Multicultural Manners : Custom That ‘Protects’ Baby

Mrs. Rose Del Signore comes to stay during the last few weeks of her daughter’s pregnancy. Anxious to have everything ready before the child arrives, they go to a local baby furniture store for a crib and chest of drawers. After Del Signore pays for the merchandise, she tries to arrange for immediate delivery. But the store owners refuse to deliver it until after the child is born.

What went wrong?

The owners are Orthodox Jews who believe that the birth of a child can be fraught with problems and danger. Since they believe that one should not tempt fate, they wait until after a child is born before bringing any baby supplies into the home. This also explains why Orthodox Jews do not give baby showers before a birth.

From the store owners’ point of view, they were performing an act of kindness by refusing to deliver the furniture before the child was born. They were trying to prevent anything negative from happening to Del Signore’s grandchild. Del Signore accepted their custom, and notified the store as soon as the baby was born. As promised, they delivered the furniture before the new mother returned from the hospital with her healthy daughter.

Rule: Some peoples believe that pregnancy is a time of potential peril for the unborn. Consequently, this rite of passage is surrounded by many beliefs and customs designed to protect the baby.

Norine Dresser is a folklorist and author of “I Felt Like I Was From Another Planet,” (Addison Wesley). Tell her your experiences c/o Voices.