tae-gyo

so koreans are well-known for their... beliefs... superstitions... whatever you'd like to call them. already i have my mom laying them down on me - things i can and can't do, can and can't eat, etc. this belief system that pertains to prenatal care is called tae-gyo. here are just a few points from it:

• the woman should not watch violent shows/movies.
• classical music should be the music of choice. no heavy music allowed.
• the woman should not eat foods (especially fruit) of irregular shape, as the baby may be born ugly.
• the father should read fairy tales to the baby daily.
• the woman should refrain from all negative thoughts and try not to be stressed.

again, these are just a few - and there are many - and they focus mostly on the emotional well-being and its believed effects on the baby. while i do not think eating ugly fruit = ugly baby, i don't think it could hurt to follow the rest of these principles, what harm can come of having my mind at ease? besides, it's kinda fun to have people try to "not stress me out". haha.