Pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby is an exciting and life changing time for the parents and their families. Most cultures have many traditional beliefs and rituals involving this special time.  This article will describe some of these rituals and beliefs that are prevalent in Bengali culture

One popular belief in Bangladesh and many other countries is that the shape of the expectant mother’s tummy can give away the sex of the baby. It is believed that if the bump is mostly on the front and quite low (often referred to as a neat bump) it is a boy. Whereas, a more spread out bump is more likely to be a girl. However, there is no scientific evidence backing this belief and it is probably an old wives tale. It is highly unlikely that the shape of the bump can give any clues as to the sex of the baby since it is more dependent on the mother’s physical structure and the position of the baby in the womb. Nevertheless beliefs such as this are still popular, maybe because it provides some fun and excitement over the anticipated arrival of the baby.

Shaad is a ritual which takes place during the seventh month of pregnancy. It is similar to a ‘baby shower’ which is very common in Western cultures. In this ceremony the pregnancy is celebrated by doting over the expectant mother. Traditionally, food items that the mother craves are brought by the guests as gifts and are placed on her ‘achol’. This ritual symbolises the nourishment of the unborn baby and the nurturing of the expectant mother. Shaad is not a part of any religious practice; it is part of the traditional Bengali culture.

During pregnancy mothers are instructed to avoid watching anything scary or negative. This practice is common in many cultures. The belief is that mothers should not expose themselves to anything negative or stressful as this may affect the baby. The expectant mother is always encouraged to be surrounded by beautiful images and a relaxing atmosphere to channel positive energy to the baby.

After the pregnancy there is a whole new set of beliefs and rituals practiced regarding the new baby. Once the mother and baby come home it is believed that the mother and baby should be confined to the house for the first 40 days. It is believed to bring bad luck to the baby if he or she is taken out before this time has passed. This custom may have stemmed from people’s fear that a fragile new baby may fall ill during those early days of life. In recent times it has become more difficult to maintain this culture since there are many practical difficulties for households where both parents have responsibilities which involve leaving the house.  The 40 day confinement ritual is slowly dying out as lot mother modern mothers are unable or unwilling to follow it especially those who living in the west.

Another ritual that originates from Bengali people’s Islamic heritage is the practice of shaving the new born baby’s hair. This is practiced by Muslims all around the Globe as it is part of the religious belief that the new born baby’s hair should be shaved off at least once. Furthermore most people in Bangladesh believe that shaving the baby’s hair will eventually help to grow a head of thick healthy hair.

Another belief that is held by many Bangladeshi people is not to eat pineapples during breastfeeding. It is believed that eating pineapple could turn the breast milk sour. However, there is no scientific evidence backing up this view as of yet. In fact, breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables during the breast feeding period. Although this belief is considered to be simply superstition, many new mothers do follow it just to be safe.