Pregnancy - Ancient Rituals & Superstitions

Superstition claims many and varied claims for a pregnant woman. We all know the normal superstition "not to reveal that you are pregnant to everyone until your first 3 months have passed". However, there are literally thousands of superstitions and rituals from the norm to the more bizzare. Here are just a few for your perusal:

- If a woman wants the sex of her child to be male she must wear blue all through the pregnancy
- Likewise, if she wishes the sex of her child to be female, she must wear pink throughout the pregnancy
- Pregnant women were not allow to spin wool in the past as this meant her child would die by hanging
- Pregnant women were forbidden to prepare food or help with farm animals as they may contaminate the animals
- If a woman is having problems conceiving then all she had to do to ensure success was to hug a pregnant woman
- In past times pregnant women were confined in order to ward off evil or the fairies swapping the child at birth
- If a woman wants her child to be fair in color then all she had to do was to look at a corpse
- If a pregnant woman steps over a black cat this ensures great luck
- If a pregnant woman steps over any other color cat this is a catastrophe (pardon the pun)
- It is believed that if a baby kicks on the left-hand side of the womb it is female and on the right, it is male
- If a rat runs around a pregnant woman's feet this will result in very bad luck
- If a ferret, stoat or weasel jumps over the stomach of a pregnant woman then the child will be born with a birthmark
- If a pregnant woman steps over a grave this will ensure premature death for her child
- Finally, if a couple are having problems having a child then place a pearl under your pillow

Enjoy!
Rochelle Moore