Just For Fun: Old Wives Tales

[spud912]

My MIL can write a 500 page book with all of her superstitions. Just a few include:

1. Shaving a baby's head will make the hair grow longer.
2. Cutting a child's eyelashes short will make them grow long and curly.
3. After child birth, a woman's aura is "cold," so she must wear warm clothes for at least a month to gain balance again. No part of the body should be exposed except the face. So in Arizona summer heat, following childbirth I "should" wear socks, gloves, long sleeve sweater, pants, and a hat. The house temperature should also be as warm as I can stand it.
4. No renovations should occur in a house where there is a pregnant woman (including painting, flooring changes, etc.).
5. No eating seafood, pineapple or pork after giving birth.
6. A woman should not leave her house for 30 days after giving birth. Furthermore, she should not bath for 1 week after giving birth.

[Starburst]

My MIL can write a 500 page book with all of her superstitions. Just a few include:

1. Shaving a baby's head will make the hair grow longer.
2. Cutting a child's eyelashes short will make them grow long and curly.
3. After child birth, a woman's aura is "cold," so she must wear warm clothes for at least a month to gain balance again. No part of the body should be exposed except the face. So in Arizona summer heat, following childbirth I "should" wear socks, gloves, long sleeve sweater, pants, and a hat. The house temperature should also be as warm as I can stand it.
4. No renovations should occur in a house where there is a pregnant woman (including painting, flooring changes, etc.).
5. No eating seafood, pineapple or pork after giving birth.
6. A woman should not leave her house for 30 days after giving birth. Furthermore, she should not bath for 1 week after giving birth.

The weird thing is I can kind of understand the reasoning behind # 5 (except the pineapple thing), at least if you are planning on breast feeding. because I know doctors advise expecting mom to stay away from seafood because of risk mercury poisoning risks and I can understand that if pork isn't properly prepped/ cooked it can cause food salmonella or E. Coli, which can possibly affect breast milk.

[hope]

The weird thing is I can kind of understand the reasoning behind # 5 (except the pineapple thing), at least if you are planning on breast feeding. because I know doctors advise expecting mom to stay away from seafood because of risk mercury poisoning risks and I can understand that if pork isn't properly prepped/ cooked it can cause food salmonella or E. Coli, which can possibly affect breast milk.

My DH has a compromised immune system (they compare it to that of a newborn). He is not allowed to eat fruit like pineapple bc it is difficult to wash the rough outside of the fruit properly and when you cut into it with a knife any bacteria from the. Skin can be carried to the meat of the fruit. So for this reason he needs to avoid melons with rough skin, pineapple, and lots of other foods for various reasons. So I agree with #5. Lol.

[spud912]

The weird thing is I can kind of understand the reasoning behind # 5 (except the pineapple thing), at least if you are planning on breast feeding. because I know doctors advise expecting mom to stay away from seafood because of risk mercury poisoning risks and I can understand that if pork isn't properly prepped/ cooked it can cause food salmonella or E. Coli, which can possibly affect breast milk.

My DH has a compromised immune system (they compare it to that of a newborn). He is not allowed to eat fruit like pineapple bc it is difficult to wash the rough outside of the fruit properly and when you cut into it with a knife any bacteria from the. Skin can be carried to the meat of the fruit. So for this reason he needs to avoid melons with rough skin, pineapple, and lots of other foods for various reasons. So I agree with #5. Lol.

Yes your reasons make sense, but my MIL's do not. The seafood and pineapple is to be avoided because consuming it will cause bad spirits to come and the pork is to be avoided because it doesn't help the mother gain her cold/warm balance and makes her "cold."

On a side note, you would think pineapple would be beneficial in getting your uterus back in shape because it contains an enzyme that supposedly causes uterine contractions. I can understand raw or undercooked seafood (especially oysters). The big concern in THE PAST with pork was trichinellosis (worms), but pork nowadays rarely if ever contains trichinellosis anymore due to higher standards of testing and processing the meat. Chicken, eggs and melons are more likely to contain salmonella and ground beef is the main vector for E. coli.

[hope]

Yeah, the doctors never warned us of the bad spirits. Hahaha! I don't know how I would answer to that one. I want a MILESTONE that is as interesting as some of yours!!!!

[daycare]

I had to look this up and dont' really understand it. I thought of it as fairy tales? In my home country we have a lot of myths, but I can't really recall any of them...

this is an interesting thread. I see that a lot of it is based on different cultures.

[My3cents]

If you swear around a dragonfly it will zip your mouth shut!

going out with wet hair will make you sick

If you look at lightning it will blind you

heartburn will give your baby a ton of hair.

you step on a crack you will break your mothers back

walk under a ladder 7 years bad luck

break a mirror 13 years of bad luck

slouch you will look like a camel

[Patches]

If your hand itches, it means you're about to get money. I worked with a woman who would go to the casino every time her hand itched.

[SignMeUp]

My MIL told me to put mud on a bee sting to take away the pain.
I did it and it worked Used to do this with my dcks but I wouldn't dare these days ::

[KiddieCahoots]

If your nose is itchy, your going to get into a fight with somebody, or kiss a fool.

Ringing in your ears means someone is talking about you.

When you hear a bell ring, an angel has received their wings.

When a baby is coughing and choking on food, hit them on the back to get it out. (I still can't break my mom of this bad habit)

[hope]

My mother won't let me count days. She says it is a count down to yours or someone you know death. So when Dd asks how many days till some sort of event I can not say 10 days. I have to just give the date.

[KiddieCahoots]

My MIL told me to put mud on a bee sting to take away the pain.
I did it and it worked Used to do this with my dcks but I wouldn't dare these days ::

SignMeUP, try vinegar, takes the sting away instantly!

[SignMeUp]

SignMeUP, try vinegar, takes the sting away instantly!

I'm guessing both have to do with the cooling effect

[KiddieCahoots]

I'm guessing both have to do with the cooling effect

Something about the acidity in the vinegar neutralizes the toxins of a bee sting, although....mud sounds way more fun!

[MarinaVanessa]

I had to look this up and dont' really understand it. I thought of it as fairy tales? In my home country we have a lot of myths, but I can't really recall any of them...

this is an interesting thread. I see that a lot of it is based on different cultures.

"Old wives tales" are like superstitions that people have.