Re: [ranchos] Re: information on records & "Guardar Reposo 40 días"

[Alicia Carrillo <alliecar@...>]

Victor,

 

It definitely meant do not bathe for 40 days, it also meant do not let the outside air hit the mother for 40 days.

 

When I had my first daughter I remember a tia telling me and I quote. "Hija, cuando tengas tu bebe´ no dejes que te den un baño o ducha". She then proceeded to tell me that when she had her children here in the US they tried to make her bathe and she pretended to go through the motions in the shower but she never let the water touch her. She would just turn on the water in the shower to make them believe she had taken a shower. I asked many questions because this was foreign to me. That´s when she told me that it was bad for the mother´s health and that the mother´s milk would dry up if she did, this in addition to keeping the spouse away for 40 days. My thoughts were of course if you don't bathe you will keep everyone away for 40 days.

 

Alicia Carrillo

San Jose, Ca

"v.h.villarreal" <raices_regias@...> wrote:

> I really doubt that this is an accurate interpretation or a widespread
> practice even in the old days.  "Guardar reposo por 40 días" or
> resting for 40 days wasn't supposed to be taken that the mother should
> stay in bed, not taking a bath, etc. rather that she should "keep the
> husband away from her bed for 40 days", if you know what I mean...  
>
> Victor
>
> --- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Irma GomezLucero <igomezlucero@c...>
> wrote:
> > I recall telling my mom & aunt about a family baptism record having the
> > wrong information.  They  informed the same about the mother not
> attending
> > her own child's baptism.  The mother stayed in bed, had chicken
> soup, and
> > didn't bathe for 40 days!   It used to be the belief that a child
> needed to
> > be baptized right away within a few days of
>  birth.  Since the mother
> needed
> > to "Guardar reposo" for 40 days, she was unable to attend the
> baptism.  The
> > father did go with the godparents in our experience.  My father even
> had to
> > hire someone to take care of my mother after my oldest sister's
> birth.  This
> > lady cared for my mom, and their home during these 40 days which was
> a real
> > financial drain on them at the time.  I guess he had to go to work, and
> > couldn't care for her & the baby.  I met the elderly lady on my last
> visit
> > to Mexico with my dad.    My mother only attended her children's
> baptisms
> > when she immigrated to the U.S.
> > Irma
> > 
> >   _____