Childbirth
Like the pregnancy term of a Chinese woman the child birthing process also has superstitions. Before a Chinese woman goes into labor they want to eat enough so that they will have enough energy to go through the labor. While this is the complete opposite in western culture, many Chinese women complain of this. Many of them wonder why they are not allowed to eat and think that the hospital policy is too strict.
The western culture delivery process allows the father to be in the delivery room with expecting mother through the entire labor; however, the men in the Chinese culture do not play this role during deliveries. They will typically remain out in the waiting room until the baby is born. The female family members although are encouraged to be there in support of that time.
In the Chinese culture when a baby is born he/she is expected to be a year old. They calculate age from the date of conception. The family usually never praises a newborn baby because they believe this will be an invite from the attention of demons and ghosts. The Chinese don’t believe in naming the baby before he/she is born. When naming the baby, it takes some time because they believe that the name plays an important role in determining his/her destiny. They will give the child a false name, or milk name to scare away the evil spirits that linger. To announce the arrival of a baby the father will generally send a wind jar with different colored ribbons to signify if it’s a girl or boy.
Postpartum
Chinese women believe strongly in these practices. After the birthing process is done, the mother is expected to be confined for a 40 day period. She is not allowed to eat cold foods or have a cold bath/shower. It is somewhat of a sitting period, similar to the limited restrictions of being pregnant again. Caring for oneself after this process is crucial to restoring them back to their pre-pregnant condition.
Eventually after a month has passed, they will have a small celebration with family member to celebrate the newborn. It’s very much like a baby shower. A day after this event has occurred the baby’s head is then shaved off. They believe the “interim” hair the baby has doesn’t allow the growth of new permanent hair.
References
- Ferroa, Peggy. Cultures of the World, China. New York: Times Edition Pte Ltd., 1991.
- Pan, Lynn. The Encyclopedia of the Chinese Overseas. Chinese Heritage Centre 1998, pp 15-16.