In America we have several things that we do to get ready for a baby. We have a baby shower (or two, or three), we decorate the baby room and gather tons and tons of supplies that we"need," we choose a name, we have a gender reveal party, and attend child birth and parenting classes. During child birth we get to choose who we want in the room with us, what we want in the room with us (tv, music, candles), and we get to decide on just about everything from medication to birthing postition. After birth we stay in the hospital a few days (depending on baby and mothers health) and have many visitors. After we go home from the hospital, aside from a few more visitors and dinners made for us, we are on our own. We enjoy our new addition and in a few days we are ready to step back into society (church, Wal-Mart, family events).
Being in a place of so many different cultures I have found that there are some very different and strange traditions that go with child birth around the world. Such as one friend that came to see us said that in China it is custom after child birth to drink a certain type of wine. I read another blog about different traditons, in one country new mothers are given a box of baby things and a matress in the bottom when they give birth, often times the baby sleeps in the box for the first few months.
Cambodia like everywhere else has it's own tradtions and beliefs. One is that after birth they light a fire under the mother... I have yet to figure out why but I am very very glad I am not Cambodian! Another I learned the day we got home from the hospital. Since Melody was such a surprise to us I didn't have anything at the hospital except the date night clothes I had packed for our get away. I wasn't sure what I had clean at home so I just asked Micah to grab me some gym shorts and a tank top. Apparently that was not the right attire. When we got home the lady across the street was very adament that I needed to have long sleeve and pants on. The next day, our tuk tuk driver said the same thing and also added gloves, socks, and a fuzzy hat. When I asked why, he said it was so I didn't get cold.... Um, hello! It is 90 degrees! I am hot!!!! My doctor said that Khmer women wear winter clothes for several weeks after birth... crazy people. :P A few days later I was at the store with my mom. The clerk asked how old Melody was (10 days at the time). She was so impressed that I was out and about. She said that khmer women don't get out of bed for almost a month after birth. Also, they are very scared of new babies. She told us that she didn't hold her son much until he was about 3 months because she was afraid to drop him. Also on this line we recently got a new baby at BYKOTA house. The staff begged us to keep her at the Benz's house until she was 3 months because they were afraid of her. When it comes to naming a baby it is Budhist culture that the parents take the baby to the local pagoda and a monk tells them what the baby should be named.
I am curious. What are your baby traditions? Does your family do something special when a baby comes?
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