Welcome to Episode 262: Pregnancy Folklore & Superstitions Around The World! Across history, pregnancy was treated less like a medical condition and more like a supernatural vulnerability. The old beliefs of Appalachia insist that laboring women shouldn’t look outside at night, seek their reflection in a mirror, speak certain names, or even leave clothes hanging outside… because “things” could follow them home after birth.
In parts of Eastern Europe, women were considered spiritually “open” after birth. Demons or witches could enter newly opened bodies. Iron and scissors were placed under beds for protection from the evil eye. Jewish postpartum beliefs included hanging amulets near laboring mothers to ward off Lilith from entering through windows at night to steal infants from mothers.
Across Scandinavian and Celtic folklore, changelings were of major concern. The fae could steal newborns and replace them with sickly copies. Across the globe, pregnant women were thought to exist in a dangerous liminal state between worlds. Some cultures treated birth as a demonic vulnerability. Others treated it as a profound spiritual power.
A woman in labor was believed to stand between worlds.
Join us this week as Nat & Aly sample haunted pregnancy rituals and beliefs from around the world!
TIME STAMPS
00:00:00 HOOK & INTRO
00:14:08 STORY BEGINS
00:18:41 FIRSTLEAF AD
00:20:35 MIRRORS OPEN PORTALS
00:29:00 BLISSY AD
00:31:00 PREGNANCY BODY HORROR
00:36:18 GOODR AD
00:37:51 UBUME & JAPANESE PREGNANCY RITUALS
00:58:11 TRADITIONAL NAVAJO BELIEFS
01:00:17 CHINESE GHOST MONTH
01:06:00 ICELANDIC ELVES
01:11:00 TOGOLESE PREGNANCY BELIEFS
01:22:10 INUIT TRADITIONS
01:24:28 POSTPARTUM CONFINEMENT
01:38:20 CLOSING THOUGHTS
01:49:00 SECRET PASSWORD AND DONOR SHOUTOUTS!
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*SPECIAL THANKS TO RYAN FOR HELP WITH EDITING~ SLAY*
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KEYWORDS :
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