15 Mystifying Superstitions About Babies And Pregnancy From Around The World
![15 Mystifying Superstitions About Babies And Pregnancy From Around The World](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/4/886694_320x180.jpg)
Ah, superstitions. We've all heard them: the old wives' tales, the folklore, the ancient traditions that have been passed down through generations. Some of them are silly, some of them are strange, and some of them are downright bizarre.
From the belief that cutting a baby's nails will give them sticky fingers to the notion that eating sweet or bitter food can determine the gender of a baby, superstitions have been around for centuries and have been used to explain the unknown and to ward off bad luck.
In this list, we'll explore some of the more unique superstitions about babies and pregnancy from around the world. From the Serbian tradition of not buying presents before a baby is born to the Egyptian ritual of making noise on the seventh day after a baby is born, we'll explore some of the most interesting ones out there. So, read on, if you dare, and discover the strange, the weird, and the wonderful baby superstitions from around the globe!
Mirrors -- not until after the christening.
![CRACKED BABIES LOOKING INTO A MIRROR Many people in Greece still believe that a baby shouldn't see their reflection in a mirror until after they've been christened, as a way to protect their soul. This practice is still followed in many places, not just in Greece.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/0/886370.jpg)
Devilish tradition?
![CRACKED SALTO DEL COLACHO In Castrillo de Murcia, Spain, there's a week-long celebration called the Salto del Colacho. It's been around for centuries and involves a man dressed as the devil jumping over babies to supposedly cleanse them of their original sin.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/1/886371.jpg)
No parties 'til the baby's here.
![CRACKED THE EVIL EYE Many Jewish communities don't have baby showers or other pre-birth celebrations because they are scared of the evil eye. This superstition comes from the Mishnah, which says someone with the evil eye can't be happy for someone else's good luck.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/8/886368.jpg)
For expecting moms, an open-ended lei is the way to go.
![CRACKED GIVING PREGNANT WOMEN A LEI Giving pregnant women in Hawaii a circular lei is considered bad luck because it's seen as a sign of the umbilical cord getting tangled. So, it's better to give them an open-ended lei instead.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/9/886369.jpg)
Fate determined in one footstep?
![CRACKED PROSHTAPULNIK A Bulgarian superstition, the proshtapulnik, has toddlers take their first steps towards a table with items symbolizing different professions to determine their future. It's like a baby shower, with family gathering to give gifts.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/5/7/886357.jpg)
Noise today, keen hearing tomorrow?
![CRACKED EL SOBOO El Soboo is an Egyptian tradition that dates back to Ancient Egypt. On the seventh day after a baby is born, people make a lot of noise by banging on pots and singing loudly. This is done to help the baby develop their sense of hearing.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/5/886365.jpg)
Just a friendly reminder to keep your distance.
![CRACKED SPITTING ON BABIES In the Philippines, if a stranger looks at a baby, they have to say the phrase pwede usog and lick their thumb, then make a cross on the baby's forehead with saliva to ward off bad luck.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/2/886362.jpg)
Cry for luck, stay chunky
![CRACKED MAKING BABIES CRY Sumo wrestlers make babies cry in Tokyo every year to bring luck and ward off demons - it's been going on for centuries, based on the saying Crying babies grow fat.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/1/886361.jpg)
Bear-back riding: the British cure for whooping cough?
![CRACKED RIDING A BEAR TO CURE WHOOPING COUGH In the UK, some people believe that if a kid gets on the back of a bear, it will keep them safe from whooping cough.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/7/886367.jpg)
No presents before birth, and no compliments afterwards.
![CRACKED INSULTING BABIES In Serbia, it's not polite to buy presents for a baby before it's born. And when the baby is born, people usually say it's ugly to protect it from bad luck.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/4/886364.jpg)
Taste the gender bias!
![CRACKED SWEET AND BITTER FOODS In Turkey, if you're a pregnant woman, it's said that if you eat something bitter, you'll have a daughter, and if you eat something sweet, you'll have a son.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/6/886366.jpg)
Milk for a paler shade of baby?
![CRACKED DRINKING MILK FOR A BABY'S COMPLEXION Some pregnant women drink a glass of milk every day in the hope that their baby will be fair-skinned rather than having a reddish complexion.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/5/8/886358.jpg)
Snoozing until due-date.
![CRACKED SLEEPING PREGNANCY In Northwest Africa, there is a widespread belief in sleeping pregnancy. It's thought that a woman can be pregnant for an unusually long time, and the baby will stay dormant in the womb until it wakes up and starts to grow again.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/3/886363.jpg)
Ireland's got the cure for what ails ya?
![CRACKED SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON In Ireland, it's said that the seventh son of a seventh son has special healing abilities. There are still some seventh sons of seventh sons living in Ireland today who use their powers to help people with health problems.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/5/9/886359.jpg)
Cutting corners leads to sticky fingers?
![CRACKED CUTTING BABIES' NAILS In Wales, it's an old tradition that parents don't cut their baby's nails until they're six months old. It's believed that if you do, the baby will grow up to be a thief and have sticky fingers.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/6/0/886360.jpg)