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Running head: THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

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Thai Beliefs About Pregnancy and Childbirth
Elizabeth Nartatez
Kapiolani Community College
NUR 320
Professor Lisa Aganon

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THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

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Thai Traditions & Beliefs
In Thailand, they believe that the body consist of a dual soul. It is the winyaan
and khwan, which are different in nature. Winyaan soul leaves the body when person
passes and becomes a spirit (phii) depending if they have been good (excess merit) or bad
(excess demerit). Khwan (fleeting soul) in the other hand may leave the body anytime
when a persons condition is not good. When khwan leaves the body and not return, the
person is at risk of dying. If anytime the khwan should leave the body, it is important to
call it back (suukwhan). Khwan represents overall well being of the person.
Kwhan plays an important role in pregnancy it. A suukhwan maemaan (suu - to
call, maemaan - pregnant woman) is performed during the 5th to 6th month of pregnancy.
This is done to prevent mental state of unbalance. The ceremony is suppose assist in
giving the mother strength and facilitate in easy birth delivery.
Pregnancy & Behaviors
Thai women dont readily carry pregnancy tests kits. Instead, they use
presumptive signs of pregnancy to identify pregnancy prior to confirmation. Some
women stated that they knew they were pregnant based on not having their period and
feeling breast tenderness. Others also started craving sour food, while another didnt
have any appetite and lost weight.
During pregnancy, Thai women are cautious on what they eat and do. Women
drink fresh coconut juice everyday so that the baby will not have fatty stuff on its

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THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
scalp. For easy childbirth, women are instruct to eat a green vine-like vegetable
called pak plang. This is suppose to facilitate easy childbirth because it is slippery. It can
be prepared in soup or stir fry. They also have an herbal medicine called ya tom, which
they drink 3 times a day for 3 consecutive days. This drink is suppose make the baby
strong, making for an easy childbirth. Other beliefs that women do to assist with easy
childbirth is to continue with daily routine. This allows the abdomen to loosen (tong
klon) and permit rotation of the babys head downward. Taking shower using pak plant
and maiyarab plant (vine-like) also assist with easy childbirth. They do this by making a
loop and boiling it. They then wear the loop over their head and showers using the herbal
water. Also during the 8th to 9th month, pregnant women must undergo magical showers
which is blessed with a sacred word nam mon. A magical healer (mor mon) or older man
who knows magical cures and healing will perform the magical shower. It should be
done once or twice a month. To make the magic more effective it is done once during the
9th month, it must be done on a half-moon day (duan dab, duan peng). It has to be done
in an open space with the bucket facing down shes done. Then remove sarong
downwards, walk away (dont turn back) and put on a new set of clothes.
Childbirth will not always be easy. To avoid difficult labor, the women are told
by their elders not to eat a whole banana of fear of obstruction. Instead they may eat half
a banana. Other behaviors that pregnant women avoid that are related to a difficult birth
are, sitting on steps of stairway, burying anything in the ground, facing west during labor,
and offending someone.

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THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
In Thailand, there are certain foods that women stay away from during pregnancy.
Women will avoid spicy food so that their baby will not be hairless. Thai women also
believe that drinking coffee/tea will cause the baby to be unintelligent. They avoid
shellfish and northern Thai relishes for fear of perineum not drying out properly after
birth. Thai women are also told not to eat eggplant because it will cause anal pain after
birth. They also avoid khong salaeng (allergic foodstuff) such as papaya salad and
pickled food which can affect the fetus well-being.
During pregnancy, there are beliefs that doing certain activities can cause
miscarriages. These activities include vigorous activities such as lifting heavy items,
lying on their abdomen, driving a car, and sex. Attending a funeral is also avoided but if
she needs to, she must wear a brooch on the abdomen. Pregnant women are also
encourage not to prepare baby items prior to giving birth due to the belief that baby might
die.
Labor and Delivery
During labor, the woman is to face east, to facilitate in easy birth. Facing west
will make it a difficult birth as it is associated with death. Magic cloth (pa yan) are also
worn by the women during pregnancy and birth, which is blessed by a mor mon to have a
safe birth. During labor, a family member also takes her clothes, birthdate, birth time,
and a candle stick to a temple to be blessed by a monk. This is also to ensure a safe and
easy birth.

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THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
It also important to know if the woman giving birth has offended anyone because
this can also cause a difficult labor. If this happens, that person must come and forgive
her. This is done by placing the persons foot on her head and turning the foot around.
When delivery of the placenta is delayed, the magical healer will prepare a
magical water (nam mon) to drink. This water is from 7 different wells, including the
well that belongs to the woman giving birth.
Delivery of the baby usually occurs at home in the kitchen. This is so that there is
easy access to hot water. Family members are also present and helps assist the midwife
(mor tamyae or mae jang in northern Thailand). Fathers also show support by sitting
behind the mother and allowing her to hold to his legs during contractions and pushing.
Cutting of the umbilical cord is done by someone who's virtues they want the
baby to follow. The placenta is buried by the father .
Postpartum
After giving birth, the father of the baby will then boil water so that the midwife
is able to wash the placenta, mother, and baby. She will then go into a tent and where
there is a steam of lemon grass, tamarind leaves, and onions to help bring uterine size
back to normal and regain heat. This is also to to rid of odor that the mother may have
from giving birth. The mor tamyae/mae jang will then help the mother during the first
month postpartum. Postpartum is also the period where gifts are brought over for baby.
There is a strict diet that mothers follow after childbirth. They are to eat
vegetables and rice for 3-5 months, no meat. My sister in law also told me that she drank

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THAI BELIEFS ABOUT PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
soup made from a black hen to assist with milk production (R. Darasamay,
personal communication, February 21, 2015). Family members will be assisting in doing
household work while the mother is resting.
By the time baby is one month, they have a fire hair and khwan ceremony. The
babys hair is shaved off and placed in a small raft made of banana leaf and letting it float
away on water. They also will then have a khwan ceremony and offerings are made. At
this time baby is supposedly out of danger. Naming the child may also be done at this
time. Another belief of hair growth is by rubbing breastmilk onto the babys head (P.
Darasamy, personal communication, February 21, 2015).
Conclusion
Thai traditions and beliefs are essential for their cultural. However, as the country
is being more modernized, less and less people are aware of their beliefs. Rural areas
tend to have more knowledge in traditional beliefs as oppose to industrialized areas. For
this reason, not every woman will follow traditional beliefs. Some women who are aware
of their traditions may not also follow only because it will affect their lives. This is a
good example of working and lifting heavy items. Poor woman need to work if they
have no one to help them, this would contradict their belief in not carrying anything
heavy. Certain circumstances for some people will determine whether or not certain
traditional beliefs will be followed.

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References

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Kanuskcharearn, A. (2013). Thai traditional midwives (moh tim tae) in caring for mothers
and infants, in petchaburi province, thailand: Case studies. Retrieved from
ceremony of the pregnant women. Retrieved from: http://www.ijssh.org/papers/
394-H00015.pdf.
Poulsen, A. (2007). Childbirth and traditions in northeast thailand: Forty years of
development and cultural change. Retrieved from: http://www.niaspress.dk/files/
excerpts/Poulsen_extract.pdf.
Liamputtong, P. , et al. (2005). Traditional beliefs about pregnancy and child birth among
women from chiang mai, northern thailand. Midwifery :21, 139-153.
Children & youth in history.(2015). Retrieved from: http://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primarysources/365