10 unique baby traditions from around the world

Baby traditions: In a country like Brazil where traditional beauty is valued a lot, girl children are taught the importance of being pretty and calm from an early age. So much that some preschools reportedly have "no make-up" rules for kids.

People follow different baby traditions around the world. (Source: Getty Images)

Different cultures around the world follow different baby traditions, and some of them are quite strange. From jumping over newborns to dunking them in water, check out a compilation of baby traditions followed in different countries.

Iceland

People in Iceland are known to leave their babies outside to nap, despite the weather conditions. This could perhaps be one of the factors contributing to their longevity.

Spain

In Spain, people are said to observe a weird ritual during the festival of Feast of Corpus Christi. Babies born over the previous one year are placed row-wise on top of pillows on the streets. A man dressed up as the devil shows up and jumps over them. It is believed that once this happens, the child is absolved of their sinful life.

China

In China, children are known to be potty-trained before they turn one. Some families reportedly start training their babies as soon as they learn to hold their heads up. Babies wear crotch-less pants while parents hold them over the potty and make a certain whistle-like sound. Some families continue to follow this ancient practice even today.

Kenya

Mothers here are known to offer breast milk to babies to keep them quiet. “Nyonyo” means “breastfeed them” and is a solution for any problem the baby might face. It is quite normal to find babies not crying here.

Brazil

In a country like Brazil where traditional beauty is valued a lot, girl children are taught the importance of being pretty and calm from an early age. So much that some preschools reportedly have “no make-up” rules for kids.

Finland

In Finland, babies are known to receive all their essentials before leaving the hospital, all of which is packed neatly in a little box. A box usually contains suits, diapers, sleeping bag, outdoor gear and bathing supplies, to name a few. Moms have reportedly received these baby boxes from the government since 1938 to support impoverished families and cope with high infant mortality.

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Greece

Moms in Greece are warned not to wash their baby’s clothes and leave them to dry at night or evil could get into the clothes. They are also told to not let their babies see their own reflections in the mirror until they are christened.

Italy

People love to give compliments to newborn babies. But Italians mothers are known to be particularly wary of others’ remarks about their baby. The best way to give compliments to the new mother or the baby is by including “sense malocchio” meaning “without the evil eye”.

Armenia

Babies here are not taken out of the house for the first 40 days. Friends and family members can come to visit the baby. After they are of age, they are taken to church to seek the priest’s blessings.

Australia

Babies in Australia are known to be dunked in water as soon as they are born. Also, they feed infants and small children vegemite, a black yeast based paste, which is delicious and healthy.