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40 days after birth. When can you show your baby after birth?

Why children are baptized on the 40th day is also explained by the tradition that believers had in Old Testament times. According to the custom, on the fortieth day, parents made a sacrifice to God in gratitude for giving them a child. In the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament there is a story about the event that is now celebrated by the Orthodox Church as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Forty days after Christmas Holy Mother of God and Elder Joseph brought the baby to the temple. They also had to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God in the form of two turtledoves or two pigeon chicks. In the temple they were met by the elder Simeon. This elder was promised by God that he would not see death until he met the Savior. The pious holy elder took the baby in his arms and uttered words that are still often used during worship. He said: “Now you release Your servant, Lord, as You promised, in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. A light to enlighten the nations and glory to the people of Israel. This prayer has a very deep meaning, both direct and allegorical. The word "Sretenie" means a meeting. At this moment there was a symbolic meeting of the Old and New Testaments. The representative of the Old Testament was the elder Simeon, and the representative of the New Testament was the Infant Jesus. After meeting with the Lord, Elder Simeon peacefully reposed at the age of three hundred and eighty years.

The tradition of baptizing children on the 40th day is not a church canon. You can baptize a child both before the expiration of this period of time after his birth, and after. It all depends on the specific circumstances in which the child and his family are.

Why are children baptized in infancy?

Why children are baptized in infancy is a natural manifestation of the will of believing parents. It is known that for a person who has received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, you can pray in the church, submit notes for him. A baptized person can participate in the sacraments of the Church. For believing parents who are themselves members of the Church of Christ, it is quite natural and logical to wish to introduce their child to the spiritual treasury of the Orthodox faith as soon as possible. The reason for baptizing a child in infancy is also the fact that different people may have different health conditions. Even if the physical condition of the baby in this moment no complaints, life can happen different situations. If a child is baptized in infancy, 40 days or not much later, then there is reason to believe that the seed of grace that has been in his soul from the moment of Baptism will have more time to germinate and bear good fruit.

Why should children be baptized?

In our time, there are such heretical teachings that do not correspond to the canons of the Orthodox Church. People who are tempted by these teachings wonder why children should be baptized. They think that if the child himself is not able to realize what is happening to him, then his Baptism should be postponed until the moment when he himself can consciously confess his faith. In the Orthodox Church, the attitude towards the Sacrament of Baptism is very serious. Everyone understands that a newborn baby cannot fully comprehend the event that is happening to him. Therefore, in order to perform Baptism, it is mandatory to have godfather and a godmother or at least one of the godparents. The recipient or recipient makes a promise to God on behalf of the child to remain faithful to Christ's commandments, and to refuse all crafty words, thoughts and deeds. In the face of God, godparents are responsible for the Christian upbringing of the child entrusted to them. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence in Holy Scripture that children were baptized. The Lord blessed the children who came to Him. The image of the purity and spontaneity of the child He often cited as an example to follow. If a child does not understand what he wants to eat, sleep, be in the fresh air, and expresses this through his crying and screaming, this does not mean that he does not need the above. The same goes for his spiritual needs. It is important for the soul of a person to participate in the Sacrament of Communion, to have the grace that is communicated in the Sacrament of Baptism, the soul of a child must be protected by prayer and the sign of the cross. Parents do not want to deprive their baby of food and drink for the body. Why do some people wonder about the need for Baptism of children. The soul of a child must be nourished by the grace of God even while he is in his mother's womb. Pregnant women need to come to the Sacraments of Confession and Communion more often, then their baby will be fed by grace and grow to the glory of God. After the birth of a child, it is desirable to baptize him in infancy and accustom him to church life as early as possible. Of course, everything must be done gradually and with reason, but in no case should you deprive a child of divine grace.

Why should pregnant women not be baptized? Is it so?

Some ask, In fact, according to church canons, pregnant women do not differ in any way from those women in whose womb there is no child, they also have the right to be godmothers. There are only restrictions for pregnant women who feel very unwell. Perhaps they need to postpone participation in the Sacrament of Baptism until the moment when their physical condition is relieved. They must take care not only of the godchild, but first of all of the baby that is in their womb. All the features need to be discussed with the future godmother with the baby's parents. But on this issue you need to know a firm answer, which is that pregnant women can be godparents or godmothers. When to baptize a child, you need to agree with the parents of the baby, depending on your physical condition. If godmother pregnant, but feels great, then it is better not to postpone the Baptism of the child.

It seems to modern mothers that superstitions are just nonsense that has been violating the logic of life for centuries. However, these statements are the fruit of long-term observations, the study of events, causes and results, no matter how much mothers deny. Each superstition appeared for a reason, but on the basis of facts that were subsequently confirmed by science. If no supernatural forces affect the newborn, biology may well harm him. In the context of the old belief that a child should not be shown to anyone before 40 days, science, faith and people are united as never before.

Is it possible to show a newborn baby to other people: many parents are interested in this issue

View from the people

One of the most common superstitions says that a newborn should not be shown to outsiders until 40 days old. The tradition goes back far into the depths of centuries, even further than Christianity. In the old days, people also protected babies from strangers. Childbirth was considered the transition of the soul from one world to another, which in itself is a very intimate and complex process. According to the beliefs of that time, the soul takes root in the body on average 40 days after birth.

In the old days, and even now, according to tradition, babies are baptized after 40 days from birth. It is believed that when a child is baptized, a guardian angel appears, who from now on will protect him from oblique and evil looks. Relatives can inadvertently jinx the child, so it is better to arrange a bride after baptism. Mom is also not advised to show herself to people, because during this period her connection with the baby is built, so her blues and poor health are easily transmitted to him.

Word of Faith

Not a single priest will tell a mother that she should not show her child until 40 days old. There is no such tradition in Christianity. But the origins of superstition are indeed ecclesiastical. A woman who has given birth is not allowed to the temple because of bleeding. Even a priest with a wound cannot start the service, because there should be no blood in the Temple of God.

The baptism of a newborn took place no earlier than forty days from birth, when the baby's mother was ready for this.

Thus, the mother could not attend the baptism of her baby, so the ceremony was postponed. The Church does not set any deadlines for baptism, and even more so does not force newborns to be baptized strictly on this day. In the old days, people wanted to quickly baptize the child, protect him with protection, therefore they did it as soon as the mother got rid of any consequences of childbirth. This happened, as a rule, by 40 days.

The verdict of science and medicine

Medicine has its own answer to this question. Since each person is a carrier of various bacteria, infections and viruses, he is potentially dangerous even when he is completely healthy. The incubation period of many diseases is completely asymptomatic, so it's best not to take anyone's word for it. Babies do not have immunity to "adult" diseases, but adaptation begins literally during childbirth, when the child passes through the paths of the mother. The greatest danger is posed by other children, carriers of childhood infections (chicken pox and others).

A newborn child is not yet able to resist the viruses and bacteria of this world, so the presence of strangers in the first days of a baby’s life is highly undesirable.

Bacteria (both beneficial and pathogenic) support human life. In a familiar environment, the former suppress the latter, and the body functions well. The baby in the first weeks of life adapts to the microflora of the family.

Mom and dad are "suppliers" of certain bacteria. The baby's body gets used to them, but as soon as unfamiliar bacteria appear, brought by aunts, uncles, grandparents, then the balance is disturbed and diseases develop.

Guests with their bacteria wedged into the adaptation process. Of course, it's always nice to look at the baby, but it's better not to hold him in your arms. A month later, when the child has a microbiome (suitable external environment set of bacteria), all friends and relatives will be able to play enough with the newborn.

Another reason to isolate the baby is underdevelopment. nervous system. He is easily excited, but he still does not know how to slow down the process. Long bridesmaids, with new voices and smells, can excite the baby very much. After that, it will be difficult to put him to sleep and you will have to listen to crying for a long time.

Outsiders can also affect the bond between mother and baby. The first month of life is important in order to establish a trusting and strong relationship with the child, to improve lactation. This happens through speech, touch, intonation. A whirlpool of contacts will simply confuse him, and his mother will not know what the baby's crying is talking about.

The connection between mother and child is established during the first weeks when feeding and communicating with the baby, so it is important to remain calm and trust during this period.

The benefits of ancient superstition in modern practice

At first, it is necessary to protect not only the baby, but also the mother. She needs to rest, come to her senses, feel a connection with the baby. Only the mother decides how to care for her child. Countless advice only harms, no matter how correct they are.

Constant interference in the relationship between mother and child can lead to a real tragedy, when a woman will no longer feel like a mother, but will feel like a servant.

A young mother must learn responsibility. If she does not make decisions from the very birth of her baby, then in the future she will wait for advice. What should be denied:

noisy companies;
other children;
gifts;
transferring the baby from hand to hand;
advice and recommendations;
any attempts to impose themselves on a visit;
quarrels with a baby;
babysitter
clothes with a strange smell;
long telephone conversations;
video calls.

Be careful not to leave a newborn baby alone with other children

Pediatricians advise not to invite other children to the bride under the age of one. They do not know how to properly behave with newborns, they can stress them with their cries or laughter, and even inadvertently injure them. It is better to communicate with the parents of other children on a walk while the baby is sleeping in the stroller. Children over the age of 14 are welcome to visit.

In the end, any guests are tea, treats, conversations, cleaning. A young mother should not be distracted by such matters. Her task is to rest, care for the baby, recuperate. Do not be afraid to offend persistent relatives, because the peace of the whole family is at stake. If you simply don’t want to clean up the apartment before the arrival of guests, you need to boldly rely on this sign.

How to deal with photos?

“Well, since doctors already forbid direct contact, why not please relatives with photographs,” mothers think. However folk beliefs reintroduce the ban. Photos carry the image of a child, so even through them you can convey negative energy.

It is believed that during this period the child is energetically weak, he does not have reliable protection from evil influences. The energy field of the baby stabilizes just at this time. Any sideways glance, flattering word, every breath is reflected on the newborn as on a white canvas.

Strong psychics are quite ways to harm even from a photo. No wonder they usually take personal items or photographs for searches. If you look at the problem from the other side, then there will still be inadequate people who can do a lot of indecent and creepy things with a photo of a baby. Some offended person will spoil the photo of the child and send it back as a cruel joke. Esotericists are sure that every thought materializes. It is better to protect the baby from any influence, and show photos of older babies.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in Clinical Psychology

In a feminine way » Unknown » Signs

With the advent of the baby in the family, all sorts of beliefs, signs, prohibitions immediately pop up. You can’t look at a sleeping baby, you shouldn’t bathe a child in front of strangers, you shouldn’t look at breastfeeding by strangers, and most importantly: you shouldn’t show your child to strangers 40 days after birth. What is the reason for this belief and is it worth sticking to?

Ancient Christian interpretation

From the moment of the formation of Christianity in Rus', many beliefs began to be associated with the number 40. Forty holy great martyrs-soldiers, forty days Jesus Christ walked the world after the resurrection and before the ascension, forty days the soul of the deceased is waiting for the determination of his further stay ... It was believed that the soul of the baby was the first 40 days does not belong to this world, still with the Lord. In the event that the baby lived safely for the first 40 days after birth, he should have been christened, giving him a name and, accordingly, a Guardian Angel. After that, the soul of the child was already protected from the machinations of the evil one, so it was allowed to start the ceremony of the bride. Today, the Church allows the rite of Baptism not necessarily after 40 days, it can be much earlier, at the request of the parents and the condition of the baby. Is it possible to consider that the belief has lost its relevance?

Having come into this world, the baby goes through a difficult path of adaptation and getting used to loved ones, new conditions of existence. For the normal adaptation of the mother to the child and the child to the mother, it is believed that it is necessary to establish the most comfortable emotional and spiritual contact. If in the first month of a baby's life strangers, friends, neighbors endlessly crowd into the house, take the child in their arms, the adaptation period will be significantly delayed, turning into psychosomatic manifestations. The child will begin to catch cold easily, become capricious, and there will be problems with nutrition. Pediatricians also draw parents' attention to minimizing contact with strangers in order to avoid problems with the baby's immunity.

onwomen.ru

Why can't newborns be shown until 40 days old?

Is it possible to show a newborn up to 40 days? In the folklore of any nation, one can find proverbs, sayings and signs that originated in ancient times. Many, claiming that these are just ridiculous superstitions, do not even realize that there is some truth in everything, and in the modern world there are quite weighty arguments to confirm such statements. For example, why can't a newborn be shown until 40 days old?

Mysterious number 40

In the Bible, the number 40 symbolizes completeness, completeness. For example, Noah opened the window on the ark only after 40 days of the flood; the Jews wandered in the desert for 40 days; this number plays an important role in the life of the prophet Moses; The resurrected Jesus stayed on earth for 40 days before his ascension.

In numerology, 40 symbolizes harmony, balance, the threshold between states of consciousness.

Some sources say that the number 40 carries negative energy: 40 days after death, the human soul still wanders the earth. 40 years in ancient Greece meant that a person had already crossed the threshold that leads to old age and death.

How do priests explain the sign why it is impossible to show a newborn up to 40 days? They say that the baby is still too weak and vulnerable. Therefore, it will be easily attracted to him. negative energy. It is worth noting that our Christian ancestors did not perceive a baby who was not yet 40 days old as a full-fledged member of the family. After the expiration of this time, the child was baptized, he acquired his own guardian angel, who protected him from evil spirits. It turns out that it is impossible to show a newborn up to 40 days, since there is still no one to protect him spiritually.

The view of doctors on this belief

Few doctors really believe in such signs and evil eye. Medical workers able to immediately dispel any thoughts about the presence of mysticism. In the language of medicine, the mystical phrase "You can not show a newborn before 40 days" takes on a real and common sense: "A child cannot be shown in the first days of life, because he can easily catch an infection." The body of a newborn baby is very weak and not adapted to the environment. It must also be taken into account that most infections are transmitted through the air. That is, the more people are around the baby, the more viruses surround him.

It is best to refrain from showing the child to all your friends, and limit the circle of contacts to close relatives, grandparents, sisters, brothers.

Psychologists' explanation

How long can you show a newborn? It is necessary to take into account the psychological data of the development of the child. The baby who came into this world is just beginning to adapt. Everything is new and unknown to him. Up to 1 month, the child's vision is formed, he does not distinguish colors, it is difficult for him to distinguish voices. Therefore, you can not create stressful situations for the crumbs. This may affect its further development.

Suddenly, meeting new people will cause a child to panic, and after that he will become withdrawn? For the development of the baby, it is necessary to provide comfortable conditions.

Previously, the Slavs generally believed that only a born child had not yet fully come into our world. Part of him lived in the world of spirits, and therefore it was forbidden to disturb him.

To believe in all these beliefs, the evil eye, or to adhere to a medical opinion is a purely individual matter. But only one thing is clear - it is desirable to limit the social circle of a newborn child in order to protect him from infections or from evil spirits. Parents themselves must decide whether or not to show a newborn up to 40 days.

33po4emu.ru

Why a newborn cannot be shown to strangers for 40 days

Many people have heard about unusual rule that the newborn should not be shown to outsiders for 40 days. Some mothers do not listen to him, immediately show the baby not only to relatives and friends, but also walk in the first days after discharge. And this is correct even only because the mothers themselves decided so. But usually, doctors do not recommend contact for some time after birth. And there are explanations for this.

The first weeks after birth, the baby goes through a difficult adaptation. He learns to respond to the world, gets used to living separately from the mother's womb. It also adapts to the viral environment. The fewer serious pathogens in his environment, the better. Therefore, you should protect the child from sick people. And since many, even the most beloved relatives may not know about their diseases, the baby's acquaintance with other people can have Negative consequences. If a mother decides not to introduce her friends for the first weeks, then in order not to offend her loved ones, one can refer to an old sign - not to show a newborn child to anyone for 40 days.

A sign is a sign, but the roots are very interesting. According to ancient pagan ideas, the world was divided into two parts: the world of living people and the world of the dead (the world of the souls of the dead). In the world of souls, everything was the same as ours, but vice versa. 40 days - this is the period when the dead, like a newborn, passes from one world to another. Such were the performances. There were also specific rites, the purpose of which was to help a person make the final transition. In other words, to help the dead go once and for all to That world, and the newborn to stay in Our world, because the mortality rate was extremely high in those days. The meaning of all thematic rituals was erased, but the sign itself remained ...

Nevertheless, the child undergoes adaptation in the first days, he needs only calmness and a calm mother. By the way, many mothers do not need many hours of gatherings during this period. A woman should also recover after childbirth, relax and feel all the first joys and difficulties of motherhood.

What does Orthodoxy say?

First reason: religious. A newborn baby is not protected in any way from the action of surrounding forces. A guardian angel, a protector, appears in a person after baptism. By Orthodox tradition the child is baptized just on the 40th day (not earlier) from his birth. And from that moment on, the baby is already protected from the bad thoughts of people. Moreover, according to popular belief, it is impossible to show a child not only in person, but even in a photograph. Therefore, they were not previously allowed to photograph children before he was 40 days old.

In general, the number 40 has a certain meaning in the Orthodox spiritual world. For example, we know from the Bible that the Flood lasted just so many days, and the soul of a dead person stays on earth for another 40 days. Thus, 40 days is the period that the soul needs to say goodbye to the earthly world when a person has passed away; 40 days is the time it takes a newborn to adapt to the world and get the necessary protection.

What does medicine say?

The second reason why you can not show a child up to 40 days, medical. To a baby who has just been born, everything is new in the world around him. And air, and things, and people. After the mother's womb, he meets with different microbes and begins to adapt to the environment. In order for addiction to be gradual, it is desirable to limit the number of contacts with different people. After all, the more people, the more viruses. Therefore, in the first days of a baby's life, the closest family members are enough for calm.