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Original poster

"The pram doesnt go in the house before the baby does"

262 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 02/03/2022 01:39

Just watching some call the midwife on catch up. A father who has had a few says "I can see the pram from here [in the hall of their home], that makes me happy!"

But it wouldnt have been in the house would it? My grandma and my mother were both absolutely horrified when I bought my pram and took it home. It was horribly bad luck. I was led to believe that this was standard, it really upset my grandma in particular.

Of course what it really was was that back then there was a much bigger risk of the baby not coming home, so you made sure the baby was alive before buying the pram.

This wasnt just my family was it? I just dont remember anyone else who had kids after me, I was pretty much the first in my group, getting this from their mothers so it has made me wonder....

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/03/2022 07:30

Our pram was delivered when I was about 30 weeks. Decided to put it together just to check before it went into the storage room out of the way. A part was broken. It took a few weeks to sort as we were abroad and it had been a present from grandparents (my brother had to pick up the new part from the shop and post it to us...)

Would not have wanted to do that and have no pram after baby was born!

WorkingItOutAsIGo · 02/03/2022 07:31

Yes, my DC in their 20s and we had our Oran delivered to a neighbours house until we had the baby.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/03/2022 07:31

I didn’t buy anything for my first until about a month before my due date, and this was in the late 70s. And then I only bought the basics. MiL bought the pram and IIRC kept it until after safe arrival.

I know it’s daft but still feel it’s tempting fate to shop early. I didn’t buy anything for first Gdc until she’d arrived safely - zoomed down to John Lewis right after the phone call.

Funnily enough I didn’t feel quite the same about knitting a blanket for first Gdd - still felt it wasn’t quite right though.

Bumtum126 · 02/03/2022 07:31

What are the good reasons?

BettyBag · 02/03/2022 07:32

@Silene

Where I live,, prams were not in house before, nor were names discussed. Please don't call it a silly supersition. There were and are good reasons for this.
Of course its silly superstition and everybody knows why it is, it isn't a secret.

I still followed it and even recently persuaded my sister in law (who never heard of it) to follow it which resulted in me having a pram in the bedroom for a month.

It's more tradition than anything now for me. My grandma who I loved dearly would be horrified by a pram in the house.

yorkshireteaspoonie · 02/03/2022 07:32

@PyongyangKipperbang

I have just remembered something else.

My mum was shocked that the pram place didnt let us put money down, and the shop store the pram, and then we would go back after the baby is born to get it. That was standard practice for her and grandma.

I do remember saying that I wasnt risking them closing down and keeping my money!

Our pram shop is doing that for us!
Ethelevertheunready · 02/03/2022 07:33

This reply has been deleted

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RegardingMary · 02/03/2022 07:37

Yes, my great granny often has a pram parked up in her spare room. She's a very sweet and tiny near 100 year old, but becomes formidable when it comes to prams, they mustn't go home for fear of tempting fate.

I believe she lots more than one baby although she rarely speaks of it.

reluctantbrit · 02/03/2022 07:37

Not sure if it is something more British and American (read it in an US article as well) but I never heard about it in Germany.

I talked about what things to buy with my mum and the only reaction I got was not too buy too many clothing at once as you never know how big your baby is. Which was quite correct in my case as DD was long and thin so most Newborn stuff didn't fit anyway for more than a week or so.

We have no family around to store items and got the crib and moses basket as hand-me-downs so waiting until the birth would be totally impractical.

And I enjoyed browing and buying and thinking about setting up baby's room.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 02/03/2022 07:37

10 years ago I paid for my pram and they kept it until the baby was born. My parents paid the last part of the bill and collected it for me. The pram shop said that’s the way they did it as standard.

The cot I did have set up which was daft as it wasn’t used for 7 months.

I didn’t buy anything until I was 34 weeks.

Lachimolala · 02/03/2022 07:37

I bought everything for all three of mine and kept it in the house normally, I’ve never heard of any superstitions or tempting fate with this. I don’t believe in them anyway in all honesty, load of nonsense.

lollipoprainbow · 02/03/2022 07:38

My mum got me a second hand pram when I was pregnant but wouldn't let me keep it at my flat she kept it at hers!

sunflowerdaisyrose · 02/03/2022 07:40

I've vaguely heard of this but no one in my family has mentioned it/imposed their superstitions on us and no friends have ever mentioned it.

We had the main things before our children were born but had no baby shower, but that's because I don't like them rather than superstitious.

BettyBag · 02/03/2022 07:40

@reluctantbrit

Not sure if it is something more British and American (read it in an US article as well) but I never heard about it in Germany.

I talked about what things to buy with my mum and the only reaction I got was not too buy too many clothing at once as you never know how big your baby is. Which was quite correct in my case as DD was long and thin so most Newborn stuff didn't fit anyway for more than a week or so.

We have no family around to store items and got the crib and moses basket as hand-me-downs so waiting until the birth would be totally impractical.

And I enjoyed browing and buying and thinking about setting up baby's room.

It came down via the Irish side in my family so I presume there too.
luxxlisbon · 02/03/2022 07:43

It is practical to buy it in advance now. I don’t have anyone else’s house to store baby stuff in so I would have to go and buy a cot and pram once the baby was head, sounds very awkward.

I do know a friend who had a stillbirth and one who had to return home for weeks alone while the baby was still in hospital but that is rare and although having all the baby stuff in a way could make it harder, it isn’t like it would be noticeably ‘easier’ to lose a child just because you don’t already have the pram etc.

sandgrown · 02/03/2022 07:43

I paid for the pram and left it at the shop when my son was born in 1979. I was in hospital the standard time of 10 days so plenty of time for DH to collect it. A relative bought everything for their baby and even sent out Christmas cards with the expected baby’s name on . Sadly the baby was stillborn just after Christmas .

TrippinEdBalls · 02/03/2022 07:45

@StrongTea

Can remember this when 1st child born 1974, mums were in hospital 7 to 10 days then so pram wasn’t needed immediately. Pram we bought from also gave a gift of a small fluffy hanging toy for the pram.
Yeah, I think this became pretty impractical now hospitals try and get you out asap. I had DS1 at 10pm and was discharged at 7.30 the next morning so I'm glad we had what we needed at home because there wouldn't have been time to sort it!
MrsJBaptiste · 02/03/2022 07:46

My eldest was born 18 years ago so only 2004 but I definitely knew about this superstition from MIL.

My mum was 55 and thought it was a load of rubbish. MIL was only 59 (but has always acted at least generation older) and kept the pram in her spare room. I don't believe in superstitions at all but I did it for MIL and to free up space in our house!

DoingAway · 02/03/2022 07:46

I had the bare minimum I needed until after dd arrived. I don’t even know where I got it from because all my female relatives were long dead by then. Must have picked it up when I was younger.

Rubyupbeat · 02/03/2022 07:48

A lot of my friends children will not have the pram or cot in the house before the baby. It's a really strong east end tradition, even though the majority of us don't live there anymore. I will probably encourage mine to do the same, from a traditional not superstitious perspective.

Girlmumdogmumboymum · 02/03/2022 07:52

My mum had this superstition after having her firdyborn at 23 weeks gedtation due to severe pre-eclampsia. Everything was ready and in place.

When I came along they didn't have a stitch for me in the flat. Infact when I made it home, they popped me in a drawer until they could get me a cot delivered.

She was v concerned when I put the cot up for DD at 29 weeks.

SunshineCake1 · 02/03/2022 07:54

I didn't really tell anyone when I was pregnant with DC3 and then texted to say he had been born as I had had a miscarriage before him. As time went on it felt I'd missed the boat to announce I was pregnant. Almost felt embarrassed. I had started to fill in a baby book and then lost the baby. DH said to throw it out as keeping it would be too upsetting. Regards to the pram and cot I think we left them in their boxes and then DC1 came unexpectedly and a little early anyway.

EmpressSuiko · 02/03/2022 07:58

I got told off for having the pram before I had my first born! Also for buying clothes and bits and bobs, was told we shouldn’t get anything until she was born

NeverDropYourMooncup · 02/03/2022 08:02

@Bumtum126

What are the good reasons?
Not having to bag up loads of baby clothes?
Tdcp · 02/03/2022 08:02

My nan was horrified that I had things like a pram and cot before DD was born. I was 8 months pregnant when she told me that I might still lose the baby 😑

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