BYUH students share what pregnancy care looks like, including superstitions and traditional practices from their respective countries
Puerto Rico
Hannah Pineda, an alumna who graduated in exercise and sports science, said expecting a child is an exciting and sacred blessing in the Latin American culture. Though born and raised in the United States, she said her mother from Puerto Rico helps her continue their cultural practices.
“There’s a cultural practice we call ‘cuarentena’ where mothers are expected to stay at home for 40 days after giving birth,” said Pineda. Though unable to practice this because she was still in school, she said it is normal in the Latin American culture to not see mothers and their newly born child for a whole month. She said its purpose is to assist in the recovery of mothers and their babies, learn how to take care of their babies and replenish their energies.
Another thing she said she noticed from Hispanic people is exercising while being pregnant, in general, is not common. “Besides walking or biking to class, I never went to the gym when I was pregnant,” she expressed. Eating soups, hot foods, and rice and beans is also encouraged, she said. “They feed you a lot more when you’re pregnant because of the idea of ‘feeding for two,’” she added.
Philippines
Joanne Marie Eyo, a sophomore majoring in accounting from the Philippines, said eating healthy food is the most important selfcare during pregnancy in the Philippines. She said mothers avoid eating spicy food and having cold drinks. Pregnant women refrain from sewing their own dresses because it is believed to create difficulties for the baby’s development, Eyo said. “We also refrain from speaking negatively about others because what we said might happen to our child,” she explained.
During postpartum, some expect mothers to do household chores immediately, while some encourage mothers to rest in bed. Eyo said it was difficult for her to do everything just with her husband as they are both international students.
For those around postpartum mothers, she advised them to limit their advice. “We need someone to lean on and talk to rather than just receiving advice.
Mongolia
Onon Enkhee, a senior studying psychology from Mongolia, said having children is highly important in Mongolia because it upholds the family legacy and continues the lineage. She said, “That is why mothers are encouraged to take good care of themselves and their babies.” She said cultural do’s and don’ts during pregnancy can affect the baby’s well-being.
For example, she said expectant mothers avoid any form of sewing because “it’s believed that the baby mimics the mother’s actions in the womb, which could cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby,” as if following the motions of sewing. Enkhee also explained gently tapping the baby in a circular motion, following the direction of a clock’s hands, helps maintain the optimal position for healthy development in the womb. She also added two expectant mothers should avoid shaking hands because it could lead to a mix-up in their babies’ genders.
After delivery, Enkhee said Mongolians believe mothers experience a rebirth themselves alongside their babies, which is why postpartum mothers are encouraged to care for themselves as attentively as they do their newborns. She said some postpartum cultural practices include staying warm by wearing socks and shoes, covering their ears, and using belly wraps. “We also try to consume double portions for ourselves and the baby,” she said. Couscous and red meat are mostly recommended foods for postpartum mothers to boost milk supply, she added.
Cambodia
Vanny Sok a freshman from Cambodia majoring in graphic design, said Cambodia is mainly a Buddhist country. She said, “In Buddhist beliefs, pregnancy is a significant and blessed event where the family takes special care of the mother until the child is born.” She also said they believe Buddha takes care of the spirit baby inside the mother’s womb so the baby will be born healthy and strong.
“Cambodians believe putting a photo of Buddha near a pregnant woman will bring good luck to the mother and baby,” said Sok. Meanwhile, attending a funeral while pregnant is a sign of bad luck and is prohibited in Cambodian culture, she added.
“Having herbal remedies as treatment and spiritual offerings to God are some of the traditional practices found in rural areas to ensure a healthy well-being for the mother and the baby,” she said. According to her, pregnant women are also encouraged to eat nutritious food like rice, fish and vegetables but are not allowed to eat canned, spicy, raw and bitter food.
India
Chhaya Yadav, a junior majoring in social work from India, said their culture places high importance on the food women eat during pregnancy. “During the first trimester, pregnant women are not allowed to eat pineapple and papaya at all because it is believed to cause miscarriages,” she said. For its multiple health benefits, Yadav added, pregnant women are “encouraged to drink a lot of coconut.
“Some people in India also believed you should not cut your hair when pregnant,” said Yadav. Others, she said, also advise to keep the pregnancy a secret during the first trimester because there are people who dislike or are not happy with it. “For those who believe in Hinduism, they tied their legs with a black thread and blessed it with a prayer,” she said. “They also do the same thing for the baby because it is believed to serve as a protection against the evil spirits,” she explained.
“In India, after giving birth, we are also not allowed to go out with the baby for 40 days,” she said. Mothers should also keep their hair tied with a scarf-like cloth and cover their body properly like a baby, she added.
Hong Kong
Ellie Shek McKinney, a senior from Hong Kong majoring in TESOL, said foods like watermelon, herbal jelly, and Chinese vegetables are considered “cold” and are typically consumed only in the last trimester as they potentially cause premature labor.
She said expectant mothers are encouraged to stay home as much as possible. “We stay away from too much sensory overload… people might be pushing or rushing to places” because Hong Kong and China are more active than other [countries]. Attending funerals or weddings is also discouraged for expectant mothers as it is considered bad luck, according to McKinney.
Taking a warm bath with some ginger helps as part of the postpartum care as “ginger protects your body from getting colder,” she explained. “We usually have our mothers to help us, but nowadays, people usually go to a postpartum care center where staff care for both mothers and their babies for a month,” she said.
United States
Callie Fa’anunu, an alumna from Texas who graduated in exercise and sports science, said American pregnancy and postpartum care primarily relies on scientific evidence and medical research. She emphasized the importance of avoiding alcohol and drugs during pregnancy, as well as being cautious about certain foods. She said pregnant women avoid foods like deli meats, raw fish and sprouts, which could harbor harmful bacteria. Instead, she recommended a diet rich in protein. Fa’anunu said she ate a lot of salmon during her pregnancy.
She added engaging in activities familiar to pregnant women before pregnancy is generally safe. According to her, “There are old wives’ tales that suggest if a mother is sick during pregnancy, she might have a girl, and acne indicates the mother is giving her beauty to her daughter.”
After delivery, Fa’anunu said resting, hydration and nutritious food are important. She said postpartum mothers also take it easy as they gradually resume exercise, focusing on strengthening their core to help restore pelvic stability.