The traditions related to birthing can be divided into prenatal (or pre-birth) rituals and postnatal (or post-birth) practices.
There are several beliefs and customs that each community adhere to before childbirth. Pregnant Chinese women are told not to move furniture, use scissors or sew. They are also asked to avoid different food items such as duck heads, pepper, turtle, mutton, jelly and bananas. Instead, they are encouraged to consume tonics, such as shisan taibao tang (十三太保汤), from the fifth month of their pregnancy. The tonic includes herbs like danggui (当归, female ginseng), bai shao (白芍, white peony root) and tu si (吐丝, cuscuta seeds).
Indian pregnant women are also urged to take care of their diet during pregnancy. She is not given “hot” foods such as spicy dishes during her pregnancy as her body is said to be in an “overheated” state at this time. Besides diet, the valakappu (bangle ceremony) is held in the seventh month of a woman’s first pregnancy. On the day, she dresses as grandly as a bride and sits among gifts presented to her by her family and in-laws, including sarees, her favourite vegetarian food and sweets, as well as bangles on silver trays. Married women then perform a ritual to give their blessings for a safe childbirth. Her husband then performs the rest of the ritual to give his blessings. After the ceremony, the woman moves in with her parents, so that she gets all the comfort she needs during her last trimester.
The Malays, on the other hand, are encouraged to read verses of the Quran during their pregnancy. Surah Maryam is read for an easy birth and Surah Yusof is read for beauty and wisdom of the baby. Besides this, Malay women may also adhere to practices that are believed to impact the process of delivery. For example, they avoid sleeping during the day and sitting at the doorstop of their home for fear of having a difficult labour. Some Malays may also carry out a traditional ceremony called lenggang perut (rocking the abdomen). Lenggang perut aims to shift the foetus into the right position, ensuring a smooth delivery. During the ceremony, the pregnant woman lies on seven pieces of sarong of different colours, while the midwife massages the pregnant woman’s stomach. The seven pieces of sarong are pulled out one by one gently from under the pregnant woman in opposite directions, thus creating a rocking movement.
The Chinese, Malay and Indian communities in Singapore usually observe a confinement period after giving birth, where the mother is not allowed to leave home. This is to protect both the mother and child from contracting infectious diseases and keep them healthy during the critical months. The Chinese observe a 30-day confinement while, the Indians and Malays traditionally have 40 to 44 days of confinement. However, many of new mothers in Singapore now prefer a 30-day confinement as some women have to return to work or run errands.
Childbirth is believed to deplete the mother of heat, blood and air, making her vulnerable to cold, wind and diseases. Hence, precautionary measures are taken to ensure that the mothers are kept warm during the confinement period. Malay and Indian mothers are encouraged to take a warm herbal shower. On the contrary, Chinese mothers have to refrain themselves from washing their hair and showering. They wear long-sleeved clothes, pants and socks and windows are also kept closed, to keep the wind out. However, this is often not viable in Singapore due to the hot and humid weather.
Food is also a way to keep mothers warm. All three communities enforce a strict diet during confinement. “Cold” and “windy” food such as fruit juices, cucumbers, cabbage and eggplants are avoided. Instead, consuming “hot” foods such as garlic and ginger are encouraged. Food that improve production of breastmilk, such as fish soup boiled with papaya, is also consumed. The Chinese commonly consume foods with vinegar, ginger, pig trotters, chicken, pig liver, Chinese herbs and Chinese wine. These foods are meant to help mothers recover from blood loss during delivery and expel blood clots. The Malays are encouraged to consume a special drink called jamu which is an herbal medicine.
Besides this, Malay mothers also undergo postnatal massages, for three consecutive days, after they have given birth. These massages are said to lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation, which increases oxygen supply and aids in eliminating toxins from the mother’s body. The improved blood circulation also reduces headaches and migraines, helping the mothers sleep. Sengkak (uterus massage) may also be carried out to restore uterus to its original position as pregnancy and labour causes it to sag or slip from its normal position. Bengkung (traditional wrap) is also an important part of the confinement period. Malay mothers would wrap their abdomen and back. The bengkung is believed to help flatten their tummy, reduce weight and tone the body, protect the internal organs and reduce the swelling of organs. It is also believed to tighten the abdomen, and promote good posture that will aid in breastfeeding, break down fat and cellulite and prevents overeating. Before wrapping the bengkung, the leaves of galangal or pandan are included and oil, herbs and spices are rubbed on the mother’s abdomen and back.
Besides the practice of confinement, each community also has their own rituals and celebrations that they conduct after childbirth. Traditionally, the head of a Chinese new-born must be shaved at birth. However, most parents opt not to do so as hair forms a protective layer on the baby’s head. The Chinese also holds the belief that a baby should not be brought out of the house during his/her first month as this might anger the spirits residing in the homes of the other families. At the end of this first month, a feast is usually organised with gifts of hard-boiled eggs dyed red, cakes, glutinous rice and chicken shared with relatives and friends. The eggs symbolise the circle of life and their rounded shapes represents harmony and togetherness.
Indian mothers are not allowed to enter the prayer room in her home until her child is 31 days old. She is considered to be theetu (unclean) as she may still be bleeding. On the 31st day, the house and prayer room are thoroughly cleaned and the lamp in the prayer room is lit. The family will then go to the temple to offer prayers. The Tamil community will also offer prayers to Sri Periyachi Amman when the child is either 16 days old or 30 days old. Only women take part in this ceremony in which a non-vegetable padayal (food offering) is made to the deity in the room, where the mother and child sleeps.
In the Malay community, the azaan (call to prayer) is recited in the baby’s right ear and the qamat (second call to prayer) is recited in the left ear. This is done by the baby’s father, immediately after birth. The placenta is collected and buried after it has been cleaned. To celebrate the newborn’s arrival, a kenduri (ceremonial feast) is held alongside the customary ritual of cukur rambut (shaving of newborn’s hair). Parents are encouraged to donate the weight of hair in gold or monetary equivalent to charity and this is traditionally done on the seventh day after the baby’s birth or later. Besides the cukur rambut ceremony, tahnik and aqiqah may also be carried out together. Tahnik is the application of honey into the child’s mouth at the ceremony for the first shaving of the baby’s hair. The aqiqah is the sacrifice of an animal on the occasion of a child's birth, and it is traditionally performed by parents or guardians of the child. These services are now usually provided by Muslim professionals, including religious teachers, instead of being organised by the family or community. One reason is the relative loss of knowledge by younger parents, or when their own family members are not able to assist in the preparations.