Labor superstitions..

[Pinoikoi]

So I went to a checkup appt on Tuesday with my midwife.. I decided to wear white pants. When I got there, she was waiting for me (I wasn't late though).. and she remarked on how cute my outfit was. I said that I had worn white purposely hoping to get bloody show and start labor..

She was shocked. "Don't do that!" You don't want to start labor yet..

Um, ok.. it is just an old wives tale (that white pants will make your period start, so I was kind of stretching the idea a bit anyway).. But she is not originally from the US, so maybe she really didn't get what I was talking about..

Later on she told me to make sure that my robe is not red. She asked me specifically about this and remarked about my red couch because it will be covered by a sheet, etc.. (Good thing I never got around to painting my living room red like I planned- not sure how I would cover THAT up).

I had no idea that a midwife superstition is not to have red around a laboring mama (represents hemorrhage I guess?)

Any others you have heard? I will have to move my stroller (that is currently sitting in my living room) into the garage during labor.. just wondering what other people have heard.

[bananabee]

Wow. Interesting. Red. Hmm.

I always thought we women absentmindedly choose white on days our periods start because some part of us instinctively wants everything clean. I've notice that I do it, and a number of my friends do, too.

Speaking of periods...hope those don't come back for a while! I sure don't miss them!

[amberdcm]

Ack!!!

I just bought a red fitted sheet to place over the mattress for my homebirth.

Just cleared placenta previa + red sheet hemorrhage superstition = me going back to the store for a different color sheet.

[at_the_hip]

LOL seriously??? Superstitions have as much power as we give them IMO but I am Christian and don't feel bound to that type of thing. They can be fune to joke about but I wouldn't go so far as to change my behavior or worry about them.

I have a duvet cover that will be on my bed again to birth on...it is entirely in shades of red...and I had my last baby on it too...with the LEAST amount of bleeding I have ever had PP despite 2 previous PPH. :P

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by at_the_hip

LOL seriously??? Superstitions have as much power as we give them IMO but I am Christian and don't feel bound to that type of thing. They can be fune to joke about but I wouldn't go so far as to change my behavior or worry about them.

I am Christian as well, but it clearly made my midwife uncomfortable (the fact that I have a red couch).. and so that's why I am thinking about it.

[at_the_hip]

Wow I can see why it would concern you then...I was just very surprised! My mw has never made mention of anything like that or any other superstitition, but if she did I suppose I would just cover it just to keep the peace, if need be. No one needs an uncomfortable mw...what was the issue with the stroller?

[Aka mommy]

LOL! That made me laugh. Wow, old wives tales/superstitions make me laugh though. And when other people try to put their superstitions on me i don't get it. But then Ive been holding this baby in through every superstition known to man (stress, new moon, low pressure storm, yadda yadda yadda). So i giggle. I put as much stock into it as i do that all women go into labor at night (i have never gone into labor ever until the sun is up and deliver before 10 pm with all 3 lol).

It's your home, your couch and you picked colors that soothe you. The mw needs to learn to deal with them and not put her fears on you. I also have birthed on red sheets, had 3 days of bleeding TOTAL post partum.

[AutumnW]

Pinoikoi-I know you have talked about having philipino community around you and you said your midwife is from another country, is she by chance philipino? My mil is and you would not believe the superstitions she holds as a strict catholic no less. Things like if someone gets up early from eating everyone has to turn their plates or else something bad will happen to the person who left and things like that. I've never heard of the red thing though. The midwife I used to work with suggested red or other dark colored towels and sheets to people to hide stains.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by at_the_hip

No one needs an uncomfortable mw...what was the issue with the stroller?

My couch AND my stroller were both red and sitting in my living room when she came for the home visit.. here it is.. pretty darn red.

http://www.miamodainc.com/strollers/atmosferra.asp

Originally Posted by mariew

Pinoikoi-I know you have talked about having philipino community around you and you said your midwife is from another country, is she by chance philipino? My mil is and you would not believe the superstitions she holds as a strict catholic no less. Things like if someone gets up early from eating everyone has to turn their plates or else something bad will happen to the person who left and things like that. I've never heard of the red thing though. The midwife I used to work with suggested red or other dark colored towels and sheets to people to hide stains.

Dp is Filipino, and his mother and he both have a lot of superstitions, but my midwife is actually from Brazil (I think). She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese, and I know she mentioned living in Brazil, so I am pretty sure that is right.. she told me to use "old towels and sheets" early on, but she didn't mention the red thing until after the home visit.. perhaps because I have VERY bold red things in my living room, and that is where I plan on birthing (linoleum floor and lots of room for the pool).

I just picked up some sheet sets and towels from goodwill that were soft and very cheap. For less than $5 total I don't care if they get ruined.

[Burnindinner]

I remember something about knives or scissors - maybe you put one under the mother's bed to cut the pain? I feel like it was a positive thing.

[pippasmum]

I don't know if there is anything to this one or not but since we are on the topic...
I am a redhead and I had been told ages ago by another redhead that we tend to bleed more and that she had been given a blood transfusion after the birth of one of her children because she had bled so badly. Even then, I didn't think too much of it until I was delivering my daughter and heard the o.b. on duty say to the med student assisting that they "had to be careful and make totally sure that everything was perfect because these redheads bleed" (which ended up being my experience and I was really weak and anemic for a few weeks after the birth). That shocked me and then my father, who is a psychotherapist, had a client who had been a midwife in Britain, come for an appointment and grill him about my delivery and how I was recovering. Once she knew I was fine, she told him that she had been very concerned about me because in Britain, at least when and where she had been a midwife, they referred to the "celtic curse" because we redheads gave them a lot of trouble with bleeding, etc...
Before any redheads here get nervous, I had to see a hematologist about something unrelated a year ago and asked her whether there was anything to the belief that redheads bleed more and she completely dismissed it.

[Noah's mommy]

but my midwife is actually from Brazil (I think). She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese, and I know she mentioned living in Brazil, so I am pretty sure that is right..

I'm having a homebirth in Brazil (my midwife is Brazilian) but hasn't mentioned anything about red. She's coming for a home visit on Tuesday and we have two red chairs in our living room...we'll see what she says!

[Burnindinner]

pippasmum, i'd heard that too!

[sunflower.mama]

Originally Posted by pippasmum

I don't know if there is anything to this one or not but since we are on the topic...
I am a redhead and I had been told ages ago by another redhead that we tend to bleed more and that she had been given a blood transfusion after the birth of one of her children because she had bled so badly. Even then, I didn't think too much of it until I was delivering my daughter and heard the o.b. on duty say to the med student assisting that they "had to be careful and make totally sure that everything was perfect because these redheads bleed" (which ended up being my experience and I was really weak and anemic for a few weeks after the birth). That shocked me and then my father, who is a psychotherapist, had a client who had been a midwife in Britain, come for an appointment and grill him about my delivery and how I was recovering. Once she knew I was fine, she told him that she had been very concerned about me because in Britain, at least when and where she had been a midwife, they referred to the "celtic curse" because we redheads gave them a lot of trouble with bleeding, etc...
Before any redheads here get nervous, I had to see a hematologist about something unrelated a year ago and asked her whether there was anything to the belief that redheads bleed more and she completely dismissed it.

Well there is something there. Everytime I have tried to give blood or get an epidural, I almost pass out. I have heard from drs and nurses on plenty of occasions that it is due to my coloring. I am not even sure I'd chalk it up to being an old wives tale or something like my veins are more prominent or something! Actually I think it has to do with blood pressure and rapid changes to it.

I def. bled for at least 6 weeks after each birth though, although nothing concerning or excessive.

[BetsyS]

I've heard that if you put a knife under the bed, it cuts the pain. Forgot to try it though! Maybe this time.