Boy or girl
Traditionally, they try to guess the gender of the child by the shape of the belly. The wide and round one is a girl, and the protruding and sharper one indicates a boy. The stomach “looks” to the left towards Masha, and to the right – towards Sashka. Another interesting option for determining gender suggests that the expectant mother pay attention to the hair on her legs.
Increased hairiness - expect a boy, bare legs - expect a girl.
There is an opinion that if at the time of conception the couple is in an official marital relationship, they will have a daughter, otherwise - a son. Daily sex during pregnancy increases the chances of the baby being female, and having intermittent sex increases the chances of the baby being male. Interestingly, everything can be a decisive factor in determining the sex of a little person. For example, the future father's loose underwear
will cause the birth of a daughter, and tight-fitting clothes will cause the birth of a son.
- If you sleep with your head to the north, you will have a boy, if you sleep with your head to the south, you will have a girl.
Feeling cold in your feet
during pregnancy also indicates the birth of another man. Another, no less interesting sign: if a woman blossoms in her position, expect a hero; if she turns ugly, expect a princess. The baby’s mother always wants plant foods, and the baby wants dairy and meat.
- A swollen nose and puffy face are a sign of male gender.
On the nipples
folk wisdom also knows how to determine the sex of a child. If their color has changed to a darker side, run for pink booties; if their color has changed to a lighter side, run for blue ones.
- A girl is more likely to become the cause of toxicosis than a boy.
- But the hero provokes the appearance of hair on the stomach, and the princess - pigment spots.
An accelerated heartbeat, as well as an increased temperature, indicate that you will have a son, and a slow and lowered temperature means get ready for a daughter.
Reasons for frequent participles
Pregnancy is a period of stress, anxiety and long waiting. Expectant mothers experience it differently - some close themselves off from the world, spending their pregnancy at home, others, on the contrary, are constantly in sight. They are united by caring for the baby, and whoever deems it necessary to protect the child from dangers.
Pregnant women become sentimental and superstitious, so they try in every possible way to cleanse themselves of bad views, words, and actions. It is believed that the church will help rid the child of unpleasant conditions. Therefore, expectant mothers try to go there regularly or at least several times during pregnancy.
The main reason for going to church is the desire to atone for sins and confess before giving birth. This is done so that the birth goes smoothly and the baby becomes more comfortable being born.
Many mothers want to enlist Father’s support and gain his blessing for childbirth, especially if there are problems with the child’s health. This is wonderful, they become a little closer to God, protecting the kids from adversity. The present works with those who firmly believe.
Folk signs about pregnancy - what not to do and why
If the expectant mother pricks herself while sewing or cutting food and becomes frightened, this may cause the child to develop moles.
.
Therefore, folk omens prohibit the use of a needle and knife for pregnant women. The same applies to touching your face. Touch him less often if you do not want your baby to develop birthmarks. Another belief prohibits a woman from standing on the threshold during pregnancy. Among the Slavs, it was considered the border between worlds. Staying on this border for a long time can harm the baby
.
You cannot step over brooms and logs. It was believed that this would offend the brownie, regardless of the state of health and events occurring in life. There is a separate sign regarding cats
, with which a pregnant woman is prohibited from playing.
In our time, doctors explained this superstition as the disease toxoplasmosis.
, which a pregnant woman can get from a cat.
There is a special test that detects this disease in the early stages. The expectant mother should reduce her consumption of red berries, as the baby will have “red”
skin, which is now known as
diathesis
.
To avoid the evil eye, popular rumor prohibits
a pregnant woman from telling her friends and relatives about her situation. The same applies to the name that the parents chose for the baby.
- Weaving knots can cause difficult childbirth, since the knot is considered a symbol of a dead end.
You should not sleep on your back - this makes it difficult for the fetus to breathe. The habit of sitting with your legs crossed interferes with blood circulation and can cause vein disease in the mother and crooked legs in the child.
How to properly prepare a child for the sacrament
Preparing a child for the sacrament is carried out differently than an adult, and depends on the age of the child.
baby
Preparing a baby for the sacrament of Communion does not imply restrictions on food, since such abstinence will negatively affect his well-being. Before visiting the temple, it is necessary not only to dress the child, but also to calculate his diet so that he does not become capricious in the church and does not disturb the rest of the parishioners.
If you feed a baby immediately before leaving the house, he may vomit food, and at communion - the Holy Gifts. And if you give him the breast too early, then in church the baby will feel hungry and start crying.
It’s good if both parents are believers, in which case one can stay outside with the stroller during the service and bring the child into the church just before the sacrament begins.
Preparing children under 7 years old
Starting from the age of 3, it is necessary to conduct classes with the child, telling him about the meaning of the sacrament. To do this, they use a game form, Christian children's books. This time is very convenient for instilling true values in a child and leading him to God, since his consciousness, like a sponge, absorbs all new information. Until the age of 7, there are no special food restrictions for a child before communion. The only thing you can persuade him to give up sweets a day before the sacrament, explaining that in this way humility is cultivated.
After 7 years
If before this age the child has not taken part in the sacrament, he needs to be clearly explained the importance of this event, as well as preparation for it. From this moment on, the child can prepare to accept wine and bread on an equal basis with adults, avoiding strict fasts.
At this age, the child must not only receive communion, but also confess his sins before the sacrament. Parents should explain to the child what is meant by sin and how important it is to repent for bad deeds.
Confession before communion should take place without the presence of parents; the child must decide for himself why he should ask forgiveness from the Lord. Also, after this action is over, adults should not ask the child what questions the priest asked and what they talked about.
In terms of food restriction, it is worth consulting with a priest and a doctor. If the child is completely healthy, then fasting is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Three days before the sacrament of Communion, people refuse sweets - sweets, cakes.
- Two days before taking bread and wine, meat dishes are excluded from the diet.
- The day before the sacrament, they refrain from eating fish and dairy products.
Such a fast can be carried out only after the doctor’s permission and if the child does not have any chronic diseases. Prayers are considered another stage in preparing a child for communion. It is necessary to teach your child to praise the Creator every day in the morning and evening. It is very good if parents show a prayer life by their own example, and not just force their son or daughter to do it.
Modern superstitions during pregnancy
It is not recommended to cut or dye your hair while you are expecting a baby. Hair is a symbol of vitality, and the shorter it is, the less it is. As for paint, it used to contain a large number of substances harmful to the baby, which cannot be said about modern products. Taking photographs during pregnancy is not recommended. This ban is explained by the fact that the photo leaves the expectant mother and her developing child static. The Church also contributed to superstitions for pregnant women, prohibiting the determination of gender by medical means and offering to trust God's will in this matter.
Towards the end of pregnancy, women, especially those preparing to become mothers for the first time, are afraid of not noticing that labor is beginning. There are a number of signs indicating this. But especially suspicious pregnant women are ready to interpret any ailment or change in the body as the beginning of labor. This is why it is so important to monitor your well-being and your baby’s behavior. This will help you prepare for an important event and arrive at the maternity hospital on time.
Content:
Answers to frequently asked questions
Parents planning to take their child to Communion for the first time ask several common questions.
- Is it possible for a baby to drink water before the sacrament? - If your baby asks for a drink, you should not refuse him, as thirst leads to irritation and whims. Moreover, you should not limit the baby’s fluid intake during the period of preparation for communion.
- Is it possible to feed a baby before going to church? — The baby must be put to the breast, but it is expected that there will be at least half an hour left before communion.
Physiological signs of close labor
As a rule, changes in the body before childbirth are associated with changes in the woman’s hormonal background, the readiness of the uterus for childbirth, the maturation of the placenta and the maturity of the fetus. Precursors of labor in a normal pregnancy appear at 38-39 weeks, but in some women they may occur earlier. Primiparas begin to notice signs of labor several days, even weeks before, while women expecting their second and subsequent babies can experience familiar symptoms in just a few hours.
"Prolapse of the abdomen"
In the old days, grandmothers predicted an early birth based on this sign. The sign is based on changes in the body that occur at the end of pregnancy. With cephalic presentation, shortly before birth, the fetal head drops lower and rises into the small pelvis, as doctors say. Accordingly, the upper part of the uterus also descends and no longer puts as much pressure on the stomach, lungs and other organs. It is not always possible to independently notice that the stomach has dropped, but the woman feels how it has become easier to breathe, shortness of breath when walking and climbing stairs ceases, and heartburn, if it has been bothering her in recent months, goes away.
When the abdomen droops before childbirth, the navel protrudes even more, and the skin on the abdomen stretches more. It is at this stage that stretch marks may rapidly appear.
Frequent urination, change in bowel habits
This is also a physiologically explainable sign. The child's drooping head puts more force on the bladder, as a result of which it cannot be filled to its full capacity, and the urge to urinate occurs much more often. The woman notices that, although she began to go to the toilet more often, the volume of urine excreted has decreased significantly.
The strong pressure of the pregnant uterus on the intestines provokes constipation. Shortly before childbirth, there is a sharp increase in the hormone oxytocin, which, on the contrary, causes loose stool. If frequent constipation suddenly gives way to diarrhea, this sign indicates an approaching birth.
Nagging pain in the lower back and lower abdomen
Before childbirth, to make the baby move more comfortably through the birth canal, the ligaments are stretched, the cartilage softens, the pelvic bones gradually move apart, which causes discomfort, and in some women quite noticeable pain. At this time, gait and posture changes. Many women also experience pain in the pubic area caused by the pressure of the fetus on the pelvic bones.
Increased discharge
White semi-liquid discharge before childbirth signals the imminent release of the mucus plug. Some pregnant women are worried that amniotic fluid is leaking. In fact, water leakage is not as common as it seems. It is observed when the rupture of the membranes occurs not at the uterine pharynx, but at one of the walls of the uterus. If you have doubts about the nature of the discharge, you should visit a doctor. Using a special test, he will determine the presence of amniotic fluid in the discharge.
Changes in the cervix
The gynecologist will tell you about changes in the cervix at your next weekly examination. The cervix shortens to 1-2 centimeters, the uterine os begins to open. It is then that doctors talk about dilation of the cervix by 1 or 2 fingers.
At this time, the membranes are located close, they are accessible to all kinds of infections, so intimate hygiene should be more careful. Toileting the genitals and changing linen twice a day is mandatory. To wash, it is not necessary to use soap every time: it dries out the mucous membrane. You can use chamomile decoction. You cannot take baths at this time; they should be replaced with a warm shower.
Removal of the mucus plug
During pregnancy, the uterine os is closed by the so-called mucous plug, which holds the baby and does not allow infection to penetrate inside. Abundant discharge in the form of a clot of mucus indicates that the plug has moved away, and the cervix will soon open. For some women, dilation occurs gradually, while for others, labor begins immediately after the plug comes out.
The plug may come out 2 weeks before birth. Sometimes the cork does not come out entirely, but in parts, so it is not always recognized. You can guess that this is it by the nature of the discharge: transparent, dense, possibly streaked with blood.
Changes in the nature of fetal movements
Many pregnant women at 38-39 weeks note a decrease in the number of fetal movements. Its movement is difficult and not so intense, since the uterus becomes crowded before childbirth.
Video: Harbingers of an approaching birth
There are also psychological precursors of childbirth associated with changes in a woman’s hormonal levels. Of course, such signs are very subjective and it can be quite difficult to draw conclusions based only on them.
Mood swings
Frequent mood swings, causeless tearfulness, and irritability are associated with an increase in the hormone oxytocin before childbirth. A couple of days after the baby is born, this mood will continue. With the restoration of the balance of hormones, the psychological state also stabilizes.
"Nesting" instinct
A few days before giving birth, a woman has an irresistible desire to prepare her apartment for the arrival of her baby. This is expressed in the fact that she takes out and puts the children's things in their places, makes the crib, irons the linen, and finds a place for the bath. In general, he arranges everything so that the child and the mother herself feel comfortable. Some women may have an irresistible desire to start renovations in their apartment and get rid of everything unnecessary.
Video: How the nesting instinct in pregnant women is explained
The concept of Eucharastia
The sacrament of the Eucharist (translated from Greek as thanksgiving) is that a believer who has accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior is presented with a cup of wine and bread, which symbolize the Body and Blood of the Creator. Through receiving the sacrament, a Christian receives unity with God.
Priests recommend that adults take part in the sacrament regularly, preferably once a month, and bring babies to church for this purpose. However, before receiving Holy Communion, it is necessary to prepare for it both spiritually and physically.
Reliable signs of imminent labor
If before this the signs did not manifest themselves clearly, the woman was based on the words of the doctor and her own feelings and sensations, then reliable signs indicate that labor will begin in the next 24 hours:
- Uterine tone. The uterus shrinks and “turns to stone,” which can be felt well if you put your hand on your stomach. As a rule, it occurs already in the initial stages of contractions and helps the baby move towards the uterine os during childbirth.
- Contractions. The first phase, latent, is characterized by stretching of the lower abdomen. Many women confuse contractions in this phase with false ones. However, they gradually intensify, and the interval between them becomes shorter. This is already an active phase. At this time you should go to the hospital.
- Discharge of amniotic fluid. If the water breaks, this does not mean that the baby will be born immediately. Often the water breaks at the very beginning of labor, when the cervix is not yet dilated. Then doctors talk about the anhydrous period, and the woman in labor will definitely indicate how long it lasted. It happens, on the contrary, when the cervix is fully dilated, the fetal bladder remains intact. In this case, it is pierced so that the child can safely pass through the birth canal.
Important to remember:
If your water breaks outside the maternity ward, you should go there immediately. A long period without water can lead to fetal infection and birth injuries. You need to try to remember the color and smell, as well as the presence of foreign impurities (for example, blood, meconium) in the amniotic fluid and tell the doctor about everything upon arrival at the maternity hospital. Based on the nature of the amniotic fluid, he will draw a conclusion about the condition of the child.
The influence of weather during childbirth on a person’s fate
When a child was born not at night, but during the day, our ancestors could tell a lot about his future fate based on the weather. If a person was born in windy or rainy weather, then most likely he will not be happy. It was believed that such people would only attract negativity. Tears and misfortunes will haunt him throughout his life.
If a person was born in sunny and windless weather, then his life should have been happy and carefree. Only joy and love will be on the way.
Signs of premature birth
Premature births are considered to occur between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. They can occur for various reasons, occurring both rapidly and gradually. Premature labor usually begins suddenly, but some signs may indicate it:
- feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen;
- frequent finding of the uterus in good shape;
- sudden drooping of the abdomen;
- feeling of pressure on the pelvic bones;
- Increasing pain of a cramping nature.
If one or more signs of labor are detected, you should immediately consult a doctor. In most cases, premature birth can be stopped.
There is a belief that the name of a child should be kept secret until his birth. Since ancient times, it was believed that evil spirits, having learned the name of a child, would harm him and complicate his birth.
Most popular beliefs about easy, quick childbirth have a logical basis.
Signs from grandmothers
Spell for an easy birth
Women try to adhere to the signs of an easy and quick birth.
There is a sign that to relieve pain during childbirth, it is necessary to open windows and doors, cabinets, and untie knots on belts and ropes. How to clear the way for a child to enter a new world of life.
In ancient times, to relieve pain, a woman in labor was forced to chew her own braid.
You should not tell anyone that labor has begun, in order to avoid torment for the souls of everyone who finds out about the beginning of labor.
Lighting wedding candles in front of the icon, according to legend, drives away death.
To ensure a quick birth of a child, midwives sprinkled the birth canal with sugar.
Popular signs also say that a mother will love her child less if the birth is easy and quick. Although it's hard to believe it! How can a mother love her child more or less?
To relieve pain, the husband of the woman in labor should remove the shoes from her right foot and untie the belt, and the husband should also touch his wife’s back with his knee.
In order for the birth to be quick and easy, for three days after the woman is sent to the maternity hospital, nothing should be taken out of the house where she lives.
In the old days, it was believed that if you poured ice water on a woman expecting a child from around the corner, it would mean “an easy birth.”
In order to give birth without pain, a pregnant woman should bite a crust of black bread, swallow it and say: Bread, was Mother Theotokos looking at you? Did you endure physical pain during your birth? I wish I could look at it that way and not endure the pain of childbirth.
In order for the birth to go quickly, you need to throw your veil and step over it several times.
To avoid premature birth, a pregnant woman should not raise her arms high when hanging laundry.
To prevent the baby from becoming entangled in the umbilical cord, it is not recommended to knit or sew during pregnancy. What is associated with the representation of a node. It was believed that the knot tied the child out into the world. However, some pregnant women love to knit and sew and are skeptical about this sign.
A woman’s faith in charm words, signs and beliefs helps her psychologically during childbirth, and the moral support of relatives and her beloved husband guarantees a successful and easy birth.
Modern medicine's view of signs
Modern obstetricians and gynecologists, listening to such reasoning of modern expectant mothers, are quietly horrified and only agree that you should not step over obvious obstacles - for example, jumping over ditches and climbing over fences, which can provoke separation of the symphysis bones or simply lead to leg injury.
From this article you will learn:
While expecting a long-awaited baby, the expectant mother can be unusually timid and trusts everything that “experienced” women say. Should we believe in all the signs for pregnant women that we hear from so-called well-wishers, or will a small “filter” in our head not hurt us? Let's find out!
So, let's start with the fact that all folk signs and superstitions regarding pregnant women and future babies are the result of many years of observations that can be confirmed or refuted by scientific data.
Boy or girl
The most interesting signs are those indicating the gender of the unborn child.
So, for example, a woman suffering will most likely give birth to a girl, and a pregnancy that proceeds “without problems” will end with the birth of a boy.
Meat lovers are predicted to have a son, while those with a sweet tooth will rejoice at their daughter.
A sharp belly means expect an heir, and a round belly means an heiress.
If the first movement of the fetus is felt in the right side of the abdomen, a boy will be born, if in the left, a girl will be born.
To lift your spirits or for signs during childbirth
Girls, have you heard about the superstition about hair bands and braided hair in general? That hair should be down during childbirth. But this is inconvenient!! And after all, midwives and gynecologists believe in this nonsense, and remove elastic bands from their hair while pushing..
Here are some signs I found on the Internet:
The place where the birth took place was considered unclean. Therefore, they gave birth in a field, a stable, but not in a house. In addition, it was recommended to burn the building where the birth took place.
Basically, they gave birth lying or standing. While standing, the woman in labor held on to the support and sagged. This position is now recommended during contractions to relieve pain. In Europe, a popular position for childbirth was sitting. Brides were even given a special birthing chair for their wedding. In Ancient Egypt, people gave birth while sitting on a sacred stone, and in Japan, they gave birth on a bundle of straw.
To ease the pain during childbirth, it is recommended to open all windows and doors, drawers and cabinets, and untie belts and ropes.
To ease the pain, the woman in labor was given her own braid to chew.
You cannot tell anyone about the beginning of labor except the midwife. Since the woman in labor will suffer for the souls of everyone who knows that childbirth is taking place.
During childbirth, wedding candles must be lit in front of the icons. This drives away death.
In order for the baby to be born faster, the birth canal was sprinkled with sugar.
It is believed that the longer the birth, the better. If the birth is quick and easy, the mother will love her child less.
To prevent the devils from replacing the child, the mother should not sleep after giving birth.
The expression “born with a shirt on” refers to babies who are born tightly covered in lubricant.
The child's father must remove the shoes from the right foot of the woman in labor, untie the belt and give her water.
To relieve pain in a woman in labor, the husband should touch her back with his knee.
After birth, the baby was immediately wrapped in his father's shirt so that his father would love him.
In order for a child to grow up rich, he was placed in his father's sheepskin coat.
The father of a newly born child was given a spoonful of pepper and salt to eat, saying: “It’s salty and bitter to give birth.”
The father must bury the afterbirth, and in this place he must plant a tree and take good care of it. As a tree grows, so will a child grow. If the tree withers, the child will get sick.
On the third day after childbirth in China, the midwife touched the baby's face with an onion three times. So that the child is smart, wise and cunning. On the same day, the child was given a name and bathed for the first time.
On the ninth day, according to Orthodox traditions, the child had to be baptized. This was the deadline.
Before baptism, all children were called Bogdans. To protect the child from the evil eye and damage.
It was believed that the sooner a child was baptized, the sooner he would get stronger.
During baptism, the priest cuts off a lock of hair and throws it into the font. If she drowns - to illness, if she floats - to health, if she spins - to happiness.
They were baptized wearing a cap and did not take it off for another 12 days. The clothes in which the firstborn was baptized were not worn. But they kept it and baptized the rest of the children in it, so that the family would be friendly.
If a child screams when he is lowered into the font, then everything will be fine. If he doesn't scream, it's a bad sign.
The water in which the child was baptized was considered bad and was thrown away. Arriving home after baptism, the child must be passed out the window. This way, you will not encounter evil spirits at the door.
You cannot be sexually active for 40 days, as death follows the woman in labor.
In my opinion, it’s complete nonsense))) I know one sign for sure: if you don’t do an enema, you’ll definitely crap on the midwife))))))))))))
And what do you think? 
