Monday's Child Is Fair of Face and Other Traditional Beliefs about Babies

Why did people once claim that babies were found under gooseberry bushes?How can heartburn help expectant mothers tell if they are having a boy or a girl?What is a ‘chime child’?Why was it once thought that a baby’s name should be kept secret until the christening?Pregnancy and childbirth remains a mystical time, characterised by feelings of hope, uncertainty and worry. No matter how many scientific innovations come along, there’s still room for home-grown beliefs and traditions handed down through the family. Couples buying a pram may still ask for it to be delivered after the birth, and some grandparents will shrink from tickling the baby’s feet in case it grows up to have a stammer. Monday’s Child is Fair of Face gathers together these beliefs and customs, exploring how they arose, where they have been popular and to what extent they survive today. The perfect book to dip in to, it makes compelling reading for any new mum.Roud, Steve is the author of 'Monday's Child Is Fair of Face and Other Traditional Beliefs about Babies', published 2008 under ISBN 9781905211524 and ISBN 190521152X.