Post-Birth Ceremony

First some pictures...

A view from Rosa's house - near Tecpan

Seafood at the market for a big soup I didn't want to risk eating!

Odilia just buying a string of live crabs... nbd

Preparing the stew. I just can't bring myself to eat something that still has eyes.

Pretty cacti rosettes

This morning we went to Petronila's house for the last time and I got to witness and participate in a post-birth ceremony that Odilia does a week or 10 days after each birth. We were at the house for about 5 hours total - it took a long time but was very interesting to see! First Odilia had me strip the bed and sweep the room that Petronila and her baby had been resting in since his birth. Then she covered the bed and the whole floor with pine needles and the bed with flower petals. It smelled so good in there! Odilia, Petronila, and her mother-in-law all kneeled in front of the bed and Odilia recited a very long prayer. She also threw Pepsi around the bed and lit incense and 6 candles as gifts to God. It was very cool! We let the candles and incense burn while Odilia and Petronila went into the temascal for one last massage and one last bath for the baby (it STILL doesn't have a name). Afterwards, I covered the inside of the temascal with the rest of the pine needles and flower petals and went in with Odilia as she did the same ceremony with candles, incense, and Pepsi offering inside. Both ceremonies are to thank God for the health and well-being of the family and baby. Traditionally, the new mother doesn't go out of the bedroom much or start working again until the midwife comes and performs this final ceremony. It was a very happy morning and I got to meet Petronila's little sisters and mom who had come to the house to help and celebrate. I also had my fair chair of baby holding/cooing!
During the ceremonies, the women of the family were busy making a HUGE feast for everyone. It is tradition to have pulic de pollo, a special chicken/tomato/other vegetable soup, and tomales, at these types of ceremonies. The soup was made in this enormous pot over a wood fire and I got to stir it for a bit with the very long wooden spoon. Everyone ate together on bedroom floor with the pine needles!

Covering the bed

...and floor

Petronila's mom washing the bedding

Incense

Start of the ceremony - Petronila's mother-in-law and Odilia praying

Praying

I love this picture

Here he is!

Boy do I love babies!

Huge soup

Petronila's twin sisters and Lupita (she came, too) playing jacks

After I put the pine needles and flower petals in the temascal

temascal water

Temascal

Ceremony number 2 inside

Lunch! 

Santos, Lupita, Odilia, and I having lunch

:)

Petronila and Alex (Mom and Dad of the babe) are on the left

The family gave Odilia a bunch of tomales and more soup for her to bring home to her family - a nice gift!

After the long morning and Petronila's, we went to Chimaltenango because Odilia had a doctor's appointment. She has problems with her tailbone so she had a check-up with an orthopedic specialist. Her appointment was at 3 and he didn't even get to the clinic until 3:45! Crazy. I went into the room with her and he gave her two steroid shots in her sciatic nerves - so incredibly painful. Afterwards she got really dizzy and almost passed out and the whole ride home she complained of her mouth going numb, then her nose, then her eyes. The doctor said it was normal, but I hope it goes away soon because she is very uncomfortable! 

Stopped on the side of the road to buy some peaches and strawberries on the way to Chimaltenango - yummm