Like unsolicited advice, old wives’ tales and superstitions seem to surround birth and babies. You may give birth on a lucky day of the week, or when the stars are in alignment. Or your baby may have poor luck being born under a certain sign or during a particular year. In fact, one tale holds that Thursday has a single lucky hour, just before sunrise, for birth (so maybe you can plan ahead for that the next time you go into labor).

Do you have a lucky baby? What other superstitions could shape your baby’s temperament and fortune?

Born in the caul
From ancient times to modern, if a baby is born within an intact amniotic sac, he is thought to have good luck. In the past sailors paid large sums for a caul (amniotic sac) as a protective charm against drowning. Caulbearers (those born in the caul) are thought to be natural healers as well as insightful thinkers.

Birthmarks
Some cultures believe touching a birthmark confers luck. Location and shape seem to matter a great deal when it comes to the meaning of a birthmark. For instance, one tale suggests that a mark on baby’s right arm signals future wealth, but a mark on the left arm signals poverty. A birthmark in the middle of the chest indicates luck and prosperity. A birthmark in the shape of a heart, cross or star means luck and maybe even religious enlightenment. Some see birthmarks as gifts or wishes. Strangely, others see them as marks of evil.

What’s in a name?
In some parts of the world, people use names like “stinky pig” and “dog fart” for newborns to confuse evil spirits and steer them away from the baby. Even calling baby by different names is enough to keep evil at bay in other cultures.

Fashion forward
To avoid bad luck, don’t pull clothes over your baby’s head. In the middle ages, it was thought to be bad luck to dress baby at all. Irish legend says to dress a baby boy as a girl to keep the devil away. In Scottish legend, babies are protected by wrapping them in dad’s clothes and later by passing the child three times through mom’s petticoats. Bad luck abounds for those who wash baby’s first diaper or hang diapers to dry in the moonlight.

Follow directions
Never carry a baby downstairs when first taking him out into the world. Go upstairs first to ensure your baby’s prosperity and rise in life. Or consider saying an Irish prayer as protection against evil spirits and sorrows while holding baby up to the south wind.

Personal hygiene
Don’t cut baby’s nails or wash his hands before 12 months unless you’d like to invite ill luck, though you might bring good luck by spitting on baby or rubbing his head with money.

Weaning
Some traditions suggest babies should only be weaned in May, August, November or January and always at the full moon (as if there isn’t enough misinformation out there about breastfeeding). Others say it’s bad luck to wean a baby in early Spring.

Have you heard any of these tales? What’s your baby’s destiny?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Many cultures around the world and across the ages have woman-centered creation myths. These might be stories of a goddess birthing culture, or tales about how the world itself was created. Often pregnancy, birth and motherhood themselves have the protection of a goddess or saint.

The Earth Mother is a common theme among these creation stories. She is a fertile goddess embodying the fertile earth. She is typically the mother of other gods and goddesses, and is seen as protector of motherhood. One creation story in Chinese culture, for instance, is that the earth mother, Nu Wa, who created humans from mud until she tired of the work and gave humans the job of procreating themselves.

Many creation stories pair an earth mother with a sky father to give birth to a society or culture. For instance, the Greek earth mother, Gaia, gave birth to the sky god, Uranus, and they produced the first generation of Greek gods and goddesses. Among the Maori, the creation myth pairs the earth mother, Papa, with the sky father, Ranji. They were locked in an eternal embrace until their child, Tane, separated them by pushing his father up to become the sky and his mother down to become the earth. Once this was accomplished, the rest of the nature gods could be born.

Goddesses and earth mothers tend to be tied to the unknown aspects of creation, giving them power but also making them both awed and feared. The connection of fertility, birth and death is seen in many cultures.

• The Morrigan, a Celtic goddess, controlled life, death and sexuality.
• Juno, the ancient Roman goddess, is the guardian of women and childbirth. Hera is her Greek counterpart. In Celtic cultures, this goddess is Brigit.
• Egyptians believed the goddess, Meskhenet, presided over birth and arranged each baby’s destiny. Meshkenet’s symbol was often found on the birthing tile over which Egyptian mothers squatted when giving birth.
• Also in Egyptian mythology, Isis is the protector of mother, child and family.
• While not a goddess, the Theotokos, or Mary, Mother of God, serves as the Christian saint with a connection to birth. Being the Virgin Mary, she is the spiritual mother of all Christianity.

The story of the creation of the Milky Way is another great connection to womankind. One version of the Greek legend of how the Milky Way was formed claims that Zeus decided to let his infant son, Heracles, nurse from his divine wife Hera (and not Heracles’s mother) while she was sleeping to give the baby godlike qualities since his mother was mortal. When Hera woke up and realized that she was breastfeeding an unknown infant, she pushed him away and the spurting milk became the many stars of the Milky Way.

Creation myths and earth mothers are a way for cultures to explain the unknown. But they can also be a way for modern mothers to feel more connected with creation. Now that you are a mother, you are a goddess! Allow yourself to feel that kinship with other women now and in the past. Feel connected to creation. Know you are part of the cycle of life, no matter what culture or religion you belong to.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.