Customary Behavior during Pregnancy
A me’uberes, a woman who is expecting, should focus her energy on making sure that her child grows up in an environment of Torah and kedushah, in a holy environment, right from its conception. She should daven and give tzedakah in merit of the child growing up to be a G-d fearing Jew and proficient in Torah. She should refrain from publicizing her pregnancy until she enters her fifth month. It is customary for her to be careful not to enter mekomos tum’ah, places of impurity, or places that exude a negative odor. Many have a custom of not entering a Beis Hachayim, a cemetery, or going to a levayah, a funeral when they are expecting. Of course, if it is necessary, she may go to the funeral or to a cemetery, but she should stand at a distance from the deceased and from the burial site. It is also customary that she not gaze intently at non-kosher animals. She should spend her time in holy places, such as a Beis Hakneses, House of Prayer or a Beis Hamedrash, a place of Torah learning, so that the fetus absorb the beautiful, sweet sounds of Torah and prayer. A me’uberes should not get angry, as that may have a negative effect on her baby. She should also be extra careful in matters of kedushah, holiness, and tznius, modesty, especially as the pregnancy progresses. There is a custom that a me’uberes should not be a kvaterin, pass the baby over at a bris, nor an unterfihrer, escorting the bride to the chupah. If it is her own child’s chupah, she and her husband may circle the choson, groom, together with another couple?who are unterfihrers in their stead?along with the other set of parents.