Korean Baby Traditions

Twizzle’s post about superstitions has me thinking about Korean beliefs and practices around childbirth and babies. In the comments, someone mentioned the idea that massaging babies’ legs would make them grow, and I smiled in recognition because my father-in-law used to do that when my daughter was a newborn.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law also told me to eat a lot of miyuk-guk (seaweed soup) to aid in my recovery from childbirth. My husband cooked a big pot of it for me, and I choked it down, but it was like taking medicine.

My sister-in-law, who gave birth to twins shortly after I had my daughter, stayed close to home for a few months afterward. Because a long time ago it was common for babies in Korea to die in infancy, no one outside of the immediate family circle is supposed to see a newborn for 100 days. (The hundred-day mark is celebrated with a big party called a baek-il.) But my husband and I took our daughter out to the supermarket just a few days after she was born.

I didn't understand why my inlaws always wanted me to bundle the baby in a lot of blankets, even on hot days. “Isn’t she cold?” they would ask me if I didn’t put socks on her little feet, or she was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

Other traditions make more sense to me. I like the way Korean mamas carry their babies around in back carriers. I used the Baby Bjorn a lot, and it was often the only way I could get my daughter to stop crying in our early days, but the back carrier works better, because you can get more done around the house with a baby on your back than you can with the baby in front of you.

Also, a lot of Korean-Americans I know co-sleep with their children. Koreans co-slept long before anyone ever heard of Dr. Sears. Co-sleeping isn’t for everyone, but it worked pretty well for us when my daughter was breast-feeding. My husband had no problem with it, because until his family moved to the U.S. when he was in middle school, he slept on the floor under a big mosquito net with his parents and brothers.

What other Korean baby traditions do you know? Which ones did you follow?

--Weigook Saram

Comments

[twizzle]

Did the post-partum seaweed soup thing. Bundled the baby warmly for her first feew weeks after birth (despite the June birth month). Had big celebrations for both Baek-il and Dol.

[Alex]

My mother made an enormous pot of miyuk guk and made me eat it, breakfast lunch and dinner. I understand the iron in the seaweed is supposed to be good for recuperating moms but please, after eating it 3 times a day for a week I went on a hunger strike. Also, my parents were really concerned when we told them we were planning on taking the baby to visit her other grandma before her Baek Il. Has anyone heard of another tradition (outdated now?) to count the baby's age not from their birth but from their gestation?

[Allie]

My mom fed me nothing but miyuk-guk. I had to drink only hot tea and she wouldn't let me walk around the house without sweatshirt, sweatpants and socks. It was June and it was hot outside. I was sweating so much that I stood infront of the airconditioner and she'd yell at me.

She kept telling my husband that he needed to massage my breasts and suck on the nipples to get the milk flowing. My husband was so uncomfortable. He kept telling me can you tell your mom to stop talking about your breast to me. I kept telling her that the baby needed the colostrum because it contained a lot of antibodies. It was quite embarassing.

[Michael]

Yeah, my wife did the whole seaweed soup thing and also bundled up the children to the point where they look like inmates from insane asylums.

My wife also massaged the kids' belly, thinking that it would loosen up any hard stool.

What else? She jokingly rubbed their eyelids while they were asleep, believing that it would increase the chances that they would get those eye folds.

[Marcie]

Jim has told me about the massage thing. Whenever he or his brother were hurt, their Mom would massage it. Jim said the massaging of twisted ankles was especially painful. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that Jim hates back rubs?

[Linda B]

I ate vats of the myuk-gook. Had the 100 day and 1 year celebration. Both J and his mother would do this thing where they'd straighten E's legs and say "CHOOK CHOOK!" - they said it would help her stretch and grow long. So cute.

[badgermama]

I didn't do any of that for Moomin but we did have a 100-day ceremony. We added a computer mouse to the range of objects to choose from, and that's what he picked!

[suemamma]

just wanted to say that the massaging of babies is common in India, atleast In South India and normally, while the baby is being massaged they say--to the baby--'May your small hands/feet grow'. But there is some basis to it cos now they know that that kind of stroking/gentle massaging is very beneficial.

[twizzle]

Weigook,

Is that a picture of YOUR baby? How absolutely adorable she is!

Twizzle

[cherl]

My mom did the same with the bundling and the endless supply of seaweed soup. She also frowned upon anything I did physically for the first three months. Said it would adversely affect my female parts and subsequent children.

My niece's head was shaved when she was about two years old. Something about the hair growing back thicker. Anyone else?

[Mama Nabi]

Yep, my cousin had to get her head shaved because she didn't have much hair. And my mom did call every day to make sure I was eating miyuk-gook. I thought, "Who around here would make me miyuk-gook??" but told her I was. She also did the "Chook Chook" when she came to see LN. Also there's one where you present balls of silk thread (blue for boys and pink for girls) to wish long life for the babies...

[Jan]

One of the quirky things that new-moms are not suppose to do right after giving birth is not to eat cold or hard stuff. eg., ice, apple etc. My mom always freaks out when she seems TV shows where the wife is huffing and puffing to push the baby out, and the husband's feeding her ice chips. She gets a very worried look on her face and says "Aeego~~.. all her teeth are gonna fall out.".

In Korea, they sell specialized Miyuk(sanmo-miyuk) just for new-moms. It's been dried out in the sun(au natural) to preserve all the good qualities of the seaweed, which is different from the everyday miyuk which have been steamed or processed.

Traditionally, sanmo-miyuk was bought in the market and had to be brought home in its original form(about 2 feet). You couldn't break it or fold it. That miyuk(in its unbroken form)was given as a part of an offering to the "samshinryung" the day after baby was born(Samshinryung is a sort of a god-father like spirit). It was offered as a thanks for a successful delivery and the future health of your child.

[OTRgirl]

This is more of a pre-birth thing, but this weekend my MIL told me that if you dream of flowers when you're pregnant, you will have a boy. If you dream of fruit it's a girl.

She also constantly stroked her childrens' noses to give them a bridge. They both have very distinct noses so it seemed to work! ;-)

[snickollet]

Nothing new to add, but for months now, my mother-in-law has been telling me about how much miyuk-guk I'll be eating once the twins are born (due 22 June).

I've also been told many times that I need to be very careful to keep my legs and feet covered and warm once the babies are born. Even though they are being born in June, I'm supposed to wear long pants, socks, etc. to prevent some kind of leg cramping (?). And given the amount of fleecy bundling gear my mother-in-law has purchased for the babies, looks like they are going to stay plenty warm, too.

[Carol M.]

Speaking of myuk guk - maybe in Cali they're already doing this, but it's the first I've head of this, and I think it's cool:

SWEDISH COVENANT HOSPITAL REVAMPS PATIENT MENUS TO SERVE UP AUTHENTIC ETHNIC DISHES TO DIVERSE PATIENT BASE

Wide Variation Found in What Patients Consider ‘Comfort Foods’

The hospital, located in one of the most diverse areas of Chicago, now offers a new Korean menu that features authentic dishes made entirely from scratch in the hospital kitchen ... While Swedish Covenant had previously offered some pre-packaged ethnic items, many patients felt the prepared dishes didn't taste like the real thing.

... "In the Korean culture, it is customary for new moms to eat only seaweed soup and rice after delivering their baby," said Maria Simmons, who works in patient food services and is a member of the newly formed Nutrition Action Committee at Swedish Covenant Hospital. "Many of our Korean moms were telling us that seaweed soup in a box didn’t taste good. Some of them weren’t eating very much, and that can slow down the recovery process."

... Simmons worked with the Korean interpreter on staff at the hospital — even interviewing the interpreter's mom — to design a new Korean menu. Local Korean and Hispanic chefs also have been enlisted in to refine the hospital's recipes. The cultural dishes are made fresh daily with items rotating throughout the week. They will be offered periodically in the hospital cafeteria, as well.

Full article:
http://www.schosp.org/about/sstlist.asp?st=1790&sst=133&c=140259

[fiona]

wow

[Zelia]

I just loved to read about Korean traditions... I too enoy babywearing... anxious to learn more...

Zelia - Portugal

[newuhma]

How long will these traditions last? I, for one will not miss eating vats of miyuk gook. Someone once told me it was bat wing soup, and I've never been able to rid myself of that image.

[Ahnyoung]

My mom, sister-in-law and girlfriends told me not to shower (immerse in water) for 30 days otherwise my recovery would be rough. It wasn't a problem for me not to shower, I had a C-section and I had a winter baby so I didn't leave the house for a long, long time. My recovery was seamless. I personally love miyuk gook. My mom would make it and bring it over. I ate it every day for 45 days. I even ate it in the hospital during my recovery. My milk production was great and I attribute it partly to the miyuk gook. I make it for my 9 month old son and he loves miyuk gook.

I also did the 100th day thing too.

[HapaMomy]

I am seven months pregnant and this all makes me giggle I honestly know my mom will do the same things. Especialy the thing with watching women eating ice chips, my mom always tells me my teeth are going to fall out when I crunch on candy or ICE. Her biggest concern when we talked about her visiting for the first time EVER after I have the baby was, where is the korean store? How am I going to take care of you with no korean store?

[Teresa]

Does anyone know about traditional "first foods" Koreans give to babies? My son is 6 months old and my mom told me to give him white rice. Is there anything else I should give him?

[alice]

One of my korean friend told me that she drink miyuk-guk and also pumpin soup (pumpin boil with water)after she giving birth. she said this pumpin soup can help her stays slim and have more milk.Can someone tell me how to make this pumpin soup?what type of pumpin?

[Charlotte Rebbeck]

Hello everyone... I am from Little old New Zealand and I am going to be a Mum in 7 weeks... Very exciting.
I also started Green Monkey 4 years ago and I am bringing it to korea... It is all frozen and certified organic (just like home made) Would love to know your thoughts and or if there is anything I should know?
Many thanks
Charlotte

[Glennia]

Charlotte, maybe you should try to market frozen myuk guk for the moms. Might be a big hit in Korea :)

Good luck with both your new ventures.

[olimadi]

Hi,

This is for Alice. I don't know how to make it - but it's actually made of Squash..and called (ho-bak juk). Personally - i don't think it does much. They do sell it already made as a sort of dessert in many Korean stores (I don't know where you live though..I live in Korea central).

There's also 2 other han yaks (korean herbal tea) that your supposed to take. My mom had it made for me. One is to flush and clean your system and the other is to restore lost nutrients. Sounds reasonable right? I drank this after my second kid as my mom told me it was expensive and it was the least I could do since she had it made for me. Downside is that it tastes AWFUL.

Your also supposed to not drink anything cold and cover all your joints (ankles, feet included) no matter HOW HOT because the belief is that otherwise your joints will ache when you are older. I didn't do this - cuz I had my baby in August and I live in Southern California and the very thought of this made me nauseous..but I swear every native Korean believes that it will cause your body to ache when you get older. Honestly for me, forget older, my body aches like heck ever since I had my babies. Maybe I'm just being punished for being such a skeptic. :)

[Athena Z]

The reason (scientifically) that they bundle babies is that whilst in the womb the skin is completely "touched" by the fluid so the baby is used to the sensation - after birth the reason the babies are bundled from head to toe is that it mimiks that sensation and they settle better.

Another reason they dont let you go out straight after birth is that many believe that the baby's immune system is not strong for the first 30 days of life - in Greece women dont go out with their baby for 40 days - this gives the baby's immune system a chance to strengthen and doesnt make them susceptable to viruses etc. It makes complete scientific sense but historically for the Christians on this site the Virgin Mary did the same when Jesus was born - so I guess throughout the ages these cultural beliefs have travelled the world over.

And a Greek one is that we dont hang the baby's clothes out to dry in the evening (dont ask me why) I am sure its not a scientific reason but a spirutual one but we just dont do it.

We are all human beings but we are also "spiritual beings" we would embrace what our mothers teach us and show us becomes it comes out of love and from their heart - anything given to you straigt from someones heart is a good thing and extends love.

I personally appreciate every single word an elder teaches or says to me because they care enough to share it.

Athena
Melbourne
Australia

[Rosa]

For those of you who had the 100th day celebration, what do guests bring for gifts...or do you not bring gifts? Thanks.

[Javiera Vidal]

Good Morning, I am invited to a very good friend's, daughter's Baek-il on the 21st and I have been trying to find just the perfect gift for her. I would like to get her the traditional "gold rings" but I am not sure what type of gold rings to get. Are they rings fot the baby now or later?? Is it a specific ring sold in a specific place or can it be any ring??? Please help, it sounds like you all have a lot of knowledge and I could use some of it!
THX!!

[shan diesel]

Hello. I am looking for suggestions for appropiate gifts to purchase for a couple's first child. I would prefer (an) item(s)that acknowledge Korean culture or traditions but without any type of superstitious symbols regarding luck, etc. Or at the very least, some advice on which items may cause offense. (ie. I would prefer not to purchase a pastel pink blanket with duckies, only to find that pink symbolizes the plague and that duckies are the harbingers of doom.)

[Marcinda]

Hi there! I am hosting a baby shower for the wife of one of my husbands co-workers. She moved here from Korea two years ago and speaks little english. As I'm sure you would understand, she misses her home terribly. I was just curious if there were any traditions or customs that you could think of that I could incorporate into the baby shower that would make it more meaningful for here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please email me at marcinda@sbcglobal.net if you have any ideas. Thank you!

[shandiesel]

Okay, Mamas, it would be lovely if you would provide some type of guidance on How to Purchase Culturally Respectful Gifts for the New Baby. Post some suggestions or you will be personally responsible for some terribly awkward Korean Mama baby showers.

[weigooksaram]

Shandiesel and Marcinda, I'm white, so maybe I'm not the best person to advise you. But I usually just give the same type of gift I would give to any other baby (clothes, a toy, etc.) Koreans often give the parents cash in a white envelope.

[shandiesel]

Oh, we'll definitely load the baby up with the standard baby gifts but I was really hoping for a little extra nod to culture/tradition/etc. because none of the family is here...
Thanks for the cash-envelope suggestion.

[myuneuri]

It is not traditional to have a baby shower in Korea, so it is a little tough to give you suggestions. The parents usually have something after the baby is 100 days. They order special rice cake to hand out to friends and neighbours. A larger party with special foods and ceremony is saved for the first birthday.

[Glennia]

The gold rings are baby rings. My mom got one for my son when he was born, and I had one when I was born. I don't know where you get them, but I think she got it in Koreatown in Chicago.

[Nina]

If there is a traditional gift, it's money. I know at dol (one year birthday) it's traditional to give a gold jewelry for the baby - tiny rings or bracelets, etc. Not exactly for the baby to wear - my mom told me that mothers usually melt it down later to make jewelry for themselves. I think a long time ago, it was like giving money.

[shandiesel]

Thank you so much for the info! I really appreciate it!

[Cara Fletcher]

Every nation has its tradition in growing babies and this is something normal.If we like these traditions we may apply them when taking care of our babies but this depends on personal choice.

[Mitch Chang]

Yes, your blog is so nice . . . I remember when I was a young boy in the Korea in the 1970s and my mother would chew the food before giving to my baby sister because in those days no baby food. I would ask my mother, "mommie, why you do like that," and she say baby food too expensive and this is more nutritional value or something like that. Many years later, I date a girl who say, hey, chew the food then spit in my mouth. She want that because it reminds her of her childhood and that it's hot.

I say, "You're crazy."

So now I live in Canada.

This is an enjoyable blog. Really nice!

[Judy]

I'm so glad to have come across this site. I'm a 2nd gen Kor-Am mother married to a 1st gen Kor-Am & am always thought to be a non-Korean, but am fluent in both Korean & English. So I understand all the trash talking in Koreatowns, markets, etc. I have 2 beautiful children under the age of 3 that have 4 crazy Korean grandparents. What I always thought were weird "Korean" pregnancy/baby traditions actually have a lot of truth to them. For example, don't eat anything ugly, like crab, otherwise your baby will be ugly. I thought that was just ridiculous, but that was actually a pre-caution to seafood poisoning in like the off-seasons & because Koreans eat a raw crab dish. But on the other hand, sashimi & sushi are OK to consume. The wrapping of the babies is like the bundling techniques used everywhere now, to soothe the babies. Seaweed is very high in calcium, and since a lot of Koreans are lactose intolerant & cannot handle milk, seaweed is the perfect way to get calcium & iron. There are really no baby showers in Korea, but, gifts of soft cotton baby blankets (the Korean ones are really great), rattles, clothes are always welcome whatever the culture. Colors do not really matter. For the 100 days and/or the 1st Birthday, gifts of baby 24K baby rings, bracelets, charms or cash is the norm. However, here in America, anything goes. My friends & I buy each other the gold stuff (sold in Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese jewelry stores, also), clothes, toys, etc., etc. The gold is supposed to be melted down together & given to the child or the child's future spouse later in his/her life. Whatever the child should choose. I don't know anyone who still has their 100 days or 1 yr gold jewelry though. For some reason, everyone's has been stolen, including mine and my husband's.

[Kelli]

My mother in law cooked us a bunch of miyuk guk to help my milk come in, but it looks like I got off pretty easy. Just a couple of servings. No restrictions on going out, or eating ice, or anything like that. Just lots of discipline tips, even though our little Darwin is only 2 weeks old.

For Darwin's middle name, we had to pick a name that had the correct "generational syllable" in it. Does anyone know how that works? His generation's syllable is "Jung," apparently, but I don't know how that got picked. So, his middle name is Jung-Nahm.

For a cute Korean gift, www.littlebuddhababy.com has cute onesies that say I love my Daddy or Mommy with "Daddy" and "Mommy" in Korean.

[alison]

My husband is 1/2 Korean, and our daughter will be one in May. Where can I find her traditional Korean dress for the tol?
Are there any good websites? I'm also going to stop by the Korean grocery and ask the ladies there.

[myuneuri]

Alison,

I use Julia's cooking site all the time for Korean recipes and it looks like she has some beautiful hanbok, although I have never ordered it myself.

http://stores.ebay.com/Korea-and-More

Here is her cooking site in case you are interested in that too.

http://www.geocities.com/ypmljulia/index.htm

[myuneuri]

Kelli,

I don't know how the syllable is decided for each clan, but I know my husband's family's came from a poem. It was decided long, long ago and goes into the distant future. He found the list by doing an internet search. It is kind of interesting to know what the syllable will be for our great-great-great... grandchildren.

[su]

Here is my experience with Korean baby traditions: I had TONS of miyuk-guk before and after having my daughter. I like it, but even I got tired of it after 5 bowls of it in one day. I absolutely believe it helped my recovery and milk production. I even have some now whenever I think my milk supply is decreasing, and it goes right back up. My mother brought back the 'sanmo miyuk' for pre and post natal use from Korea. She also put in a lot of dashima. During my delivery in a NYC hospital, one of my nurses, who was Korean, was praising the benefits of miyuk-guk (to the delight of my mother). The tradition started according to this nurse, when Koreans noticed the first thing whales, after giving birth, will seek out and eat is seaweed. Another good food pospartum is sam-gae tang with rice porridge. Also to get a huge does of folic acid have kimchee made of mustard greens. Also chab-sal (sweet rice used for mochi or traditional korean rice cakes) are excellent for milk supply as well.
I can't wait for my daughter to start enjoying Korean food. I can't but think the organic brown rice cereal recommended as a first solid food now is basically what Korean mothers probably made their children for hundreds of years. I plan on introducing washed mild kimchee to my daughter at 1 yr old. My mother wasn't so strict about going out with baby, probably because it was summer. I think I was more strict about it the first two months because of what my pediatrician said about weak immune systems. We also do the Korean belly massage for gas / indigestion. I went to an infant massage class and they also taught the same belly rubbing techniques for gas and colicky babies. It totally works for my daughter.

For the baek-il, my daughter received her soft gold ring which looked so cute on her chubby finger. It's a wonderful keepsake. My aunt and uncle got it for her. We also received gifts of clothes, memory book, piggy bank, photo albums, toys, cash and savings bonds. We are looking forward to her Dol celebration. My mom wants to get her the traditional outfit on her next trip to Korea.

[JG]

I am not Korean but my husband and his mother are. Some of the things I recall from my childrens birth are:
Bundling the baby; it was June and the poor girl got terrible heat rash. But my MIL would just keep right on bundling her right back up every time she saw her.
Pinching the end of the nose, rubbing the bridge to give the baby an upturned nose with a bridge. I didn't do this but my MIL did. Unfortunately she'd make my daughter cry every time.
Rubbing the legs and feet. This we did several times a day for two reasons. The first and biggest was that my daughter was very long when she was born. So long that in the womb her legs bowed terribly and her feet turned inwards so her toes pointed at each other. When she was born my Asian doctor (whom I love!) and my MIL both said massage them. The pediatrician said "when she's older we can get her a specialist and braces. Guess what, my daughter has beautiful straight legs, and her feet are fine. She has never worn braces! Daily massages with just a tiny bit of pressure to help the bones develope the right way worked wonders. The second reason I did the massages was for physical contact. I also used to rub my babies stomachs when they were fussy. This I think is more of a general tradition rather than specifically Korean as my German SIL, my American family, my cousins Indian wife and my Korean family all did this. To this day all my children still love massages.
The third thing I recall is my MIL said to pinch my girls breasts (in infancy) to make them grow bigger when she was older. Again I didn't do this, it just seemed like a very uncomfortable thing to do to a baby.
My children speak some Korean and love the foods. I have, and still am, learning to cook all my husbands favorites. For 100 Days gifts, my MIL's friends all gave money in decorated envelopes and warm, soft clothing or blankets.

[Myi]

What a great blog. Does anyone know where I can find a site with traditional korean dresses? www.littlebuddhababy.com does have some cute korean dolls and other stuff:

http://www.littlebuddhababy.com/Product_Category_KoreanGiftIdeas.html

[Kelly Campbell]

I just had my 4th baby and my mom made me eat meyoko? every day along with drinking pumpkin juice and sweet rice(warm of course). She said if you drink cold drinks while postpartum you will have arthritis later in life. Same reason for why mom's want us to bundle up so much no matter what season it is! She also would not allow me to eat apples or other crunchy foods because she said it would mess up my teeth. The belief is that your joints, ligaments and gums are all softened from the pregnancy and takes a year or so to return to normal. That is probably the reason new moms should not go back to work right away. My mom would also massage me from head to toe! How blessed are we to have such loving, caring moms!

[Kelly]

For fun here are some old wives tales passed down in Korean women: If your backside looks ugly when you're pregnant, expect a boy; if a baby holds its fist closed with its thumb tucked between the pointer and middle fingers, expect a boy; if your baby blows bubbles with its salava then rain is coming, eating an unblemished fruit while pregnant will ensure a pretty baby.

[Jenina]

I just had my 1st baby on January 8th and my mom kept bringing huge pots of miyuk-guk and korean pumpkin over for me to eat, needless to say I was sick of it by the end of the week. She is also a firm believer in massaging the baby's legs. She always said dreams of fish that meant that there was a pregnancy. My mom just returned from Korea and brought back a podegi blanket (to uppa? the baby on her back), a bokkeon and teol baeja, and that fascinating bottle with a rubber tube that, with the help of gravity, falls to where ever the milk is. It's really great, I remember my nephew using one.

Thanks Mom!

I found an Ebay store that sells korean outfits (http://stores.ebay.com/Korea-and-More)