Growing up in a country that is greatly influenced by superstitious beliefs, I was aware at such a young age about some of the things you should and shouldn’t do when you or someone you know is pregnant.
One of the factors that adds up to a pregnant woman’s anxiety is the weird and unusual advices coming from people especially the elders.
Here are some of the popular Filipino pamahiin or superstitious beliefs during pregnancy:
- Pregnant women who eat twin bananas during the first month of pregnancy will give birth to twin babies.
- The skin color or characteristics of your baby is based on the food you were craving during pregnancy.
- You should avoid looking at unattractive people or watch scary movies because the baby will look like them.
- Don’t eat any leftover food from a pregnant woman because it will make you sleepy.
- Pregnant women should not be photographed because she might experience difficulty in labor.
- Don’t cut your hair when you are pregnant because the child will have a stuttering problem.
- Avoid watching shows or cartoons where the characters don’t talk e.g. Mr. Bean, because the child will have a hard time learning how to speak.
- Don’t wear a necklace or anything around your neck while pregnant to prevent the umbilical cord from coiling around the baby’s neck.
- Pregnant women are not allowed to look inside a coffin during wakes and funerals because she will have a hard time delivering the baby.
- Visitors are not allowed to stand at the door when there is a pregnant woman inside because it will give her a difficult delivery.
- If you experience skin darkening and pimple outbreaks during pregnancy, you will have a boy.
- If you look pretty and fresh during pregnancy, you will have a girl.
- Avoid eating ginger because your baby will have extra fingers or toes when born.
- Avoid being stress or depress when you are pregnant because the child will grow up to be unhappy.
- If your abdomen itches a lot, you have a hairy baby in your womb.
These are old beliefs that some Filipinos still follow, but it is still up to you if you let these views affect your daily life.
©Pancake Bunnykins
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