What were some of rules and regulations a pregnant woman was expected to observe in traditional African communities?
1. In some communities as soon as a woman realizes she is expecting, she and the husband
completely stops having sexual intercourse until after birth.
2. Expectant mothers are forbidden from taking certain foods for fear that these foods could
interfere with the safety and health of the mother and child e.g. among the Akamba
pregnant women are not supposed to eat fats, beans or animals killed using poison.
3. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. Among the Akamba
and the Agikuyu. For example, all weapons and iron implements are removed from the
house of an expectant mother. They believe iron implements attract lightning.
4. They are not supposed to take part in heavy duties or carry heavy loads.
5. In some communities, a pregnant women returns to her parents when the time for giving
birth draws near.
6. Yet in some communities when a woman is pregnant she is not allowed to talk to her
husband directly. They would only speak through intermediaries.
7. There are societies where prayers are made to the mother and the child.
OR
Eating special food and avoid others such as egg and fatty meal. Fatty meat was believed to make the baby too big and eggs caused dumbness
Refraining from heavy tasks such as splitting woods and carrying heavy loads.
Refraining from intercourse since pregnancy was believed to make a woman ritually unclean
Avoid handling iron tools in the house since they were believed to attract lightning
Return to her parents' home to give birth and come back after weaning the baby.
Faimus answered the question on December 17, 2017 at 15:48
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