals
- Jehovah Witness: No blood transfusions for medical treatment
- Hinduism: Born into caste systems
Different Cultural Practices After Birth
- Latin America: La Cuarentena-a custom that roughly translates to “quarantine.” For six weeks, new mothers abstain from sex, certain foods and any strenuous activity. During this time, they solely dedicate themselves to breastfeeding and taking care of the baby
- Bali: Burying the Placenta- An ancient postpartum tradition in Bali which considers the placenta to be “alive,” almost like a twin sibling of the newborn baby. The placenta is cleaned, placed in a container, and buried outside of the home as part of an intricate and detailed ceremony.
- Japan: Ansei- For three weeks after childbirth, it is traditional for the new mother to recover in her parents’ home, staying in bed.
- Brazil: Gift-giving- Mothers give gifts to visitors.
- Turkey: Lohusa Serbeti- New mothers drink a beverage made with cinnamon, sugar and red food coloring
Different Cultural Practices During Birth
Refrences
- Most expectant moms in Holland don't see an obstetrician, but are instead referred by their family doctor to a local midwife practice
- In Japan and still in many parts of Asia, husbands are not allowed in the delivery room.
- In China, all the ob-gyns are female. Men are not allowed in the delivery room.
- As recently as 20 or 30 years ago, midwives supervised most of the births in Turkey, especially in rural areas.
- Like Holland, women in Germany see midwives for their prenatal care and birth.
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/30/world-birthing-traditions_n_7033790.html
- http://www.babble.com/pregnancy/7-unusual-ways-women-around-the-world-manage-labor-pain-naturally/#belly-dancing-in-britain-3437x2578-ts-125956620
- http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2013/01/embracing-the-pain-letting-go-of-fear-in-childbirth.html
- http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1217817/jewish/Laws-of-Childbirth.htm
- http://www.scientologynews.org/faq/what-is-silent-birth.html
- http://www.amishfamilyvalues.com/amish/amish-childbirth-amish-give-birth-home/
- https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovahs-witnesses-why-no-blood-transfusions/
- http://adc.bmj.com/content/89/12/1094.full
Lotus Birth
- Lotus birth (or umbilical nonseverance) while practiced by any, is commonly practiced by the Indonesian Balinese people
- It is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut after childbirth so that the baby is left attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates at the umbilicus, usually a few days after birth.
- Nonseverance is practiced by individuals for various reason some believe, that leaving the placenta attached allows for it to separate naturally creating a more peaceful child instead of “doing” just “being”.
Childbirth Around The World
By: Melissa Texcahua, Joann Basillo, Carethia Hamner, Miguel Ruiz, & Taaha Rahman