TRADITIONS...a few beliefs on pregnancy and babies of Shoshone Indians... 

The Shoshone...

The Shoshone Indians are an American Indian tribe indigeneous to the eastern Idaho area. The following are just a few traditions that though are centuries old, some are still believed and practiced today whether living inside or outside the reservation. 

CARE OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN

-The main caregivers for the pregnant woman are her mother and the grandmother who were responsible in seeing that her basic care and needs were met. The father of the baby also play an important role providing for the new mother in making sure that she would eat adequate amounts of healthy food.

-The pregnant woman's diet would consist mainly of vegetables and dairy foods. She would avoid vegetables mainly eaten by rodents such as mice or gophers as the belief was that if these were eaten during pregnancy the baby would be born with a missing body part.

-The father of the baby would make sure that the mother exercised regularly. It was believed that the child would be lazy if the mother remained idle during pregnancy. Idleness would also make for a hard delivery.

-It was important for the baby to hear the father's voice while in the womb. This would be a positive influence on the birth.

-During pregnancy the mother is not to wear necklaces, medicine bags or anything that would completely encircle the neck for fear of this causing the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby's neck.

-Male children were preferred over female. Males were thought to be harder workers, stronger and would be more like their fathers.

LABOR AND DELIVERY

-The mother and the grandmother of the pregnant woman would deliver the baby. It is still important today to have these two women present at the birth.

-After delivery a hole was dug and the new mother would squat into the hole and deliver the placenta into it and then the hole would be refilled. Today the afterbirth is usually brought home from the hospital and simply buried.

POSTPARTUM

-The mother would live alone with her baby in a "moon house" for a month (a full lunar cycle) after the baby is born. They would be seperated from the main camp. This is a bonding time for the mother and child.

-The mother should not eat red meat until lochia flow has stopped. The father should not eat red meat until the baby's umbilical cord has fallen off.

-The baby's umbilical cord is buried under an anthill to ensure an industrious, hardworking life. This is still done today.

-To name the baby the elders of the tribe perform a name ceremony. Names are chosen through dreams and visions after the baby is born.

-All babies would be wrapped in a cradleboard made of buckskins and willows. This would keep the baby warm, secure and safe. Babies will spend quite a lot of time in these boards strapped to their mothers. Babies are still carried in these cradleboards today. 
 

KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE...

These are just a few of the traditions of a very proud people who still try to keep these beliefs alive through research of their heritage and putting these tradtions into practice in their own families so that they may be passed down from generation to generation.  The preceeding information was obtained by interviewing four Shoshone women who live in Idaho.