Here in America during the early colonial days, there was a postpartum tradition called “lying-in” in which the woman who had just given birth would stay in bed while neighbors, family, and the entire community would lend a hand to household chores and any other labors typically attended to by the mother. At the end of this lying-in period, the mother would throw a “groaning party” to thank all who had pitched in to help.

(source: Mothering the New Mother, Sally Placksin, p.45-46, sourced from Richard & Dorothy C. Wertz’s Lying-In: A History of Childbirth in America)

Do you have a specific postpartum or maternal tradition? Know of a culturally specific tradition? If so, email them to ppdacceptance@gmail.com with Maternal Tradition in the subject line and they’ll be featured here on Saturdays!