Cultural Perspectives

New Zealand and international literature shows that women from CALD backgrounds prefer culturally appropriate support services that combine western and traditional approaches to pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period (Bina, 2008; Choudry, 1997; DeSouza, 2014; Guo, 2013; Queensland Health Multicultural Services, 2009).

Women may have very different views from their LMCs about how pregnancy should be managed, the causes of complications, the need for medical interventions such as caesarean sections, and the relationship between themselves and their midwife.

Women who continue to follow traditional practices during pregnancy, birth and postnatal care in New Zealand may consult traditional healers; use homeopathic treatments, herbal teas and washes; scarification; bloodletting; or use herbs to prepare the birth canal. Some pregnant women wear anklets or belts made of beads to ward off the ‘evil eye’.

Common traditional beliefs about pregnancy among Asian, Middle Eastern and African groups (Ministry of Health, 2012)

• Traditional practices in pregnancy among Asian, Middle Eastern and African groups may include the belief that:Special food is necessary for lactation and the future health of the child.
• Reducing calorie intake in the third trimester will result in a smaller baby and therefore an easier birth.
• Pregnant women must not eat certain types of food.
• All food eaten by pregnant women must be warm.
• Colostrum is not good for babies.
• Pregnant women must have plenty of rest.
• Domestic work must be done by female members of the extended family for up to four weeks after birth.
• Mother and baby must be warmly clothed.
• It is unlucky to praise a baby.
• Placentas must be disposed of in a special way.
• Males are not to be present at births.
• Time of birth must be recorded exactly for astrological purposes.

Note: Although these practices may clash with your own beliefs, remember that giving birth is a challenging time, and unless a practice is actually harming the health of the mother or baby, it should be respected.

It is important to note that traditional beliefs and practices vary across cultures. More detailed information relating to: traditional practices about pregnancy, birth, postnatal care, neonatal care, infant feeding, parenting, postnatal depression and the overall health and wellbeing of women is described in the cultural profiles section for Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, Myanmarese, Muslim and Sikh groups.