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Pregnancy Superstitions In Jamaica

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fdr_resort_in_jamaica_hammock_tasha_babyPregnancy Superstitions In Jamaica

by Sheree-Anita Shearer | Associate Writer

There are many superstitions surrounding pregnancy in Jamaica. Most times even if we are a little skeptical about the truth behind it, we will still listen just in case it is true or because it is much easier to do it than to argue.

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  1. Dreams with fish - When Jamaicans see fish in their dreams, they immediately start calling those closest to them to find out who in the family or friend group is pregnant. The link between fish and pregnancy is not entirely clear but in Jamaica, it is a clear indication that there will be an addition to the family very soon.

  2. Showing sympathy to the less fortunate - You are advised not to feel sorry for less fortunate or disfigured persons as your child will be born with that condition. Pregnant women are also advised not to laugh at a person’s appearance as their child might be born to look like them.

  3. Child Resemblance and Luck – A baby boy who resembles his mother will be lucky, and so will a baby girl who resembles her father. In Jamaica when things are the opposite, it is known as very bad luck. Pregnant women pray often pray that they get ‘lucky’ children.

  4. Resembling your mother is bad luck - In Jamaica a child born who resembles their mother more will not have good luck.

  5. Lizard - Also another sign of pregnancy. If a lizard jumps on a woman, it is believed she is pregnant. Again, I am not sure why this is the chosen way to announce a pregnancy but women are forever worried about a lizard jumping on them for this reason.

  6. Sewing – As soon as you find out you are pregnant in Jamaica, you must add sewing to the long list of things you must avoid doing. It is believed that sewing while pregnant will cause the child to be tied up in the umbilical cord.

  7. Avoid Peppers - Eating peppers while pregnant will cause the baby to be born blind. So if you are craving spicy food while pregnant, you will be in a bit of a pickle.

  8. Holding your hands above your head - Again, this should be avoided to prevent medical emergencies for the baby with the umbilical cord. If you do, the cord will wrap around the baby’s neck.

  9. Touching the skin - So this one needs a little more context. In Jamaica, we believe that if you are craving something you can’t get at that moment and you begin to itch you must avoid scratching it at all costs. If you do, your child will be born with a mark in that spot that resembles the food you were craving.

  10. The gender of the baby - Many people believe it is easy to tell the gender of the baby by how high or low the mother carries. It is said that boys are carried lower than girls.

  11. Stay away from the dead - Pregnant women should avoid funerals, wakes, nine nights and the home of someone who has recently passed. However, if a child is born in the family before a person dies, the child should be brought to the grave site and passed over the coffin so the person’s spirit does not try to harm or play with the baby.

  12. Taking pictures while pregnant - This one is probably the least followed of all. But Jamaican women are advised not to take pictures while pregnant or the baby will be born cross-eyed.

  13. A pregnant woman should not climb a fence - A Jamaican woman should not be seen climbing a fence and I doubt the reasons we have are similar to yours. This is not as much about her safety as it is about the future profession of the child. It is believed that if a mother does this, her child will become a thief. The same thing is said about cutting a newborn’s nails with scissors.

After having the baby, the list only gets longer.

  • The umbilical cord must be brought home and buried in the yard to give the child roots and a sense of connection to their hometown. The “navel string” should not be dropped as this is bad luck.


  • The child should wear red to avoid duppy (ghosts) and evil spirits.

  • The child should be christened before being brought out into the world. You also must not tell persons the name of your child before he/she is christened. And even then, it is best if you give your child an alias or pet name instead.

    The child must not be shown to anyone except close loved ones before christening either. So in this era of posting on social media, Jamaican mothers will either wait to post their babies or cover their faces.

These pregnancy superstitions are yet to be proven by any medical or scientific evidence. But many of them have been a part of Jamaican culture for years with little indication of it changing anytime soon.

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Return to Jamaican Wedding Transitions and Superstitions from Pregnancy Superstitions In Jamaica
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References & Sources For Pregnancy Superstitions In Jamaica

  1. Clarke, D. (2018) 9 Jamaican pregnancy myths, Jamaicans.com. Available at: https://jamaicans.com/9-jamaican-pregnancy-myths/ (Accessed: December 26, 2022).
  2. Very superstitious...10 old wives' tales Jamaicans still believe (no date) My. Available at: https://www.my-island-jamaica.com/very-superstitious10-old-wives-tales-jamaicans-still-believe.html (Accessed: December 26, 2022).

Pregnancy Superstitions In Jamaica | Written: December 26, 2022

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