Strong Chinese Cultural Beliefs - Essay Example

during the beginning months of a pregnancy, a woman is not supposed to do heavy work or have sexual contact with the husband lest she miscarries. Pregnancy is considered a hot condition and the expectant mother must consume cold foods throughout the pregnancy. Pregnant women are also prohibited from touching anything with glue to avoid the child being born with birthmarks (Community College, 2005).

Regarding foods, the Chinese also believe that if the expectant woman eats too much the baby will be too large making the labor harder. The mothers are advised to take coconut milk so that the baby will have good-quality skin. On sex determination, the Chinese believe that if the belly is pointed the baby will be a boy and if rounded, it will be a girl. When the baby is finally born, it is the role of the father to give it the first bath. The placenta must be kept near the birthplace so that in death, it is used as a sign of atonement and humility for life on earth. The placenta can as well be used to make medicines to cure various diseases (Simpson et al., 2008).

Post-partum care involves taking of hot foods, including ginger, pig’s feet, and high-protein meats, to rebuild the lost blood supply. Cold foods are believed to cause headaches or arthritis in old age. To prevent complications, mothers should avoid showering, washing their hair, or exposing themselves to cold conditions. Before handling the baby, they are required to purify their hands using ginger. To increase milk production, the mothers are required to take papaya soup and fish. The first milk, colostrum, is considered dirty and should be discarded (Community College, 2005). Read More