Rituals associated with the birth of children. To facilitate childbirth, they opened doors and locks in the house, and during difficult, protracted labor, they unexpectedly broke a kettle next to the woman in labor, hoping that, being frightened, she would give birth faster

Pregnancy and childbirth have always been associated a large number of superstitions and prohibitions. Folk signs helped parents determine the child’s character and find out how it will turn out future life. To ward off bad luck, our ancestors performed rituals and adhered to certain traditions. IN different time Customs appeared, the observance of which was supposed to attract good luck and fortune.

Folk signs associated with the birth of a child

There are many superstitions associated with the birth of a child. Some ancient signs today seem stupid prejudices, others have scientific basis. For example, the most famous belief is that a newborn should not be shown to anyone for 40 days. It is believed that during this period the baby is the weakest and most vulnerable to negative energy. From a medical point of view, superstition has a logical explanation:

• a newborn can easily catch an infection from a stranger;
• a noisy company can provoke stress in a child, which will lead to sleep disturbances.

Old Russian customs that have survived to this day

In Rus', the birth of a child was accompanied by a series of rituals in which all family members took part. Some customs have survived to this day. Our ancestors were sure that adherence to traditions is the key to the well-being and happy fate of the baby. For example, great importance had the newborn's first bath. According to folk beliefs attract material goods A silver coin dipped in water helps. To keep the child healthy, honey and elecampane decoction were added to the bath.

An ax or hammer was placed under the font for boys, and threads and needles for girls. It was believed that thanks to this the child would grow up economical and homely. If bathing was carried out in the evening, the water was left overnight and poured out at sunset.

Other, no less interesting customs have survived to this day:

1. The tradition of tying a newborn's envelope with a ribbon goes back to the pagan past of the Slavs. In ancient times, babies were tied with a belt embroidered with protective signs and symbols.
2. Previously, a newborn was wrapped in a sheepskin coat or sheep skin so that his whole life will be spent in prosperity. Today the child is simply placed on a fur coat made of natural fur. This should be done on the first day after discharge from the hospital.
3. Many nations have a tradition of giving a newborn a silver spoon. In Rus', this metal symbolized wealth and protection from evil spirits. Silver spoon They began to feed the child immediately after the command of the first tooth. It was believed that the process of teeth appearing would be easier and less painful.
4. The old Russian custom of “ransom from the midwife” was carried out on the third day after childbirth. The woman who helped the child to be born left the mother's house with gifts. Nowadays, it is customary to thank the midwife who delivered the child. She is given a present upon discharge from the maternity hospital.

Next the most important event In the life of a family after the wedding there was and remains the birth of a child - the firstborn and subsequent children. Christian religion considers the birth of a person to be a sinful event, a manifestation of the sinful essence of people, and recommends the purification of women in labor by reading special prayers In addition, the child must be baptized. This belief echoes the ancient beliefs that a woman in labor is a link between this world and this, because she brings a child from the other world, and who knows what dark forces come here with the baby.

Thus, the conclusion suggests itself that pagans and Christians believe and believed the same, they only explain their actions in harsh words and give different arguments. It is not surprising that the pagan and Christian in our lives are so closely intertwined to this day. Although, it should be noted that Christian rituals are still more universal and simple, because after baptism a newborn child comes under the authority of God, his life is completely in the hands of the Almighty. And all actions regarding the baby, except for medical ones, are reduced to a minimum - to the prayers of the clergy and the mother.

Let us also recall that the first Christians and their teachers did not consider the birth of a child and everything connected with it to be something sinful and unclean. It seems strange, but pagan beliefs and ideas still prevailed, albeit in a different form.

Attitude towards pregnant women

They tried to protect pregnant women in Rus' and fulfill all their wishes as far as possible. After all, the woman was carrying a successor to the family, a new member of the family, into whom the soul of one of the deceased ancestors was supposed to move.

The ancient Slavs believed that souls return to Earth, and always in own family Therefore, the attitude towards pregnant women was reverent and careful. Protecting expectant mother, family members showed respect not only for her, their contemporary, but also for long-gone ancestors.

The tradition of “forgiven days” existed in Rus' long before the adoption of Christianity. Among other things, they always asked the pregnant women for forgiveness, and they had to forgive everyone, and in turn also asked for forgiveness. It was believed that mutual forgiveness contributed to a successful pregnancy outcome and an easy birth.

Women, as far as possible, initially hid their condition even from their husbands and family members - so as not to jinx it or harm the child. Relatives, neighbors and just fellow villagers tried not to ask questions about the timing of pregnancy and the date of the upcoming birth - for the same reason.

They did not go to the house where the pregnant woman was empty-handed; a small offering was obligatory in order to appease the unborn child and the forces that patronize him. We especially tried to please childless women, as well as young women who have recently gotten married.

Pregnant women were not refused if they asked to borrow money or made other requests, because this was not her desire, but the request of the baby’s soul. If someone could not or did not want to fulfill the request of the pregnant woman, after she left, crumbs of bread, sand, or a piece of clay were thrown after her.

Pregnant women were protected from fright, but in the last days of pregnancy they could be frightened on purpose so that childbirth would occur as quickly and easily as possible.

On the day of birth

In the old days, childbirth was attended by specially trained women - midwives. They passed on their skills, knowledge and experience to their students, who over time became full-fledged specialists in this field.

On the day of birth, they came to the house of the woman in labor. It all started with prayer in front of the images. Pre-prepared Easter or Sretensky candles were lit in the house, and they turned to the Lord, the Mother of God, and the holy Great Martyrs Catherine and Barbara for help.

The midwife told the woman in labor what to do and rubbed her stomach to activate the baby’s actions. She made decoctions to promote contraction of the uterus, sprinkled the expectant mother with holy water, loosened her hair, and untied all the knots on her clothes to make the birth easier.

Now it’s hard to believe, but in the old days in Rus', midwives sometimes lured the baby out of the mother’s womb with pieces of sugar, which they brought to the birth canal. And the baby most often really responded to the promises of a sweet life. After he appeared, the midwife carefully received him, cut the umbilical cord, cleaned him Airways, washed with warm water.

As a rule, childbirth took place right in the house, or in a heated bathhouse, so that mother and child could be immediately washed.

The umbilical cord was cut on the Bible or other important and significant objects - for boys on an ax so that he would be a jack of all trades, for girls - on a comb so that it would be beautiful and neat.

The umbilical cord was tied with hemp or linen thread so that there would still be children in the family. Besides, natural materials were perfectly suited for these purposes.

In some areas, the umbilical cord, after it had dried, was placed in a chest along with the icon, and was kept until the age of seven, and then given to the child. If he could untie it, then it was believed that he would grow up smart and hardworking.

The midwife made sure that it came out " children's place" - placenta. She had to be buried in her yard under a tree.

After the delivery of the placenta, the obligatory washing of the child and the woman in labor, the midwife began to “stretch” or massage the newborn - she rubbed the arms, legs, tried to give all the limbs correct form, and, if necessary, correct birth defects.

The custom of placing the elbows of the hands on the knees has been preserved among the people to this day - elbow right hand applied to the knee of the left leg, the elbow of the left hand to the knee right leg. This is how they check whether everything is in order with the joints, whether there is a birth injury or a birth defect. In addition, in the old days it was believed that by such actions the child was adapted to the new world, because where he was, everything was the other way around, everything was upside down.

After the necessary procedures, the newborn was swaddled and applied to mother's breast. By this time the midwife should have expressed the first portions of milk and poured them out. The child ate the following portions of milk.

Experienced midwives could not only deliver the baby, but also bring the woman in labor back to its previous position and rub her arms and legs.

However, all these preparations and postpartum care were not available to all women in labor and not always. There were often cases when births occurred right in the field, while working. What kind of midwives and washings are there!

After all, women performed household duties until last day before the birth, and even after it, she had to continue to take care of the family, especially if the family already had several children. The situation when wheat stung and gave birth was not uncommon; in such cases, the umbilical cord was cut with a sickle without any midwives by fellow villagers experienced in such matters.

Well, those who were lucky enough to be born with the help of a midwife became her “grandchildren” and brought her their treats on the second day of the Nativity of Christ - January 8th. She, in turn, treated everyone to sweet porridge with honey.

Baptism

According to Christian tradition, the newborn must be baptized. The unbaptized child was still, as it were, in the grip of otherworldly forces, and at any moment could go back - get seriously ill or even die.

An unbaptized child was not considered a full-fledged member of the family, and although he was given a name immediately, on his birthday, he was often not called by name. They did not put any clothes on him, but only swaddled him.

The midwife negotiated with the priests about the day of the christening, godfather and the mother was chosen by the parents themselves. As a rule, these were close relatives or Good friends. Being a godfather is an honorable duty, because in the event of the death of the real parents, they had to take care of the godson.

The font for baptism was prepared in the church, the midwife or mother gave the child to the godparents and at the same time they said: “I give the born, return the baptized.” After the sacrament, the godparents returned the baby with the words: “We took the born, we give the baptized.”

The baby was baptized in cold and even icy water. This was the very first hardening procedure; people believed that thanks to the golden water, the baby would become stronger and more resistant to diseases.

During baptism, the baby’s behavior was observed - if he was capricious, it was believed that he was worried devilry who does not want to let go of the “prey”. If the child was calm and smiling, they said that it was the angels who kissed him and took him under their protection.

They also paid attention to the flames of candles - if they smoked and burned poorly, one could expect that the child would soon get sick and even die. If the flame is even and bright, life will be happy and long.

After baptism, the newborn became a full member of the family and society. His name was recorded in special church books. Let us repeat - this name was given to him at birth, but in some cases names were assigned to newborns by priests at baptism. As a rule, it coincided with the name of the saint on the day on which the baby was born or was baptized.

Subsequently, the day of the saint in whose honor the child was named became his angel's day, name day, and was celebrated even more magnificently than the actual birthday.

After the ceremony in the church, the whole family and guests went to the baby’s parents, where a feast awaited them. Among the obligatory guests were godparents and the midwife who delivered the child. If a child was born weak and sickly, the midwife was even allowed to independently baptize him and give him a name - that’s what an important role this person played in the life of society, not at all like modern midwives!

From the feast, relatives took treats to their children - in the old days it was sweet porridge, in our days - candy and other sweets. This is how other children received their “share” and a gift from a new member of the family and society.

tonsures

The baby had his hair cut for the first time a year later, on his first birthday. Grandparents were invited to the holiday, godparents. The baby was placed on a casing spread with the wool facing up - it symbolized the wealth of the family and at the same time served as a talisman against evil forces.

The father threw a few coins on the casing so that the child would be rich and happy. The godfather cut off some hair on four sides - front, back and above the ears. In some areas, hair was cut on the first birthday and continues to be cut for both girls and boys. After which the mother keeps these curls all her life as an expensive family heirloom. But there is another tradition, according to which boys get their hair cut and girls have their first ribbons woven. This responsibility was assigned to the godmother.

Russian rituals for the birth of a child were an integral part of Russian culture, since our distant ancestors believed that everything that happens to a person (birth, death or illness) is subject to the dark, unclean, afterlife, evil world.

Superstitious people were especially afraid of human birth and death. There was a belief according to which a person who was born, that is, who had just come from an evil world, could bring with him danger to all other people. In this regard, Russian rituals of cleansing the mother and newborn from evil spirits were practiced.

Since the mother was, as it were, a conductor between two worlds: the manifest world and another, unclean world, in ancient times it was believed that not only a newborn child, but also a woman in labor were carriers of evil spirits. A child comes into this world through the mother’s body, which means that evil spirits can enter the earthly world with him. Thus, Russian rituals were performed not only over the newborn, but also over the woman in labor. Such rites were called “cleansing”, that is, with their help, mother and child were cleansed of dark forces. “Cleansing” rituals were divided into church and folk.

Russian church rituals included the following actions: reading prayers during the birth of a child, sprinkling holy water on the room in which the child was born, etc. Currently, such purification rites are still sometimes practiced in some remote settlements. These traditions are especially revered by the Old Believers.

Let's take a closer look at how Russian rituals for the birth of a child are carried out.

On the day of birth, a midwife, close friends and relatives come to the woman in labor. A midwife usually serves as a midwife and nurse.

By the way, everyone who was in the room with the woman in labor during childbirth is also considered dangerous to other people. It was believed that having been present at a “sinful event” - the birth of a baby - people were possessed by an unclean spirit that descended to earth during the birth process.

As soon as the birth was over and the woman in labor received all necessary help, the owner of the house had to call the priest. The duties of the priest included sprinkling the room in which the baby was born and the entire house with holy water, reading prayers for the cleansing of the mother and child, and separately cleansing the women present at the birth.

After the priest had done everything necessary procedures, the mother and father had to give a name to their child (the name was given to the baby on the day of birth). After this, the parents agreed with the priest on the day of the child’s baptism. The priest was leaving the house, and this meant that the first stage of purification was completed. After this, all household members no longer had to worry about their future, since the evil spirits had been expelled.

The next stage of cleansing was considered to be washing the mother and child in the bathhouse. In some settlements there was a tradition of giving birth in a bathhouse. After giving birth, the woman and child lived right in the bathhouse for about a week. Women who gave birth at home also then moved to the bathhouse and underwent the second stage of purification there.

Both in Orthodoxy and paganism, a woman who gave birth was considered “unclean”, therefore, according to Russian tradition, it was possible to cleanse her only in a bathhouse.

After just a few hours, the woman and baby were transferred to the bathhouse, where the midwife first cleaned the child and then the mother.

Our ancestors believed that a newborn baby is born as hard as a bone, and in order to “soften” it, they filled the bathhouse with steam. Then the midwife placed the baby on the bath broom and began “stretching.” It was believed that during stretching, the midwife gives the newborn's body the desired shape and corrects birth defects. Then the child was given a massage, which made his skin elastic and his joints flexible.

Since there was a belief that everything in the dark world is upside down, then the child comes into our world upside down. The job of the midwives was to “turn” the child so that he would become normal.

After cleansing the newborn, the midwife put the mother in labor in order. Bath cleansing took place every day for a week until the woman was completely restored.

Next important stage there was a child's baptism.

15:23 23.01.2013

Childbirth played a major role in the life of the family, be it the family of a peasant or a king. Therefore, everything connected with these events was given increased attention.

Childbirth has always played an important role in the life of a family, be it a peasant's family or a king's family. Therefore, everything connected with these events received increased attention. Peasant families traditionally desired the birth of boys - workers and heirs of the family. They said: “A boy will be born to help, a girl will be born for fun.” Or: “You’ll make a home with your son, and you’ll live off the rest with your daughter.” In order for an heir of the desired gender to be born, the peasants resorted to semi-magical actions. For example, newlyweds put scissors or a hammer under their pillow, and did not neglect God’s help: they prayed to St. John the Warrior. If, on the contrary, the family wanted a girl, they turned to Saint Mary of Egypt.

A.G. Venetsianov, “On arable land. Spring"

Pregnancy had almost no influence on the life of a village woman. Of course, they tried not to burden her with hard work, but this was not always possible. Prenatal prohibitions and recommendations were based mainly on the magic of similarity: you cannot sit on a stone - the birth will be difficult, you cannot walk through a rope - the child may get entangled in the umbilical cord, touch cats and dogs - the newborn will have a dog's old age.

Royalty, on the contrary, awaited pregnancy with particular impatience, and queens who gave birth to an heir to the throne enjoyed universal respect and honor. For childbearing, they used the means that the church suggested to them. These were considered good deeds, generous alms and tireless prayer. The queens made numerous vows, made pilgrimages to monasteries and held daily services in their home church of the Nativity of the Virgin.

Childbirth and postpartum rituals. When labor began, the husband sent for a midwife. It was necessary to bring her secretly, because it was believed that what more people knows about childbirth, the longer the woman in labor will suffer. The woman and the midwife went to the bathhouse - the cleanest and warmest place. At this time, at home, female relatives untied all the knots, unlocked all the chests and opened the doors, if the weather permitted. In case of complex and long labor they resorted to the help of a priest: they asked him to open the royal doors in the church.

Immediately after the birth of the child, the midwife cut the umbilical cord and performed necessary actions and performed the ritual of the first bath. Silver coins were dipped into the water for purification, medicinal purposes added string and salt. The midwife carefully washed the child's body and baptized him. During the first 40 days of life, both the mother and the newborn tried to be in public as little as possible. It was believed that during this period the Lord God had her grave. After this, the child began to be carried out into public, re-baptized in the temple and put away from the mother into a cradle. In order for the child to be healthy and calm, his cradle was sprinkled with holy water, fumigated with incense and a cross was placed inside it.

The services of an assistant during childbirth for a peasant woman were paid indirectly. She took coins that were added to the water during the first bath, and accepted gifts of soap and linen. The ritual of washing hands was supposed to be performed upon completion of the midwife’s stay in the house: then the woman in labor and her assistant had to pour water on each other’s hands three times and ask for forgiveness. Midwives were revered on a special day - “babiny”, or “woman’s porridge”, which was celebrated the day after the Nativity of Christ. In church tradition, this holiday is called the Council Holy Mother of God and is celebrated to this day.

For a long time, Russian queens also retired to the soap house. There they gave birth in the presence of a midwife and several courtyard noblewomen. The birth of the future sovereign was accompanied by the same rituals as the birth of a child in a peasant family. The only differences were in the richness of the soap shop's decoration. This state of affairs continued until the middle of the 18th century, when, after Peter’s reforms, responsibility for the health of members of the royal family largely fell on the shoulders of foreign physicians.

Russian Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna

A feast was held in the Kremlin chambers on the occasion of the birth of the royal children. Alms were distributed in monasteries and squares, and prayers were served in churches for the health of the king, queen and newborn. In the smaller golden chamber of the Kremlin, which was otherwise called Tsaritsyn, family tables were set. Courtiers, boyars and clergy of the highest rank came there with gifts.

On the eighth or fortieth day after birth, the child was baptized. Senior monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and relatives of the queen were chosen as godparents. After the christening, the table in the Tsarina's chamber was set for the second time. To be invited to see him was considered a special honor. After the meal, the baby was blessed with icons and then taken away.

Rituals with children. In the 19th century, special rituals associated with children were preserved only in the most remote regions of Russia. Most peasants simply introduced their children to work.

When the child was one year old, his hair was cut for the first time. This was done by the same midwife who delivered the baby. She first cut a cross on the child’s head, and then cut off all the hair. Rich people sometimes put a child's feet in vodka so that he would start walking faster. In the same day godmother I gave my godson a shirt and belted it for the first time. After the ceremony, refreshments were arranged for the midwife and neighbors.

And during the times of Kievan and Muscovite Rus', in princely and boyar families, a child at the age of seven was put on a horse. From that moment on, he stopped living with women and began to learn military skills: first he received a sword made of alder, then from oak, and then a real one. Later, in the 19th century, it was customary among peasants to make a wish: “God grant that we give them water, feed them, and put them on a horse!”

Labor education. The boy was involved in labor activity very early, if you believe the peasant proverb - in the fourth year: A suckling son is not a sucker: after a year - a stringer, after two - a runner, after three - a gamer, and then into a collar. Initially, the son carried out various small tasks: guarded the geese, brought in a cow from the common herd, that is, he did things that required minimal skills.

After “mounting a horse” or the ritual replacement of this rite, the guy is considered a “harrow-harrow - he was trusted to harrow the arable land. The young man was taught to plow, sow, and mow, but he could only do these jobs with his father and on the family plot. In addition to field work, he also learned to cut ax handles, knit tops, harness a horse, break pine needles, “pluck bark,” graze cattle, and fish.

Reproduction of the painting “Spinners” by E. Chestnyakov

Women's work was organized somewhat differently. The little girl got involved in working life very fast. At the age of four she was taught spinning and asked to look after the children. However, officially she could work only after a certain ritual, which consisted in the fact that the future worker of five or six years old had to eat a piece of burnt yarn or inhale the smoke from a torch. After that, she moved into the labor category of “girls” until her marriage.

During her girlhood, she had to master all the skills of female labor, which was considered very important, especially for a girl to get married. Women's household work is very chaotic, in contrast to the monotonous, monotonous work of men: a woman must light the stove, keep the house clean, drive away and bring in the cattle, feed them, wash the dishes and much more, and if she lights the stove, this does not mean that she will not have to do other things at the request of the hostess, for example, go for water.

That is why girls, from childhood, developed the ability to remember the type of initial activity. This could be done, for example, in the game “Are you afraid?” At the beginning of the game, the girl presenter tells the participants the type of activity that they must remember. Then the game itself begins, during which all participants, at the command of the leader, either dance in a circle, then bake bread, or knead dough. Suddenly the presenter interrupts one of the girls and asks: “Why are you shy?”, and she must name the case that was mentioned to her at the beginning.

When does childhood end? Special rite initiation did not exist in Russian culture of the 19th-20th centuries. However, the first trip to haymaking had precisely this significance, because ex-child recognized as adults. From about 18-19 years old, the guy became equal in strength to other men. After this, he was allowed, of course, only if he had mastered all the skills, to engage in community work. These works were also a kind of viewing party, where future brides and grooms were chosen. It was a shame to show my inability here.

After the first day of work in some villages of the Russian North, the parents of a young worker would give one of the adults a bottle of wine, and for this he would climb the highest tall spruce, cleared its top from branches and wound birch bark around it and colored fabric. This was called "hanging".

For women, the end of childhood was considered to be a wedding and moving into the husband's house.

After this, the young man and young woman became full members of the community.

Raising children in the city. Modern city ​​life creates much more possibilities for children's activities and for the development of their abilities. The child can go to kindergarten, sport sections, exists great amount toys to occupy his time. However, by creating a special, children's sphere of life, we distract the child from the adult everyday life that awaits him in the future. That is why our time is characterized by crisis adolescence in children. The child is suddenly told that he must forget everything he has been doing for 14 years and start doing difficult, not always pleasant things. Meanwhile, you can’t throw 14 years out of life, so childishness persists in adults in the form of infantilism of behavior, love for computer games and many other vices of our time.

Moscow Mayor S. Sobyanin at one of the playgrounds

At the same time, there is also good in such upbringing. A child who plays a lot masters many forms of spiritual culture much better. It is these children who make brilliant musicians, artists, writers and other creative people.

Modern rituals are associated with government institutions that oversee the process of a person’s growing up. It all starts with discharge from the maternity hospital, to which they often bring old things handmade by grandmothers. After discharge you should festive table, behind which relatives of the husband and wife meet.

Then the child is sent to kindergarten. This is the first meeting little man with society. In the kindergarten, children learn the basics of independence and behavior in a team. IN Lately V kindergarten A common form of celebration is the graduation party.

After kindergarten, the child goes to school. Here new demands are placed on him: the ability to self-organize, concentrate on one type of activity, and self-positioning. At school, the child’s personality develops. The end of this stage is prom after finishing 11th grade. The measure of knowledge acquired at school is a certificate. However, this document does not take into account skills at all young man communicate with peers and does not show whether a person has leadership skills or, on the contrary, inclined to be a follower. In this regard, in society there is a backlash with a positive and negative assessment of school such as: “school teaches nothing,” “I studied with C grades, but I have succeeded in life,” etc.

Formal transition to adulthood in Soviet time Obtaining a passport and compulsory military service were considered. In the period 1990-2010, this point of view changed significantly. So, the passport is now a citizen Russian Federation receives it at the age of 14, and a significant part of the population does not serve in the army. Very often you can hear that you can get married and have children (that is, do truly adult things) after graduating from higher education. educational institution. So the border adult life moves further and further away.

The birth of a child today is a special area of ​​​​medicine, which is studied specifically, but in Russia, until the 10th century, there were no manuals either on childbirth or on what to do after. In the villages there was one remedy: to leave everything to nature itself and the health of the woman, who used to give birth right in the field, and three days later she was already walking.

Russian village women did not know about any obstetric subtleties, devices or special chairs that other peoples had for obstetrics, washing and feeding newborns. And they gave birth not while squatting, as was customary, for example, in Egypt, but lying down or half-sitting.

Squatting birth was also practiced in other countries (in India, for example), because in this position the pelvis opens well and easily allows the baby to pass through. I remember when I gave birth for the first time, my roommates talked about cases when a woman gave birth while sitting on the toilet, and they barely had time to pick up the baby. I didn’t believe it, but now I believe it, because... physiologically quite understandable.

In Russia, and in Europe in general, this method did not take root. It is interesting that if you look at the icons of the “Nativity of the Virgin Mary” and the “Nativity of Christ”, you can see that in both cases the woman in labor is lying down. All nations had a special class of elderly women called midwives.

This is known, for example, from the Bible, which tells how the Egyptian pharaoh commanded the midwives who took birth from Jewish women to kill all male babies so that the Jews would not reproduce so quickly.

Moses, in particular, fell under this decree of the pharaoh. His mother persuaded the midwife to let the child live, and a few days later she put the baby in a basket and floated it down the river. The pharaoh's daughter noticed the basket, took the boy to her palace and taught him Egyptian wisdom.

Midwives not only helped in childbirth, but also knew how to diagnose pregnancy, determine the sex of the unborn baby, terminate pregnancy and even treat some women's diseases. Russia in this sense was no exception; in almost every village and city there were such midwives, and if there were none, then you could always find a woman experienced in these matters.

Obstetrics appeared in Russia only in the 18th century, when special courses and schools began to open. At first, orphan girls from orphanages studied there, then everyone who wanted to study there. Especially much in this regard was done by the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (wife of Paul I) and her daughter Elena Pavlovna.

Through their efforts, the number of such schools increased; they taught the basics of medicine and girls could not only give birth, but also as a last resort, provide first medical assistance. Graduates were assigned to government institutions or began to study private practice. These “midwives” were no longer sixty or seventy, but eighteen or twenty.

The birth of a child in a family was an event and was accompanied by many rituals, ceremonies and church sacraments, the most important of which were baptism and confirmation, which came to Russia after the adoption of Christianity. Childbirth in villages took place, as a rule, in bathhouses, the cleanest place where there was always water and a stove, and the walls were so disinfected by smoke that a cleaner place on the farm could not be found.

Boris Grigoriev. Mother

As soon as the time came for pushing, the woman retired with the grandmother-midwife and several other women to the bathhouse, and when it became known that a child was born, the priest read a cleansing prayer over the woman (childbirth made the woman unclean), as well as over the grandmother-midwife and the rest of those present , even if they did not touch the woman in labor.

“Sovereign Lord Almighty, healer of every ailment and every illness, Heal Himself even this day who gave birth to Thy servant (name), and raised her from the bed on which she lies; before, according to the words of the prophet David, we have withered away in iniquity, and we are all filthy before You. Save this, and this child you gave birth to; cover me under the roof of your wing, from this day even to her last death, with the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, for blessed are you forever and ever. Amen."

A prayer was also read over the baby. As soon as he was born, the umbilical cord was tied in two places, between which it was cut. The baby was straightened by soaping, shaking and washing with water. Then the baby was carefully wrapped in a diaper and placed in the cradle.

Newborn (Christmas?). Fragment. Baby's head. 1645-1648

In accordance with the Old Testament, it is believed that a woman remains unclean for forty days at the birth of a son, and girls for eighty days. And the tradition is still preserved in Orthodoxy: a mother, as unclean, has no right to be present at the baptism of her child, although often the baby is baptized not after eight days, and not after forty, and not even after eighty, but after a year or two or three and more years.

Having been present at many baptisms as a custodian, I noticed that, as a rule, children react very painfully to the absence of their mother, and the recipients cannot always calm the child, who is torn from screaming and tears. Many priests admit that the Old Testament in this part is long outdated, but... this is the tradition.

In ancient times, the day of baptism was not clearly defined. If a child was born weak and infirm, and there was a high probability of his death, then no one expected any special day. He was baptized with a special shortened rite: “he was born at the hour of his birth; just wash him and baptize him, so that he does not die unenlightened (i.e., not baptized).”

Akim Karneev. Christening

On the eighth day it was customary to give the newborn a Christian name. It was different from the name he was given at birth, so the child had two names, for example, one was Vladimir, and the other was Bolislav or Sergius, one was Lyudmila, the second was Nadezhda. The custom of naming a child after the saint, who was commemorated on the eighth day after the birth of the baby, took root.

On the fortieth day, a prayer was read in the temple for the purification of the woman in labor. The Rite of Enlightenment (Baptism) and Confirmation exists separately from the prayers read on the first and eighth days. Everyone followed these customs.

Then the congratulations and gifts began. The birth of a child was especially lavishly celebrated in royal family. Feasts and dinners were held, rich alms were distributed, not particularly important prisoners were released from prison, prayer services were held in churches and monasteries in honor of the birth of a prince or princess.

Z. Serebryakova. Nurse with child

The nurse was especially carefully selected for the baby. After a year, if she was from a noble family, her husband became a governor or was given a fiefdom. If from other ranks, promotion and reward with a salary followed. If someone stranger praised the baby in front of the nurse, she had to spit on the ground three times to escape the evil eye.

In the common people, everything happened more simply, but beliefs and omens were stronger. So, when labor pains began, it was customary to hide it (it was believed that this eased the pain), and the woman in labor was given water to drink, in which a written prayer for a successful resolution had previously been dissolved.

This custom, in a slightly modified form, continues to exist today: many mothers, grandmothers, and acquaintances order a prayer service for a safe outcome from childbirth and pray in front of a special icon “Helper in Childbirth” at home.

Icon Mother of God"Childbirth assistant"

In some villages, it was customary to lead a woman in labor in a circle in a hut or bathhouse, not allowing her to sit down or lie down, which is also physiologically understandable. When a woman was delivered from her pregnancy, she was given a glass of wine and a piece of bread; then they fed her oatmeal, diluted beer, and treated her to all sorts of food.

What about father? At first he ate buckwheat porridge, then he was sent out of the hut and a special millet porridge was prepared for him. They put a tablespoon of vinegar, pepper, mustard, horseradish, salt into it and sprinkled sugar on top of it all. He had to eat this porridge, it personified the torment of the woman in labor.

In other places, it was customary to serve the father of a newborn a spoonful of salt, topped with porridge. At this time, the godfathers raised the cake high and said:

“Grow up, godson, as tall as we raised the pie.”

Interestingly, in Georgia there was a different custom: when the time came for childbirth, the woman in labor was seated in the middle of the hut on the carpet and the men began to wave sabers over her head. It was believed that fear would make her give birth faster.

There were special maternity gifts that were usually presented to the woman in labor. Usually, after childbirth, relatives and friends sent a gift of a piece of cloth for the baby’s shirt, flour and cereal. If they came themselves, they brought pies and other food, and also secretly put a gold coin under the pillow.

Today, these and many other customs associated with the birth of a child are forgotten and few people know about them, which is a pity...

Tina Guy