Birth



Hye, Assalamualaikum

  In this entry, I would like to share a topic about Malay Custom for birth (confinement). As soon as the baby is born, both mother and child have to undergo a period of confinement (dalam hari) of forty-four days. During or at this time neither one of them is allowed to leave the house. This is also the time when the new mother undergoes a rather exhausting programmed where she is put on a special diet and is massaged daily so as to restore her to the physical state she enjoyed/happy before the vigorous experience of childbirth.

  On the forty-four day, the confinement end (habis hari). Some of Malays families celebrate this event, others do not; they simply announce that ‘’ So-and –so sudah habis hari’’ (So-and- so is no longer in confinement). A token of thanks such as foods or fruits is usually sent to the mosque.

Lastly, if the mother has a job, she usually goes back any time after this and life for the mother continues as before.  The child starts on his new like now without the restrictions of confinement