A pregnant woman among the people enjoyed additional attention: she was released, if possible, from hard work and tried to satisfy her requests for food and drink, failure to fulfill her desires was considered a sin. It was believed that she was able to bring happiness: she was willingly treated to apples, because if a pregnant woman tastes the fruit from a young apple tree that brought the harvest for the first time, this apple tree will bear fruit abundantly all its life.

The pregnant woman was endowed with the ability to infect others, so she should not visit other people's families, and if she did, then only using special precautions. She could not be invited to be a godmother - it was believed that if she became a godmother, then her godson would not live.

Signs and customs for pregnant women

A boy will be born if the last child in the family does not have hair ending in a pigtail at the neck; when the father of the expected child on the road finds a whip; when someone from the family, running out with a weaving rod, sees a man first; when a child, seated at the table, chooses from the things laid out in front of him some belonging of a man, and not of a woman, for example, a pipe, not a handkerchief.

The pregnant woman was also not supposed to kiss the dead man at parting and accompany him to the cemetery.

During pregnancy, a woman could in no case work on church holidays - a violation of this prohibition by a pregnant woman, as they believed, would inevitably have an effect on the newborn.

Birth of a child

Both a pregnant woman and a woman who had just given birth were considered unclean, so even in winter she went to give birth away from her home - in a bathhouse, a barn, a barn (more often in a bathhouse that was heated). However, from the barn, the woman in labor, having been relieved of the burden, went to the bathhouse and often drowned her herself if she had no one to help. They did it differently: at the time of childbirth, all the household left, only the husband and midwife remained with the woman in labor, who tried to alleviate her suffering.

Not a single peasant family could do without a midwife (as it was also called, navel cutters, umbilical cords, navel cutters). Usually she lived or spent most of the day with the woman in labor for three days: she bathed the woman in labor and the child (the midwife had to leave only after three baths), gave her decoctions of various medicinal herbs, ruled the belly that had fallen after childbirth, spoke to the baby for longevity. But her main duty was to ensure that no one spoiled the child or the woman in labor, since before baptism the child, and with him and his mother, were considered unprotected from any damage. Therefore, the midwife was with the woman in labor and the newborn in the bath (a place, according to the peasants, very unclean), did not leave them when strangers visited them. If there was not one in the house adult woman, except for the woman in labor, then she played the role of the hostess until the woman in labor could not work herself. If the born child was weak, sickly, the midwife could christen him. To do this, the holy water was diluted with plain water, she watered the baby three times with the words: “In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Spirit. Amen, ”and gave the child a name. In the event that the child remained alive, the priest completed the ceremony without immersion in water and called the name given by the midwife. The midwife could not refuse a request to come to a woman in labor: her refusal was regarded as an unforgivable sin that could entail immediate punishment.

When the woman in childbirth recovers sufficiently and the grandmother finds it possible to leave, the purification of all those present and taking any part in childbirth took place. They lit a candle in front of the icons, prayed, then with water in which they put hops, an egg and oats, they washed themselves and washed the baby. While washing the puerperal, the grandmother sometimes said to her: “Like hops are light and strong, so be the same; as the testicle is full, so are you fuller; as oats are white, so be white!” When the midwife was washing the child, she would say: “Grow from a beam of height and from an oven of thickness!” This rite is often called the washing of hands: usually, mother and grandmother poured water, into which various objects carrying a certain semantic load, were poured three times on each other's hands and asked for mutual forgiveness, the grandmother was awarded a gift (usually soap and a towel, sometimes money). After that, the midwife could go to receive the next child. The midwife returned to the mother's house on the eve of the fortieth day after the birth of the child: she had to gird him and remind the mother of the need for a cleansing prayer. The belt with which she tied the child was considered both as a magical amulet against evil forces and as a sign of longevity and health. The midwife used to say: “As the cord is long, so you live; like a white cord - so be it for you: to see paradise, but not to be in sorrows. The belt symbolically divides the human body into two halves - earthly and heavenly, impure and pure - and performs the function of protection from evil forces. It was believed that an unbelted child could die. The modern custom of tying a blanket in which a newborn is wrapped with a pink or blue ribbon comes from the customs of the royal house of the Romanovs: the born Grand Duke was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (blue sash), and the Grand Duchess - the Order of St. Catherine (red sash).

On the fortieth day, a mother with a newborn, according to the rules of the church, entered the temple: the mother listened to a cleansing prayer, and the baby was churched, that is, introduced into the community of believers.

Signs and customs for pregnant women

No one should know that a child is about to be born: childbirth is the more difficult, the more people know about them.

There should be no knots on the clothes of the woman in labor and her husband, then the birth will be easy. In the house it is necessary to unlock all the locks, open all the doors and drawers, undo the braids.

In the bath, midwives prepared water from lessons - one of the most strong means folk magic. For this, river water was used, the grandmother specially went after it with a clean bucket and always scooped it up along the river. Returning from the river to the bathhouse and having made the Jesus prayer, in a vitukha she immersed in a bucket right hand and, having scooped up a handful of water there, she lowered it down her arm through her elbow into a prepared container, whispering: “Just as water does not hold on an elbow, so don’t hold on to the servant of God (name), neither lessons nor winners!” At the same time, she kept counting up to nine with a denial - not one, not two, not three, etc. Thus, she scooped up water on her elbow three times. With a prayer, the grandmother lowered three red-hot coals into this water. Then, with a handful of the right hand through the elbow of the left, she poured this water three times onto the outermost stone of the stove, then three times onto the door bracket, holding the container so that the spilled water again flowed into it. At the same time, the grandmother would say every time: “Just as water does not hold on a stone (or bracket), so do not hold on to the servant of God (name), neither lessons nor prizes!” After that, the water was considered so strongly charmed that not a single sorcerer could destroy it. healing power. Then the grandmother put the puerperal face to the east - if only she could stand, otherwise she put her on the bath threshold and splashed her in the face three times with the slandered water in her mouth, saying: “Just as water does not hold on the face, so on the servant of God ( name) don’t hold on to lessons or prizes! Having poured out the remaining water from the tuesa on the head of the mother, the grandmother collected the water as it fell from the head into the right handful and sprinkled it on the heater from under her left foot.

For easy childbirth, a woman should go around the table three times, on the corners of which heaps of salt are poured. She must eat a few grains from each of them, saying: “You, salt, are holy; you, salt, saline; you, salt, are strong; part, salt, let go of my ailments, that in animal bone, in black blood; sweeten all the stabs and pains at a difficult time, and I, a slave (name), pray to God, caress my womb, wait for a baby from you soon.

To facilitate childbirth, it is necessary to light a passionate or Thursday candle (brought from the church on Good Friday or Maundy Thursday), or a wedding candle in the house.

Superstitions for pregnant women are a big field of fantasy. However, the wisdom of the ancestors regarding this important period has come down to our days. It is worth taking a closer look at the beliefs and understanding which ones have a rational basis, and which ones to bypass.

In the article:

Folk signs for pregnant women

Waiting for a baby is the highest happiness in life, and it is natural that a woman wants to give birth to a healthy child. Given the state of the body and bursts of hormones, she becomes more anxious. And therefore, will pay attention to all the signs. Signs for pregnant women can be divided into groups: what can and cannot be done in position. Below we will tell about them in more detail.

Boy or girl

Traditionally, they try to guess the sex of the child by the shape of the abdomen. A girl is in a wide and round one, and a protruding and sharper one indicates a boy. The stomach "looks" to the left to Masha, and to the right - to Sasha. Another interesting option sex determination offers to the expectant mother pay attention to the hair on the legs. Increased hairiness - expect a boy, bare legs - a girl.

There is an opinion that if at the time of conception the couple is in official marital relations, they will have a daughter, otherwise - a son. Daily sex during pregnancy increases the chances of a female child, and intermittently - male. Interestingly, everything can be a decisive factor in determining the sex of a small person. For example, father-to-be's loose underwear will cause the birth of a daughter, and tight - a son.

• If you sleep with your head to the north, there will be a boy, to the south - a girl.

Feeling cold in the legs during pregnancy also indicates the birth of another man. Another, no less interesting sign: if a woman flourishes in a position, wait for a hero, if she becomes silly - a princess. The mother of the baby wants plant food all the time, and the baby wants milk and meat.

• A swollen nose and a swollen face are a sign of a male.

By the nipples folk wisdom also knows how to determine the sex of a child. If their color has changed to a darker side - run for pink booties, in the light - for blue ones.

• A girl is more likely to cause toxicosis than a boy.
• But the hero provokes the appearance of hair on the abdomen, and the princess - age spots.

An accelerated heartbeat, as well as an increased temperature, indicate that you will have a son, and a slow and low temperature - get ready for a daughter.

Folk signs about pregnancy - what not to do and why

If a future mom while sewing or cutting food, pricks and gets scared, this can cause appearance of moles in a child. Therefore, pregnant women should use a needle and knife folk omens forbid. The same applies to touching the face. Touch it less often if you do not want the baby to have birthmarks. Another belief forbids a woman during pregnancy to stand on the threshold. Among the Slavs, it was considered the line between the worlds. Long stay on this border can harm the baby. You can not step over brooms and logs. It was believed that this would offend the brownie, and regardless of the state of health and the events taking place in life. There is a separate sign about cats with which it is forbidden to play a woman in position.

In our time, doctors have explained this superstition with a disease. toxoplasmosis that a pregnant woman can get from a cat. There is a special analysis that detects this disease in the early stages. The expectant mother should reduce the consumption of red berries, as the child will "red" skin, which is now known as diathesis. To avoid the evil eye folklore forbids a pregnant woman to tell her friends and relatives about her situation. The same applies to the name that the parents chose for the baby.

• Weaving knots can cause difficult childbirth, as the knot is considered a symbol of a dead end.

You can not sleep on your back - this makes it difficult for the fetus to breathe. The habit of sitting cross-legged interferes with blood circulation and can cause vein disease in the mother and crooked legs in the child.

Modern superstitions during pregnancy

It is not recommended to cut and dye your hair while you are expecting a baby. Hair is a symbol life force, and the shorter they are, the less it is. As for the paint, it used to contain a large number of substances harmful to the baby, which cannot be said about modern means. Photographing during pregnancy is not recommended. This ban is explained by the fact that the photo leaves the expectant mother and her developing child in static. The Church has also contributed to the superstitions about pregnant women by banning medical sex determination and suggesting trust God's will in this matter.

Expectant mother should not look at ugly and scary - this can affect the appearance of the child.
Medicine agrees with this. Stress, anxiety have a bad effect on the condition of not only the mother, but also the baby. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid negative impressions and spectacles. More joy, pleasant experience. May beautiful music, painting, beautiful things surround you during this period. Look at happy, beautiful people and dream about happy day when you pick up your wonderful baby! And if, nevertheless, you looked at something not too pleasant, and it worries you, use folk recipe- how to neutralize the negative influence: you need to look at the sky or at your own nails and say “keep me away” three times. Whatever the mother experiences, the child also experiences.

A pregnant woman should not swear and quarrel, otherwise the baby will grow up angry.
Any doctor will tell you - pregnant women should avoid any conflict situations and noisy places. Fear, irritation, resentment lead to an increase in blood pressure, impaired placental blood flow, which can affect the health of your baby.

The expectant mother should not sew, knit or buy things for her child herself.
All right! Entrust the chores to relatives - dad, grandmothers, aunts. Do not deprive them of this joy. Think for yourself - why do you need to push around in transport and stuffy shops, where there are a lot of people coughing and sneezing! Wouldn't it be better for a child's health to go for a walk in the park or devote his free time to water aerobics classes.

A pregnant woman should not sit on the threshold (windowsill, table, etc.)
Of course not! It doesn't take long to fall from a height. And then, drafts are simply unacceptable while waiting for the baby. So do not be frivolous and take care of your health.

Pregnant women should not eat secretly - the baby will be born shy.
Firstly, eating dry food or on the go is harmful. In addition, if you are “caught off guard” at the refrigerator at night, you can be very scared. Why do you need extra stress?

Pregnant women should not reach up and hang clothes.
Gynecologists believe that from the 20th week of pregnancy, this really should not be done. This position of the body provokes an outpouring amniotic fluid and premature birth.

Pregnant women should not play with a cat, take it in their arms - otherwise the child will have many enemies.
Cats carry the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a very dangerous disease for pregnant women. Through the placenta, the pathogen enters the bloodstream of the child. Congenital toxoplasmosis is a severe disease affecting nervous system child. A woman can get sick without even knowing it! Therefore, it is better not to take risks! Don't touch other people's animals. If a cat lives in the house, be sure to visit the veterinary clinic, where she will be tested for the presence of toxoplasmosis pathogens. During pregnancy, do not go to the cat litter box, shift these worries to the household. As a last resort, use rubber gloves.

A pregnant woman should not step over fruits growing in the ground (potatoes, carrots, etc.): a miscarriage may occur.

You can’t walk through a log and climb over a window: childbirth will be difficult.

You can’t cut your hair before childbirth: the child can be born dead.

For the same reason, you can not sketch the appearance of a pregnant woman and photograph her.

The expectant mother should not prepare the dowry for the child herself, otherwise the child may be born dead. However, all other family members are not forbidden to do this.

The expectant mother should not grab her face, hands, torso out of fear, since the child may again have birthmarks in those places.

An empty cradle cannot be rocked, otherwise there will be no place for the unborn child in it.

If a mother wants wealth for her child, then she should not borrow for nine months, and when the child is born, it should be put on a shaggy sheepskin coat.

You can’t refuse a future mother’s request, especially if she asks for food, even the strangest and most exotic. If you refuse, there will be a loss in the economy.

Light first three months of pregnancy - a boy will be born, heavy - a girl.

In order for the birth to proceed normally, it is necessary to open everything in the house that opens (closet doors, drawers, oven, vents), and leave it like that until the woman in labor returns home.

When a woman in labor is taken to the maternity hospital, then from the house where she lives, nothing can be given to anyone for three days - so that everything goes well for her.

A woman in labor is allowed to chew hair - childbirth will be easier.

You should not tell anyone about the day and hour of childbirth, so as not to jinx it.

One who was born on a new moon will live happily ever after.

If the boy was born like his mother, and the girl like her father, they will be happy.

A child born “in a shirt” will also be happy. in the fetal bladder. At birth, it is immediately cut open so that the child does not suffocate. It was customary to take care of the "shirt". It was dried on the stove and kept in a chest with clothes.

If the belly of a pregnant woman is covered with fluff (hairs), then there will be a boy.
This condition is due to an increased amount of male hormones in the body of the expectant mother. This is individual. But one thing is certain: there is great amount women who, having hairy tummies, gave birth to girls.

If the belly of a pregnant woman is high and wide, there will be a girl, if it is low, and, as it were, sticks out forward, it will be a boy.
A high belly position may indicate that a woman is having her first pregnancy or that she is in good health. physical form. The muscles that support the uterus become weaker with each pregnancy, which contributes to the lowering of the abdomen. If the belly protrudes forward, the pregnant woman may not have a very wide body, so the child simply has nowhere to go. A wide belly is a sign that the fetus is still located sideways.

If a woman has a “sharp” belly, directed forward and her pregnancy is not visible from the back, then she is likely to have a boy. If the belly is “girdle”, spherical, protruding on the sides too, then a girl is more likely to appear.

Usually mothers of girls during pregnancy change in appearance: the face becomes puffy, cheekbones, nose increase, appear dark spots(daughter takes beauty away from mother). If the expectant mother is getting prettier every day - to the boy.

Fast heartbeat - there will be a girl, slow - a boy.
Baby girls (according to studies) are indeed born with a more frequent heartbeat than boys. But this only applies to childbirth. During pregnancy, heart rhythms do not differ by gender.

If you pour water on a pregnant woman during a drought, it will rain.
Superstition has a mystical basis, linking two concepts: a pregnant woman, as a symbol of fertility, and rain, on which the harvest depends.

You will meet a pregnant woman - to be lucky, in a dream you will see - to be success.
The belief is based on the association of a pregnant woman with fertility, the continuation of life. It was also believed that if she hit the cow three times with her apron, she would calve better.

The father of the newborn is treated with salted porridge with pepper!!!
It was such a custom even among the Slavs. The point is for the man to understand that it was “salty and bitter” for the wife to give birth. It is these words that are worn out, bringing him a spoonful of porridge.

They say that if a boy dreams in a dream closer to childbirth, a girl will be born and vice versa

For every woman, waiting for a baby is one of the most exciting periods in her life. However, happy impressions are almost always overshadowed by concern about the health of the baby and the upcoming birth. Especially worried about this are those who for the first time have to go through a difficult test - the birth of a child. Therefore, one should not be surprised that the expectant mother not only listens to the recommendations of her doctor, but also takes into account folk signs.

Signs about the approach of childbirth

Doctors indicate the approximate time of birth, but they cannot give the exact date. That is why a woman in position almost always experiences excitement in the last weeks of pregnancy. After all, no one wants to go to the hospital in advance or, on the contrary, be caught by contractions away from home and medical care. At the same time, the centuries-old experience of the people allows you to find out in time about the approach of childbirth, if you ask in advance about the beliefs associated with this.

• The most popular sign that informs about the approach of childbirth is any animal or bird that suddenly finds itself in the house. If a sparrow or a dove suddenly flies through the open window, and a neighbor's cat suddenly runs into the open door, then there is no doubt that the pregnant inhabitant of this dwelling will soon go to the maternity hospital.
• Many experienced mothers know that The best way to bring the long-awaited time of the birth of the baby closer is a general cleaning in the apartment. Once you have washed all the floors, walls and windows, washed the curtains and inspected the kitchen cabinets, the contractions will not be long in coming. There is a completely scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Indeed, significant physical activity almost always increases the tone of the uterus and contributes to its contraction, and therefore, during pregnancy, doctors recommend avoiding increased activity so as not to provoke premature birth.
• Another belief that brings labor activity closer is things collected for the hospital. Do you think it's time for a baby to be born? Put in a bag washing accessories, a bathrobe, slippers and other necessary little things, and they will certainly be needed soon.

What beliefs promise easy childbirth

Expectant mothers worry not only about the time of the birth of the baby, but also about the process itself. Every woman wants the contractions to be less painful and prolonged, and the child leaves the womb without complications. In this case, our ancestors also created a lot of signs.

• Many generations of women believed that childbirth was guaranteed to be easy if the doors were wide open during the process in the house. Even the doors of wardrobes and wall cabinets, as well as the extended drawers of a chest of drawers and a kitchen set, can do a good job for a woman in labor at this moment.
• It is believed that childbirth will be easy if the pregnant woman, sensing their approach, loosens her hair and unties everything that is possible on her clothes.
• If you want the baby to be born quickly and without complications, then forbid your family to take anything out of the apartment. This should be done only if you expect labor to occur in the next three days. Naturally, the pregnant woman herself must comply with this rule.
• Did you feel the contractions begin? Mothers and grandmothers knew that at this moment they should immediately take off all the gold jewelry up to the wedding ring. It's believed that a precious metal negatively affects the process of childbirth and the well-being of the mother. Yes, and taking jewelry with you to the hospital is unlikely to be a reasonable decision.
• More than one generation of the fair sex knows that for easy childbirth there is a true sign associated with wedding veil. If you have saved this detail of the wedding dress, then by all means step over it, going to the maternity hospital. The ancestors believed that in this way it was possible to somewhat alleviate and shorten the painful and long course of contractions.
• Another sure sign that allows a woman to easily and quickly resolve the burden is keeping the expected date of birth secret. The exact timing of the birth of a child should be known to as few people as possible, including those closest to you. Indeed, outwardly benevolent friends and relatives do not always have really good feelings for a pregnant woman, which means that there is a high probability of the evil eye and related problems.

In the life of any woman, pregnancy is a happy, but the most disturbing time.

The expectant mother worries about the health of the baby, she is worried about the upcoming birth and lack of experience. In addition, future grandmothers and all female acquaintances begin to give advice and talk about various signs for pregnant women.

Interested in signs and those who want to get pregnant. Whether to listen to signs or perceive them as outdated superstitions depends on the connection of these signs with reality.

Signs that pregnant women should pay attention to

Signs have always been associated with the reality surrounding a person and his idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe world. Therefore, different nations have signs that prohibit talking about their pregnancy until it becomes obvious.

Our ancestors believed that evil spirits and the evil eye can harm both the baby in the mother's belly and the expectant mother. Nowadays, no one believes in the existence of evil spirits, but there is a rational grain in this sign.

Whether the pregnancy will be easy and prosperous depends largely on psychological state mothers, so psychologists recommend not to talk about the fact that you are expecting a baby until the 3rd month of pregnancy. The first trimester is the most difficult, and it will be easier for you to survive it without endless questions from others.

Signs indicate in some detail what not to do during pregnancy:

1. There are foods that are red because the baby will be born red. Although the skin of all newborns initially has a reddish tint, this belief is justified.

Red berries and fruits are potential allergens, so eating them in large quantities can provoke an allergy in a child. You should not completely abandon red berries and fruits if they are grown in the region where you live.

The main danger for the development of allergies in an infant is exotic fruits and vegetables, which are allergens. It is important to remember this for pregnant women who are afraid of omens and prone to allergies.

2. Hang clothes on a line. Even our grandmothers believed that the raised hands and active movements during this pregnant woman allow the baby to get entangled in the umbilical cord.

Modern medicine does not confirm these superstitions. Cord entanglement occurs with an increased length of the umbilical cord (this is a genetic phenomenon) in combination with polyhydramnios, hypoxia and excessive mobility of the crumbs (it is provoked by mother's stresses).

However, this posture does have disadvantages. It increases uterine tone and can interfere with the oxygen supply to the umbilical cord, so if you have to raise your hands to hang laundry, leave this work to other family members.

3. To knit. There is no reason for this sign, which frightens pregnant women with the same umbilical cord.

The only disadvantage of knitting (as sedentary work) is disturbed blood circulation, and this is not very good for the child. If you want to knit, knit, but do not forget to alternate this activity with walks in the fresh air.

4. Consider frightening, unpleasant people, animals, etc., as the born baby will be ugly. The interpretation of this sign, which promises harm to pregnancy, belongs to the category of ordinary superstition.

However negative emotions that a future mother has when she sees repulsive scenes or frightening faces are really harmful to pregnant women. So try to surround yourself with beautiful things, people, etc.

5. Mess with cats, otherwise the child will have many enemies in the future. The meaning of this sign is unjustified superstition. Cats can only pose a danger to pregnant women who have never kept this animal before.

Cats may have the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, which is not dangerous for a person with a mature immune system. Infection occurs only once in a lifetime, and the disease itself, with normal immunity, is asymptomatic and ends with the production of antibodies that destroy Toxoplasma.

However, infection during pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus (the baby has not formed the immune system, and Toxoplasma can get to it through the placenta). It is to determine the presence of antibodies that pregnant women are tested - their presence guarantees you and your child protection from insidious toxoplasmosis.

6. Cross your legs. Our great-grandmothers assured that the newborn, if this rule is not observed, will have clubfoot or crooked legs. These superstitions have nothing to do with reality and your crossed legs will not affect the legs of a child in any way.

The sign about crossed legs has a different meaning. Pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in blood volume, and the cross-legged position provokes varicose veins veins and disrupts blood circulation in the pelvic organs, so it’s really better not to sit.

7. Take a hot bath, otherwise you will provoke premature birth. The veracity of the signs is partially confirmed by medicine - warm water is not dangerous for pregnant women, but hot water in the bathroom can bring the time of birth closer.

Signs that pregnant women can ignore

There are folk signs about pregnancy, which are very indirectly related to reality or are not at all confirmed by practice. Signs that can be taken into account, or can be ignored, include beliefs that:

1. The date of the upcoming birth should be hidden from others. Our ancestors were afraid of the same evil spirits and the evil eye of envious people.

In reality, before giving birth, many women feel annoyed and tired from the endless questions “when already?”, Especially during the “transfer”. Therefore, such signs are relevant for some pregnant women.

2. Expectant mother should not sit on the threshold. Numerous superstitions different peoples associated with the belief that there is a boundary between the worlds, and the threshold of the house is considered just such a dividing line.

In such subtle places from a metaphysical point of view, the protection of a person from evil forces weakens, and pregnant women were protected from negative influences. Nowadays, rarely anyone believes in such signs, but drafts that inevitably arise with open doors are dangerous for pregnancy.

Also, our ancestors were convinced that during pregnancy it is impossible:

1. Get a haircut. This sign belongs to the deeply rooted and well-known superstitions, although today it has lost all relevance.

In ancient times long hair warmed in the cold and were considered a place of concentration of human vitality. That is why so many signs concerning hair have been preserved.

To cut hair in the understanding of our ancestors meant to deprive oneself of vitality and well-being. And for pregnant women, strength is necessary, and it is especially important before childbirth.

Hair during this period of life due to a change in hormonal levels becomes thicker and healthier, but many women are accustomed to short haircut and do not want to grow hair. Because with medical point of view, a haircut does not affect the health and well-being of mother and child (and practice has repeatedly proven this), you can get a haircut without taking into account this sign for pregnant women.

2. Buy or bring things to the house in advance for the baby. This includes rocking the cradle (carriage) before the baby is born. These signs were relevant for our people in antiquity and do not matter during pregnancy today.

The Slavs believed that things prepared for a child who had not yet been born could be taken over by evil spirits. At the same time, the peoples Western Europe Traditionally, they buy things for the child in advance, without fear of the influence of evil forces.

3. Eat treats left in the refrigerator secretly at night, otherwise the child will be prone to stealing or grow up shy. The only rational grain in this prejudice is that the fright that a woman caught “at the scene of a crime” can experience is not useful either for a pregnant woman or for a baby. In fact, there will be no other harm from this sign for pregnant women.

4. Step over ropes, hoses, logs, as the baby will get tangled in the umbilical cord or childbirth will be difficult. These are prejudices that have nothing to do with reality.

If superstition has won over your logic (and for future mothers, the irrational dominates due to hormonal changes in the body), step on the barrier that inspires you with fear.

5. be photographed. The sign is connected with the fact that in the old days they made portraits of only noble women who good health often did not differ, so childbirth was not always successful.

The same prejudice is the belief that one should not sharply grab one's face and other parts of one's own body, otherwise the baby will have a birthmark in this place. These signs and real pregnancy are in no way connected with each other.

Signs about the approach of childbirth

It is unlikely that anyone is absolutely calm about the upcoming birth, and when the time indicated by the doctor approaches, most women begin to worry. No one wants to go to the maternity hospital in advance without special need, but they also don’t want to give birth on the way or go to the wrong doctor.

Even an experienced doctor cannot indicate the exact time of childbirth, therefore, before childbirth, women are actively interested in signs. About the fact that the birth will be soon, he says:

• An animal that has run (flew) into the house.
• General cleaning done in the house (part of this sign about childbirth and pregnancy has a basis - active work increases the tone of the uterus, especially if you wash the floor).
• Things collected at the hospital (many packages are prepared in advance).

When the time for childbirth comes, quick and easy childbirth promises:

• Wide open doors (doors of cabinets and drawers can also be opened).
• Loose hair and untied belts.
• The ban on taking out of the house three days before the birth of any things.

There is a belief that in order for childbirth to be easy, one must step over an abandoned veil. But these signs are superstitions.

Facilitates childbirth and gold removed from oneself. Part of this sign is useful for pregnant women, since most women have wedding ring, squeezing the finger due to swelling inherent in pregnancy.

Signs to help determine the sex of the child

There are signs that are of interest not only to pregnant women, but also to their relatives. Most future parents are interested in the sex of the crumbs, and this issue is especially worrisome in the second and subsequent pregnancies.

Since before ultrasound to determine the sex of a child did not exist, our ancestors managed with signs that state:

• If the first trimester was easy, the baby is male, and if you were tormented by toxicosis and other "charms", then you will have a girl.
• If the expectant mother is not indifferent to sweets, a girl in her stomach requires a treat, and if a woman prefers meat food, a baby boy will be born.
• If a woman in a position becomes prettier, a boy will soon appear in the family, and if beauty fades, a girl will appear.

To determine the sex of the child, the shape of the abdomen was also taken into account. A wide and high belly indicates pregnancy as a girl, and a low and protruding one indicates a boy.

All peoples were interested in the problem of determining the sex of a child, and for the peoples of the East, signs of pregnancy by a boy were especially important. It was believed that:

• If you drop pregnant colostrum on cotton wool, throw it into the water and it will float, then a girl will be born, and if it drowns, an heir will soon appear.
• Leaning on her right hand and taking the first step from her right foot, an active pregnant woman is waiting for her son, and doing the opposite - a daughter.
• Pregnancy with a girl often provokes swelling of the legs, but is milder than pregnancy with a boy.

Even the results of determining the sex of the child obtained using ultrasound cannot be considered reliable. Appeared and new sign- if during the determination of the sex of the child on an ultrasound scan, the baby turns all the time with a booty - this is a boy.

Tips to help you get pregnant

It often happens that it is impossible to get pregnant, and there are no obvious health problems. In such a situation, a woman is interested in any signs that lead to pregnancy.

Helps to get pregnant:

• Food that a pregnant woman treats you to (she must give you food with her own hands).
• Children's things lying in your house in a conspicuous place.
• Stroking the belly of a pregnant woman.
• Agate, pearls and other amulets.

To get pregnant, you can also sit on a chair where a pregnant woman sat before you. Helps to get pregnant and a photo that captures you with a pregnant girlfriend, as well as a photo with fertile animals.

The most effective signs leading to pregnancy are ficus and red thread. Ficus has been considered a family flower since ancient times, and its appearance in the house promises the appearance of replenishment.

For this, it is important that the ficus be presented to you as a gift. You can get pregnant when the ficus starts new sprouts. You can also plant a ficus on your own by growing it from a cutting.

It is you who must take care of the flower. To help the ficus get pregnant, do not forget to talk to him during watering.

The thread helps to get pregnant if it is tied around your hand by a loved one or close person(mother, etc.) whom you trust. You can not remove it - after the thread breaks, you can get pregnant.

Signs that promote pregnancy work when there is unconditional faith in success.
Author: Marina Nosova