Just an old wive's tale?

Doh! I've just realised what OWT stands for.

Maw and harrigran

My son's pram was bought from my mother's next door neighbours. I had a new hood made for it as the original leaked in the N Yorks rain! A couple of years later my (army) neighbours bought the pram and other bits, which were then shipped it to Germany, where the husband was stationed. They lost the baby before it was born and I was heartbroken. I didn't (don't) believe in OWT but felt it was my fault the baby died because I'd sold those items to them before it was born

Maw it looks like in the Catholic Church the baptism includes a blessing for the mother now and a separate service on happens if the mother can't attend.

Annie did you have to stay indoors until you'd been churched? I've just been reading about it.

There is a "Service of Thanksgiving after Childbirth" in the CofE which is referred to as "churching"
Seems like a nice idea, you can't necessarily take childbirth for granted even with modern medicine.

What an interesting thread. I've never heard of the pram thing either, but I do vaguely remember something about churching and the silver coin because I was brought up Catholic. I must ask my Mum about it.

I wonder if that's also why babies have/had those tiny silver bracelets?

I was churched after the birth of my babies, it was to thank God for the safe delivery of my babies, it was a lovely service

We were lucky enough to get a second hand Silver Cross pram before DD was born and it went straight into the house without a second thought. When my young neighbour had a baby two years ago I found that she was keeping her new pram in the garage because her mum was worried about it.

Never even heard of this OWT until now. I bought my pram well in advance and stored it in the nursery until needed. DS & DDiL did similarly. The result? In each generation two fit and healthy children.

My mother went through a catholic churching ceremony after the birth of each of her children. It was to do with thanking God for the safe delivery of her child and their continuing good health. I do not remember any restrictions on her movements or what she did before it took place.

Mind you, my parents had very little time for superstitions or OWTs and had none of their own, except as jokes.

Does anyone remember being told they should be 'churched'?

DM asked if I had been 'churched' after I had DD1 - I'd never heard of it and didn't bother. Apparently you were not supposed to go out or visit people until you had been.

I can remember my Grandparents doing the whole 'crossing their palms with silver' thing to both DD's.
I just wanted to wash their hands of all the bugs that might have been on the coins!

Well, the pram arrived whilst DD2 was out and my car was full of shopping, so it's sitting in the hall in a box!

DD2 said 'let's just put it upstairs and not tell Nan'

When I bought my pram in the Eighties the shop stored it for me until the baby was born.

It's a tale that comes from the time when having a baby was far more dangerous and people did anything they could (whether it made sense or not) to try to protect mother and child.

There were lots of superstitions about keeping children safe. Carrying a baby around a house 3 times is supposed to protect it from colic...it doesn't work btw I tried it once in desperation.

Around here we also put a silver coin in a baby's hand the first time we meet him/her. The silver wards off evil spirits.

Another old (Caribbean) old wives tales). My GS had white hair and it was growing fast, my D's daily and the shopkeepers she met regularly told her if she had it cut before he started talking then he never would!!
It had to be cut and thankfully he never stops.

harrigran and mawbroon
Sorry to hear of your losses.

TriciaF Good point.

I totally agree that if something is going to happen - it unfortunately will - but to keep Mum happy, we will take the pram to my partners.
We do however have the rest of Mothercare in the spare room here

Thanks for the good wishes. She's 28 weeks today so it's getting real! She hasn't found out the sex.

Part of my work is dealing with complicated and high risk births, so I have to work very hard to stop myself constantly worrying!

ps and of course wishing your daughter well and a healthy delivery, Flaxseed.

It probably comes from the days when more lives were lost at the birth of a baby and people were therefore more superstitious.
I heard one that you shouldn't buy the baby clothes until they were all safely through it. Also blue or pink? No-one knew what it would be.

44 years ago I went along with it as it was common practice. John Lewis kept the pram and the cot (gifts from the grandparents) until the baby duly arrived .
DH notified them and delivery was arranged and took place on the day before I was due to come out of hospital. DH set them up ready for our arrival home.
The morning we were due to come home, our baby went into heart failure and was rushed to Westminster Children's Hospital in an incubator where he spent the next two weeks before dying at the age of 20 days.
So much for old wives' tales. I prefer to trust modern medicine.
Good luck to your DD, I wish her and her partner much happiness and look forward to hearing of the safe arrival of your new DGC ?

I had my eldest son in July 1976 (even hotter than now!) and my mil bought our pram. She had it delivered to her house "as it's unlucky to have it at your house". That was the first time I'd heard that particular old wives tale. No idea where it stems from.
No harm done, and she was happy.

Silly as it seems I followed the old wives tale. First baby's pram did not come into the house until after she was born. I still had the pram when I lost my second baby as first was just 16 months old. I got rid of the pram and bought a new one when the next baby arrived. Both sides of our family considered it bad luck to have the pram before the baby.

That is my opinion too.
And it was DD2's until my mum somehow managed to convince her otherwise!

Such nonsense.
What do couples do when they have number 2? Hide the pram in the garage?
Sadly childbirth is not without risk even today, but to take any notice of an old wives' tale in a modern relationship seems illogical.