If you are born in a caul you cannot drown?

[travellinghopefully12]

Is this an irresponsible thing for parents to tell their children? DP was told this as a child, by his othrwise lovely parents and I can't quite believe it.

He grew up thinking he could swim out as far to sea as he liked.

[Crispsheets]

Of course it is

[Just5minswithDacre]

Hopefully they told him that death from exposure of hypothermia was still possible?

Old wives tales are plain dangerous, aren't they?

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

Of course it is, it's horrendously irresponsible.

My godmother used to tell me I couldn't drown because I'm an aquatic star sign. That was really irresponsible too. People say some really bloody stupid things without thinking through the consequences...

[travellinghopefully12]

Why do otherwise loving, sane parents say these things? Yes 5Mins, old wives tales are terrifyingly dangerous.

[Whitecovers]

My grandma told me little girls float 🤔

[AnnieOnnieMouse]

Gosh, I haven't heard that one in over 50 years, and even then it was known to be an old wives tale. You can see where the thought may have come from, many centuries ago, before sense and logic took hold, but once we got into the 19th century...

[BennyTheBall]

I don't think people spout nonsense like this nowadays?

My mum was told her pregnancy heartburn meant the baby had lots of hair

[TheHobbitMum]

My daughter was born en caul (also Velamentous cord insertion) and all the midwives and healthy visitors would say this. I knew not to take it literally though lol DD is a complete fish! Would happily swim from sun up to bedtime and has swam confidently since about 3 and absolutely loves water sports too. Far more of a water baby than my other 3 so the family often out it down to her being born en caul as a family tale. It's just a old wives tale and I'd hope folk wouldn't take it as truth

[Chottie]

My DS was born in caul and people used to tell him this too.

Centuries ago, cauls used to sold to sailors for good luck and to save them from drowning.

[TheSilverChair]

My gt grandfather always carried a caul when he went to sea. He was a lifeboatman and died in his bed aged 96 in 1941.

Seamen are notoriously superstitious.

[TheHobbitMum]

Forgot to say DD was also born within the amniotic say completely intact around, which is a damn good job considering the volumentous cord insertion

[Alisvolatpropiis]

It's just an old wives tale.

[travellinghopefully12]

Why is there the connection between being born in a cowl and able to swim? DP was a very literal child, and is a very literal adult, so I am confused as to why his parents thought that was a good idea. Apparently they never said it again after he tried to swim to some Island off Anglesey when he was small.

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

Not sure what you mean by irresponsible? Might their children genuinely believe they can't drown and fling themselves in rivers and so on?

[butterfliesandzebras]

My mum was told her pregnancy heartburn meant the baby had lots of hair

Apparently that one has been proven true (to a certain extent). High amounts of the same hormones that can make heartburn more likely, also trigger more hair growth in the baby...

[0hCrepe]

How weird! I was watching childbirth clips earlier (I'm 36 weeks pg and wanted to watch positive births). Anyway one said birth in caul which I had never heard of before and now it's on here! In the video the mum gave birth in a pool and baby came out really slowly and stayed under the water the whole time and for quite a while after he was completely out. I thought this could happen with all babies though until they took their own breath. So still not sure what caul is, but this baby did have something floating around!

[Chippednailvarnishing]

Maybe your inlaws are particularly thick?

[0hCrepe]

The heartburn thing definitely wasn't true for me! I had terrible heartburn and 2 bald babies!

[travellinghopefully12]

They're Academics, Chippednailvarnishing! (but perhaps lack some practicality?)

OhCrepe, I think it's like a green bag??

[Velvetdarkness]

Ohcrepe the caul is the sac. Some babies come out still inside it.

[whattheseithakasmean]

I have horses and our foal was born in the caul. How reassuring to know she won't drown, I had never heard that

[CalebHadToSplit]

My DS was born in his sac. He has never been told that he couldn't drown, but has been told that he will be a sailor / lucky at sea. One of my in laws referred to it as a 'dry birth' which was far more accurate as no waters to lubricate his passage out!

[Canyouforgiveher]

That actually isn't the correct saying as far as I know.

It is "It you are born in a caul, you won't die of drowning" which is a bit different.

I suspect they read it first in David Copperfield (David Copperfield was born in a caul), and said it to him more as a reference to that/reminding him of the fact that he had a caul than a real directive that he should go and jump in the deep end because he was incapable of drowning.

Your DH didn't drown as a kid under his neglectful parents' watch - he grew up just fine. I'd chill and maybe ask them where the saying came from.

[Hassled]

But how were cauls being carried around by superstitious boatmen? I mean - how can they be preserved? Aren't they wafer-thin? Am I being really thick?

[Canyouforgiveher]

He grew up thinking he could swim out as far to sea as he liked.

He thought he was immune to drowning under any circumstances? Did his parents tell him that - swim out as far as you like, darling, you can't drown? How many times did he have to be rescued.