Surely everyone is familiar with the horror movie trope where spirits take special interest in an unborn child or incarnate into a monstrous fetus, but where does that come from…
And what happens when the bump in the night is a baby bump?
Origins
This trope has been exhausted in the media and also has roots in some cultural and real life anecdotal lore. Could there be truth to pregnancy acting as a beacon to spirits, or is it all just baby brain? Let's explore some theories!
Pregnancy Superstitions
Religious superstitions state that if someone gives the expecting family some baby gifts before the actual birth, it will attract evil entities who will then cause bad luck, and even miscarriage.
Others believe the opposite; that bringing offerings will be an incentive to keep evil spirits from doing harm to the baby, like a bribe. People will come to bring amulets and other protective objects.
Some cultures believe that miscarriage may also be the result of announcing pregnancy too early. Clearly these superstitions are playing on the fear factor of early term risks and "jinxing" things. When something bad does happen, it's blamed on the lore related to their confirmation bias, rather than the actual statistical likelihood of the risk & tragedy. There's currently no data to support any correlation of these bad omens with pregnancy results.
Regardless of this, it's extremely important to note that certain protective practices involving substances like Clary Sage and sage smoke can cause contractions and miscarriage in severe cases. The thujone in the sage can cause menstruation and the sclareol in the Clary Sage can cause oxytocin spikes leading potentially to contractions. There is indeed data to support that. Smoke inhalation itself is also not good for the fetus, or anyone for that matter.
One more time for the skimmers: **DO NOT USE SAGE WHILE PREGNANT.**
Even if these beliefs were true, why might spirits be interested in pregnancy?
Giving Off Vibes
Could it be the youthful vitality emanating from the womb, exuding the purest life energy for spirits to feed off of? Are the intense hormones that radiate off of pregnant people really enticing to spirits? There is the theory that hormones are the cause of poltergeist activity (rather than a departed soul); powerful enough to cause telekinetic activity. Are pregnant people the ghosts themselves?!
Let's consider instead, for a moment, that it's psychosis rather than psychokinesis.
Medical Symptoms
It's no secret that pregnancy is intense. There's severe sleep deprivation, potentially little to no food consumption in the early nauseating months, stress, and severe hormone fluctuations. These may be stacked on a pre-existing mental health condition. Usually people with psychiatric conditions must go off their meds when they become pregnant, causing potential for psychotic episodes to varying degrees.
Pregnant people do seemingly report higher levels of "paranormal" activity, making us question whether they're simply more in tune with that world (since they're literally connected to a being that's straddling the precipice of the transitional phase between non-existence/death and the spark of life), or whether they're more paranoid.
The conditions that someone is under during pregnancy can easily be unstabilizing. With the instinct to protect the vulnerable fetus and themselves at an all-time high, their mind may be on high alert to the faintest sound or shadow. This is natural. Sleep deprivation and malnourishment have also been known to cause mild hallucinations and paranoia.
Then again, maybe the child is accompanied by an otherworldly guardian or is a beacon to the spirit world they just came from. We'll never really know for sure. One thing is certain, the Hollywood trope does seem to have roots in real world experiences and legends.
How Does Pregnancy Affect Paranormal Investigation?
There are a few reasons, beyond the superstitious, why a pregnant person may not want to go looking for spirits.
Danger
In the dark, tripping hazards are a real liability. We do try our best to manage cords and any natural landscapes, but we've all taken a tumble once or twice. A pregnant person, however, can't be so careless, because even a small tumble could be disastrous.
Health
Many old places that we investigate contain asbestos and other harmful airborne respiratory risks. Some even contain molds/fungi that can cause psychosis - putting the integrity of our investigation, and the safety of parent and baby, at risk. We always use the correct ventilation tools and protective wear. Nevertheless, we would hate to see anyone harmed in the process of this research.
We also acknowledge that a spiritual attack isn't entirely off the table. Everyone investigates at their own risk, but knowledge is power; everyone on our team makes informed decisions and we're eager to welcome a C.L.A.S.S.-A baby very soon!
Follow us to come along on all our Investigative adventures!
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