Korean women

“Tae Mong” – conception dreams

Tae Mong in Korean means a dream about conception (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). “Tae” means pregnancy and “Mong” means a dream. Usually, the mother has Tae Mong dreams but these can also be experienced by her husband and other close relatives.

Conception dreams indicate the gender of the child, their outward appearance and/or the future of the baby (Kim, 2014). If the baby is a girl, the dream could be about small colourful snakes, jewellery, rings and stone-free fruit. If the baby is a boy, the dream could be about larger animals and flowers; as well as stone fruit. Once a woman has had Tae Mong she follows the Tae Gyo rituals for pregnancy and safe childbirth (Pritham & Sammons, 1993).

“Tae Gyo” rituals for pregnancy and safe childbirth

The experience of Tae Mong and Tae Gyo persist as practices for families who have migrated to western countries (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). “Tae” means pregnancy and Gyo means education (Kim, 2015). Tae Gyo refers to the multidimensional aspects of prenatal care for pregnant women. These include: being careful about what women consume, maintaining peace of mind, and receiving support from family members and communities. It is the responsibility not only of pregnant mothers but also families and communities to take care of the unborn child (Kim, 2015). Tae Gyo rituals are practiced for the safe growth of the fetus and for easy childbirth. The practice of Tae Gyo protects the baby from disease and disability and the family from misfortune (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). The rituals are based on the belief that the baby eats, feels, thinks and sees what the mother eats, feels, thinks and sees (Kim, 2014). It is believed that breaking the rules of Tae Gyo may cause disability or the death of the fetus. A miscarriage is often blamed on the mother’s conduct and can bring shame on the person and family (Kim, 2014).

The Tae Gyo rituals mark a change in the couple’s relationship signalling that others need to take care of the woman, such as tending to food cravings; there is a reduced expectation that she will do all the housework.

During pregnancy, Tae Gyo rituals include: only having beautiful, positive things around the mother so that she will have a beautiful healthy baby. This includes (Kim, 2014):

• Listening to soothing music and reading good literature.
• Praying.
• Not thinking or speaking negative thoughts about anyone (because the child would also carry those negative thoughts).
• Not eating certain foods because they make childbirth harder – such as eggs, crabs, squid and peaches.
• A belief that duck and chicken, if eaten in excess, can cause chicken skin or a duck-like walk.
• A belief that blemishes, cracks and malformations on the food would appear on the baby.
• Avoiding touching urine, faeces, dead things or the killing of animals.

There is a preference for male children to carry on the family lineage. Tae Mong dreams are used to predict gender. A woman’s belly shape is also used to indicate the gender of the fetus – if a woman’s abdomen sticks out roundly, a girl is expected and if her stomach is flat, she is carrying a boy (Kim, 2014). Pregnant women often wear loose clothing because they want to keep the baby comfortable. During the last few months of pregnancy a special girdle-like belt (bokdae), worn under clothes, is wrapped around a woman’s belly in order to support the weight of the baby.

• Birth in Korea is highly medicalised and occurs mostly in specialised maternity birthing suites. The birthing room is quite often like an operating theatre (Kim, 2014).
• It is common for episiotomy to be performed to prevent tearing, and the use of enemas is common.
• There are high rates of caesarean section performed (35% in Korea compared to 24% in New Zealand (Kim, 2014; WDHB, 2014).
• Fathers are invited into the birthing room to support the mother and to cut the umbilical cord but they are separated from the birth as in an operating theatre (Kim, 2014).

(Waitemata DHB, eCALD® Services,2015):

• Koreans tend to be reticent about using a new language until they feel able to express themselves adequately and so they may be relatively more reserved in interactions than some other migrants.
• In Korean families, extended family members are usually involved in treatment decisions.
• The process of informed consent may be new to women and this process will need to be explained.
• It is useful to provide verbal, written and pictorial instructions. If possible, written instructions could be provided in Korean (through the interpreter) or demonstrations for treatments can be used.
• ‘Kibun’ is a concept which refers to mood, feelings and state of mind. Koreans value maintaining equanimity of their Kibun and it is considered the responsibility of people interacting with a person to consider the other person’s Kibun in order to maintain appropriate relations, meet other’s needs, and communicate effectively. Making an assessment of another’s Kibun is called nunchi. An example of Kibun being disturbed is when someone communicates rudely to another person.

For home visits:

• Give a clear introduction of your role and the purpose of your visit.
• Check whether it is appropriate to remove your shoes before entering the home (notice whether there is a collection of shoes at the front door).
• If food or drink is offered, it is acceptable to decline politely even though the offer may be made a few times.