Jewish Customs of Pregnancy

Concealing the Pregnancy Until the Fifth Month

1)It is the custom of chassidim who are careful to conduct their lifestyles according to the practices of old that they conceal their wives’ pregnancies until they have entered the fifth month.1 Undoubtedly, this practice has an inner foundation. Of course, the precaution is about publicizing the pregnancy.2 It does not apply to divulging it to very close relatives without broadcasting it.3

Not to Mention the Pregnancy in a Pan Before the End of the First Trimester

2)There is a tradition among Anash handed down by the elder chassidim of the Alter Rebbe who in turn heard it directly from his holy mouth, in the name of our masters the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch regarding various practices in the chassidic lifestyle. One of these is that before the end of the third month and the beginning of the fourth, no mention of the pregnancy should be made in a pan or in any note to the Rebbe.4

Kapporos for a Pregnant Woman

3)A pregnant woman should take three birds5 for kapporos6 one [female] for herself, and an additional male and female because of the undetermined sex of the fetus [according to the custom of the AriZal].7

A Pregnant Woman as Kvatterin or Accompanying a Bride

4)The Jewish custom is not to take a pregnant woman as a kvatterin. The same applies to her accompanying a bride (“unterfiererin”).8

Immersion During the Ninth Month

5)I have not heard of a custom among Chassidei Chabad that a woman who has entered her ninth month of pregnancy should immerse herself in the mikveh.9

Charity

6)It is proper that each weekday morning she should donate a few pennies to charity. Of course, this is in addition to the regular donations she undoubtedly gives. The same applies to Erev Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov before lighting the candles, she should donate to the Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess charity box10 without undertaking a vow [to continue doing so always].

Inspecting the Mezuzos

7)One...