Babies

Babies are a blessing the world around. As we look forward to addition to our own family, we also have enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the Lao culture we find ourselves in.

New Mothers and Babies

We have heard local proverbs surrounding pregnancy and babies, such as the proverb I shared in a previous blog entry. Another one we have found interesting is, ‘A pregnant woman should not eat a rooster otherwise the child will be very noisy and will cry a lot.’ I hope this one isn’t true, because as Jeffrey has been raising chickens, we’ve been harvesting the roosters and keeping the hens for eggs!

Some proverbs may not hold much truth, but some hold important wisdom. It’s common knowledge in Laos of the wonderful qualities of green coconut water. When I was about four months pregnant I was in one of the small shops in Tha Thom. While chatting with the store-owner, she asked how far along I was and if I felt the baby moving yet. When I told her I had not, she became very concerned and told me adamantly, "You need to drink more coconut water. Do you drink it? There, do you see across the road? Ai Phoukhan has green coconuts on his tree. Go ask him for one so you can drink it."

Once a child is born, there are more interesting traditions. After a woman gives birth she is brought home and placed on a warm bed. The bed is warmed by placing a small fire of coals under it. It sounded quite dangerous to me when I first heard it, but after visiting a co-workers wife who recently had a baby, I found in reality it is quite safe and smokeless with the coals slightly under or to the side of the bed.

Kaarina's Belly with One of Our Sunflowers

For the first two weeks after a child is born, family and friends gather at the home visiting, eating grilled meat and playing cards – usually late into the night to all night long! So if you aren’t tired by the baby keeping you up at all hours you will be after the nocturnal card games.

If you ask a mother or father what their newborn child is named they will most likely look at you confusingly. Having a name right away is not very important here. Hmong children will not be named until the third day, after the family has performed a special baby bacci ceremony. Whereas a child in a Lao Loum home will often not have a name for two or three months! Our Lao friends have shared that it gives them time to observe the child and decide the best name for them. If a child is very big and healthy, they may get the name, Dui (Lao for fat). Naming children is also an honor that is sometimes given to a special friend or relative. While the perfect name is found a baby will just be referred to as A Noy, which simply means Little One!