« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2

Strange customs for new mothers

  • 29 replies
  • 12297 views
*

Paul

  • *
  • 341
Strange customs for new mothers
« on: April 12, 2011, 03:27:52 AM »
So, my wife got ejected from the taxi that she got into after leaving hospital with the new baby. Unclean and bad luck, apparently.  Next taxi - same.  Next taxi, her sister got in with the baby, so no problem. My wife got a separate taxi and contrived not to appear like a new mother.

3 weeks on, we're walking through a short cut from the town to the school, a kind of narrow roofed walkway that saves a few hundred yards. No - evicted again!  She had to walk the long way as the short cut is techically part of someone's home, and she's still unclean and bad luck.

Lots of shock-horror stuff from people on the street when they realise the baby is less than one month old.

Mind you, I still wouldn't trade small town China for the sophisticated city life!!
Logged
*

The Local Dialect

  • *****
  • 3886
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2011, 04:00:06 AM »
Most Chinese mothers stay in for the first month, to "sit" the month out. This is mostly for the mother's health, although the baby is a concern too of course. I did the month in when my son was born (and actually it was kind of nice for me as a first time mother) but with my daughter I gave up on sitting in after about 2 weeks and even here in Beijing we got quite a few shocked looks, mostly from the old grandmas. They were more worried about my health than anything else. The idea is that women who have recently given birth are very weak and can't be exposed to water/wind otherwise they might fall deathly ill. I know a few Chinese women here in Beijing who didn't do the month in thing but it still seems that the majority adhere to this tradition.

That is pretty crazy about the cabs though -- I assume you're in a really small town? When I left the hospital with my son in Kunming and with my daughter in Beijing I had no problems.
Logged
*

Borkya

  • *
  • 1324
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2011, 01:12:46 PM »
The whole haircutting thing also seems a little crazy to me. And my (pregnant) Chinese teacher totally flipped out when I told her it was common for Americans to eat ice cream when pregnant. So common that it was even a joke. She said she would never ever eat cold things because it is 'bad for the baby.' bibibibibi
Logged
*

Escaped Lunatic

  • *****
  • 10857
  • Finding new ways to conquer the world
    • EscapedLunatic.com
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2011, 03:59:18 PM »
Quote from: Borkya on April 12, 2011, 01:12:46 PM
The whole haircutting thing also seems a little crazy to me. And my (pregnant) Chinese teacher totally flipped out when I told her it was common for Americans to eat ice cream when pregnant. So common that it was even a joke. She said she would never ever eat cold things because it is 'bad for the baby.' bibibibibi

Just tell her the ice cream compensates for "internal heat". (whatever the hell that is)
Logged
I'm pro-cloning and we vote!               Why isn't this card colored green?
EscapedLunatic.com
*

Just Like Mr Benn

  • *
  • 610
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2011, 06:00:22 PM »
Quote from: Escaped Lunatic on April 12, 2011, 03:59:18 PM
Quote from: Borkya on April 12, 2011, 01:12:46 PM
The whole haircutting thing also seems a little crazy to me. And my (pregnant) Chinese teacher totally flipped out when I told her it was common for Americans to eat ice cream when pregnant. So common that it was even a joke. She said she would never ever eat cold things because it is 'bad for the baby.' bibibibibi

Just tell her the ice cream compensates for "internal heat". (whatever the hell that is)

Hey, I've got this.

Supposedly, eating chips and other fried things give you something called “Hot Air”, and it makes you more susceptible to colds and all sorts of other bad things. So, if you make sure that you eat a good balance of fried food and ice cream you should be ok.
Logged
*

Monkey King

Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2011, 06:43:29 PM »
Just about everything good (alcohol (even a cold beer), junk food, chocolate, anything spicy) seems to be on the 上火 (shàng huǒ) list as creating 'excessive internal heat', so I am willing to bet ice cream is shàng huǒ too, odd as that may seem!
Logged
*

Escaped Lunatic

  • *****
  • 10857
  • Finding new ways to conquer the world
    • EscapedLunatic.com
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2011, 02:59:24 PM »
Let's find out what causes "internal cold" and then we can combine vices. agagagagag

Paul, any other weirdnesses?
Logged
I'm pro-cloning and we vote!               Why isn't this card colored green?
EscapedLunatic.com
*

BrandeX

  • *
  • 1080
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2011, 05:10:33 PM »
As I am writing this, my wife is on the other computer and wearing her magic radiation blocking apron.
Logged
*

Escaped Lunatic

  • *****
  • 10857
  • Finding new ways to conquer the world
    • EscapedLunatic.com
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2011, 08:26:26 PM »
Quote from: BrandeX on April 13, 2011, 05:10:33 PM
As I am writing this, my wife is on the other computer and wearing her magic radiation blocking apron.

LMFAO!!!!

P.S.  I'm billing you for cleaning my keyboard and screen.
Logged
I'm pro-cloning and we vote!               Why isn't this card colored green?
EscapedLunatic.com
*

Day Dreamer

  • *
  • 4427
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2011, 09:06:59 PM »
Quote from: BrandeX on April 13, 2011, 05:10:33 PM
As I am writing this, my wife is on the other computer and wearing her magic radiation blocking apron.

I know if I tell my g/f this, she'll want one too.

As for the taxi thing, we live about 200 yards from a maternity hospital. Cabs come and go with regularity. Must be an old small town thing. But then again, I remember years ago when my dad made wine, my mom and sisters were forbidden to enter the cellar during "that time of the month"

Logged
For you to insult me, first I must value your opinion
*

Borkya

  • *
  • 1324
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2011, 09:56:25 PM »
Quote from: BrandeX on April 13, 2011, 05:10:33 PM
As I am writing this, my wife is on the other computer and wearing her magic radiation blocking apron.

Oh man!  ahahahahah There was a pregnant teacher who wore one of those every single day! And this was during the summer when the temps were 100+!
Logged
*

teacheraus

  • *
  • 780
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2011, 12:35:46 AM »
The radiation blocking apron is definitely common. Our FAO has just had a baby and she had one of them at her desk and wore it whenever she was working at her desk (so near the computer). She explained it one day. Before then I had just thought it was a maternity top because that is what it looked like - but it is specially meant for pregnant women working on computers.
Logged
Sometimes it seems things go by too quickly. We are so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take the time to enjoy where we are. (Calvin and Hobbs)
*

Paul

  • *
  • 341
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2011, 12:46:33 AM »
Yes, there were numerous things she couldn't eat and, now, various disgusting things that she has to eat to make milk.  What puzzles me - I can see, if not agree with, the health of the mother thing - is why people would shun her.  Do they really think they can catch some disease?
We had to rearrange the furniture at one point because the bed was facing the wardrobe mirror, which I was quite happy with....    but that's bad luck for eveyone apparently, not only new mothers.
But yes, it's a very small town, very traditional in many ways.
Logged
*

Granny Mae

  • *
  • 4005
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2011, 10:59:35 AM »
Quote from: Paul on April 14, 2011, 12:46:33 AM

We had to rearrange the furniture at one point because the bed was facing the wardrobe mirror, which I was quite happy with....    but that's bad luck for eveyone apparently, not only new mothers.

 :wtf: I took the mirrored sliding door out and turned it around because it is supposed to be unlucky if left as it was, facing my bed. bfbfbfbfbf  To be honest, I can't even begin to think of the bad luck I've missed if I'm now supposed to be having good luck. bibibibibi ahahahahah
Logged
*

latefordinner

  • *
  • 2378
Re: Strange customs for new mothers
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2011, 03:50:49 PM »
The radiation apron I can sort of understand. What amaterial is it made of? Anything special, or does just the fact that its an apron makes it more effective than, say, a sweater vest?
I would worry more about the eyes if she spends time in front of a computer.

DD, I had the same rule with my first wife when I used to make wine. Prevents unnecessary and expensive breakage
Logged
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »