Beliefs in Giving Birth

 
·     Panag-ilot ed kapananak

Panag-ilot ed kapananak is the practice of massaging a woman who has just given birth in the belief that this will release the remaining blood in her womb that may lead to a serious infection. This therapeutic massage is also believed to prevent one from catching cold that may cause mental illness to the mother. This must be done for nine days to regulate blood flow and to relax the sagging and weak body after giving birth.

·     Panag-ames ya kapananak

A woman has to wait 7 to 9 days after giving birth before taking a bath. She also cannot take a bath using cold water to prevent the cold from entering her body and she might also pass on the cold to her child through breastfeeding. She must first boil a pot of water with viray leaves, talay, guava, and subusob. She must set it aside until it cools down, but she cannot mix it with cold water.

·     Saray bawal ya gawaen na kapananak

Mothers are not allowed to expose their body in a cold place and are advised to avoid going outside most especially at night. Oftentimes they are told to wear a sweater and long pants or a skirt when going out to avoid catching cold. Likewise, mothers are told not to touch cold water, thus household chores such as washing clothes and doing the dishes are forbidden. Sleeping after bath is also not allowed, so as to prevent blindness.

·     Saray panangan na kapananak

Panangan na inlambong or stewed foods such as tinolang manok, mussels and some seashells is good for breastfeeding mothers. Malunggay leaves boiled in ginger is also believed to stimulate the mother’s breast for quality milk production. There are several kinds of food, however, which are not allowed for breastfeeding mothers such as sour foods that may cause stomachache to both mother and her baby.  Itchy foods such as loko or taro, agayep or beans, bagoong or anchovies, and agamang and other similar condiments are not also allowed, for these are believed to make the feminine area itchy too. Goat meat or karne’y kanding is not also advisable for new moms, for this can cause binat/belnat to them.

·     Saray arom ya gawa tan pananisia

Massaging the breast as though combing it serves as a physical exercise to stimulate more milk production by a breastfeeding mother. This is believed to yield enough milk for the baby.

Also, covering the tummy with lengthy cloth or paha/balkes is practiced to flatten and bring back the stomach’s original form and prevent the stomach from sagging. The paha/balkes also aids in retaining the firmness of the skin and burning the fats in the stomach.