Superstitions are a part of our culture. Some of them can be funny, strange and even downright outrageous. Others have us rolling our eyes in contempt or shaking our heads in disbelief.
But even as we progress further into a technologically advanced world, the echo of old beliefs still rings loudly in our ears and hearts. Warnings and taboos that our parents whispered to us when we were children still make us think twice about saying or doing something.
While you may have heard about some very popular taboos in Malaysian culture, do you know that a significant number of them also involve babies and pregnant mothers? Here are just some of them that we managed to dig up.
6 Superstitions about Pregnancy and Babies
Chiselled Features
There is an old superstition among the Malays that you shouldn’t let your baby lie on their backs when they sleep.
This is to prevent them from having a concave or ‘flat’ face. Babies should ideally lay on their tummies, with their faces tucked to the side. Doing this would ensure an ideal oval shaped head which is more desirable to have.
This superstition is based on the idea that newborns are still ‘malleable’. You may think that this belief is unfounded, but there is some truth to it. While the best sleeping position for a newborn according to science is on their backs, you shouldn’t leave them in that position all the time either.
‘Flat face syndrome’ may be up for debate, but babies do experience ‘flat head syndrome’. This can easily be preventable by occasionally changing the baby’s lying position, in wake and in sleep. And this includes having them lie on their bellies. But not all the time as this may cause SIDS.
Ghosties, Ghoulies and Goblins
Superstitions surrounding the supernatural are often made-up to keep kids indoors after dark. In which case, the intent behind them is justified.
Parents often need more eccentric threats to keep their children from wandering alone at night on their own. But some superstitions also serve to protect the mothers, especially pregnant ones.
The Malays believe that certain evil spirits specifically prey on pregnant women, women close to childbirth and newborn babies. To protect the new mother and her child, traditional midwives would hang thorny branches on the windows and doors.
Certain types of apotropaic trees may also be planted on the premises to ward off these spirits. However, this is only the norm when it’s a home birth. Apparently evil spirits rarely attack women in hospital wards.
Fairest in the Land
This is a superstition that both Indians and Malays may have heard of. Drinking milk mixed in with a little saffron while you’re pregnant can give your child snow-white skin.
Of course, we don’t need to tell that you this doesn’t actually work. Things like food doesn’t determine the melanin content in your baby’s skin. Genetics do.
But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be drinking milk. Saffron on the other hand, is a bit of a grey area. While some studies show that it can help with pregnancy and facilitating labour, in large quantities it can cause miscarriage. So, be careful how much saffron you consume during your pregnancy.
Hopefully the price of the spice alone is enough to discourage you. This ‘food category’ of Malaysian superstitions does not only include saffron-infused milk.
Many local cultures have their own taboos about what and what not to eat to influence the baby’s appearance, demeanour and even gender. Eating meat apparently gives you a boy and eating veggies will give you a girl. This doesn’t always work, of course, and may entirely be coincidental.
The Fruit That Shall Not Be Named
While more a myth than a superstition, many Malaysians believe that eating pineapples can cause a miscarriage. The idea comes from the fact that pineapples are acidic or ‘sharp’, and thus harmful to a developing embryo.
There is currently not enough evidence to suggest that pineapples are able to cause a miscarriage. Some will mention bromelain, an enzyme present in the core of pineapples.
However, research suggests that there’s not nearly enough in the flesh of the pineapple itself to cause any harm to a developing baby. So, eat as many pineapples as you want, they’re a delicious, nutritious addition to any pregnant mum’s diet.
Fixer Upper
A popular Chinese superstition is that pregnant women should not be near construction sites or get their houses renovated during their pregnancy. The hammering of nails was thought to cause the baby to come out deformed. Again, it’s very unlikely that a home façade will harm your baby.
However, we don’t need to tell you that even though this superstition is false, pregnant women shouldn’t be around dangerous equipment, strong-smelling paints and other hazards that may exist in a construction zone.
Some paint thinners can carry some risk to a developing foetus, so if some painting is going on in the premises, be sure to avoid the area.
No Animals Were Harmed
Another taboo is that pregnant women should not harm or kill any animals. Depending on the culture, doing so may bear different consequences.
Some believe that the child will take on the features of the animal, giving it a monstrous appearance. Others believe that the child will come out deformed.
This superstition may not be true, but you should not harm or kill animals in general. However, if your home has a vermin infestation problem, it’s best to get a professional exterminator involved. Pregnant women should not be around unclean animals anyway, or get involved in pest control efforts.
Kooky Customs or Dangerous Delusions?
While superstitions can be fun and entertaining, it’s sometimes important for us to distinguish fact from fiction.
Taboos were perhaps a necessity during a time when there was minimal scientific knowledge to explain certain unnatural phenomena and societal fears. We know better now, and as a result our relationship with the world should naturally change.
So, while it’s definitely important for pregnant women to stay safe, it is also important to know what taboos are actually unnecessary or even dangerous for your baby’s health and wellbeing.
If tradition necessitates certain customs, then there’s no harm in observing them. But try not to take those old wives’ tales so seriously, learn to live a little. As they say, some rules are meant to be broken, and superstitions may just be one of them.
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