Heartwarming pregnancy and birth traditions around the world -

Pregnancy and childbirth are experienced by women all over the world, but not every experience is the same. Many rituals and customs accompany the process of bringing a new life into the world. Check out the following gallery of some of the most unique and time-honored traditions that take place in various countries around the world, as outlined on baby website The Bump.

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Bali, Indonesia - This mainly Hindu Indonesian island has a special post-birth tradition that involves burying the placenta. They believe that the placenta is alive and represents a twin sibling, which must be ceremoniously laid to rest.

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Bali, Indonesia - Babies are also believed to have descended from heaven and are treated like gods. In this sense, their feet are not allowed to touch the ground for the first 210 days of their lives.

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Brazil - In Brazil, it's customary for new moms to give friends and family a little gift when they have a baby. For example, new parents may give out a magnet with a photo of the new baby.

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Brazil - It's also common to tell friends and family the name of the baby before it's born, and decorate the maternity door with a plaque with the newborn's name.

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Dominican Republic - One tradition that is widely practiced here is determining whether the baby will be a boy or a girl through various wives tales and tricks.

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Dominican Republic - During one custom, a spoon, fork, and knife are all placed under different chairs and covered, and then the mom-to-be chooses a chair to sit on. The spoon indicates a girl, the knife a boy, and the fork signifies that the gender is undetermined.

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Ecuador - One tradition that takes place in Ecuador is called "la dieta." After the baby is born, both mother and child remain shielded indoors with a canopy hung over the bed.

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Ecuador - At the end of la dieta, the mom is prepared a bath with herbs, perfume, and a cup of milk or three rose petals to ready herself for re-entry into everyday life.

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Finland - In Finland, the government set up a plan in the 1930s to provide baby necessities to all mothers, according to The Bump.

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Finland - Mothers can opt to receive a box of baby products, including clothes, bedding, and diapers, or take a money grant instead. Incidentally, Finland also boasts one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world.

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Germany - This country is very strict when it comes to the names parents can give their children.

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Germany - If a name is rejected by the Standesamt (the office of vital statistics), parents are allowed to make a case for an exception. However, every time a name proposal is submitted, parents must pay a fee.

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Guyana - The South American country has a special tradition that takes place nine days after a baby is born. Family and friends gather for a celebration and bring gifts for the little one.

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Guyana -

Popular gifts include gold bangle bracelets and sweets. Another tradition is to burn the placenta to symbolize the separation of mother and baby.

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Israel - Circumcision is a common ritual found around the world, but it is also specific to Jewish law.

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Israel - The ancient practice, known as Brit Milah, is a religious ceremony performed on the 8th day of a baby's life.

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Japan - Most Japanese women refuse pain killers while giving birth as Buddhist belief encourages labor pains as a way to ready a woman for the tests of motherhood.

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Japan - Crying contests, called nakizumo, are also held to see which baby will cry first. Crying is seen as a sign of health and strength in Japanese culture.

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The Netherlands - The Netherlands boasts the highest number of home births in the world. After a baby is born, parents place a display in the window to announce the new arrival.

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The Netherlands - It is also customary to eat "beschuit met muisjes" or "biscuits with mice." The "mice" are licorice sprinkles that are colored pink or blue depending on the baby's gender.

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Nigeria - In this African country, babies are given blessings—in the Yoruba community, on the 7th day for a girl and the 9th day for a boy, friends and family bring water (to be free of enemies), palm oil (to have a stress-free life), kola nut (to live a long life), and salt and pepper (to encourage excitement in life).

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Nigeria - A baby's first bath is given by the grandmother and symbolizes that the mother is not alone in raising the child.

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Pakistan - This country has a special tradition known as Aqiqah. During Aqiqah, a baby is named, their head is shaved, and an animal sacrifice is made in their honor.

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Pakistan - The ceremony takes place on the 7th, 14th or 21st day after baby's birth.

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South Korea - Mother and baby care is highly valued in this Northeast-Asian country.

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South Korea - The country is home to many postpartum care centers where mom and baby work with a team of nutritionists, nurses, and skin care specialists and participate in yoga classes and massages to recover from birth and ensure a strong relationship.

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Turkey - In Turkey, baby showers and celebrations take place after the baby is born. After 20 days of at-home rest, mom and baby visit the houses of families and friends to receive a handkerchief full of candy that symbolizes a good-natured baby, and an egg to symbolize a healthy life.

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Turkey - After a baby is born, mothers also drink a traditional beverage known as "Lohusa Şerbeti" ("postpartum sherbet"). The drink is made with water, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and red food coloring and is intended to get milk flowing.

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United States -

The US doesn't have many traditions that span the entirety of the country, but one commonality seems to exist. Most American hospitals use the Kuddle-Up Blanket (pictured) to wrap newborns after they are born. The blanket has come to symbolize the miracle of birth in this country.

See also: 60 things you cannot do while pregnant

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