Hi! In the states (I was born here...my parents were born in Lagos...we are Yoruba), most people will share the due date once they have passed the first trimester because the risk of miscarriage is then reduced. However, I often hear it is traditional to keep the due date close and not share with people.

What is the reasoning behind keeping the pregnancy due date secret? Also, if you are to be vague about the due date when people ask, how do you answer them without be rude or lying outright?

For safety, spiritual reasons

because of people.

However, in the western world, folks freely give out the information.

who is pregnant- anyone we know?

like recently married?

Thanks for your replies. These are similar to the reasons I have heard from relatives - if people know you are pregnant or when you are due that they may wish ill on you or your child, do juju or something like that....? :-/ Yes we know the person it is I.

Because of evil eyes.
Most Nigerians wont even ask your due date except if they are very close to u. However I have close friends who have given wrong due date, (add about 2 months extra) or just tell me they dont know.

ojulowo:
Thanks for your replies. These are similar to the reasons I have heard from relatives - if people know you are pregnant or when you are due that they may wish ill on you or your child, do juju or something like that....? :-/ Yes we know the person it is I.

Its a Nigerian superstition which may or may not be true.

However, westerners freely give out due dates.

ojulowo:
Hi! In the states (I was born here...my parents were born in Lagos...we are Yoruba), most people will share the due date once they have passed the first trimester because the risk of miscarriage is then reduced. However, I often hear it is traditional to keep the due date close and not share with people.

What is the reasoning behind keeping the pregnancy due date secret? Also, if you are to be vague about the due date when people ask, how do you answer them without be rude or lying outright?

I'll speak from my mother's experience during her pregnancy with my kid brother. She hid her due date from everyone for fear of spiritual attack on the labour day should people know and the evil ones plan to attack her or the baby on that day, leading to stillbirth or maternal death. That is the general belief. The night my mom finally gave birth to him, nobody knew. She felt the labour signs, quietly went to my father and they quietly drove off to the hospital. It was around 9pm in the night and I was awake watching TV when this was happening while my other siblings were already fast asleep. At first, I didn't even have an idea my mom was going to give birth. She didn't give a hint at all. When she was leaving she just told me she was going to be back. That was it. Eyes weary and yawning loudly I later went to sleep. I woke up around 3 am and looked for her but didn't see her in her bedroom. I checked my dad's bedroom and he wasn't there either, and I sensed something was definitely happening. I went back to sleep only to wake up in the morning and my dad was already back and he announced that mommy had given birth to a bouncing baby boy to everybody's surprise!

I would like to add that my mom went through issues when she was pregnant with my kid brother, and thus made her secretive about her due date.

wow ok thank you! yes, maybe i need to just go ahead and be more secretive. i like the idea of adding time to the date. i was curious especially since a Naija pal of mine asked me three different times. Each time I just gave the nearest holiday and still each time I was asked again. Thank you all very much, I am very superstitious myself, this is helpful information and I appreciate it.

ojulowo:
maybe i need to just go ahead and be more secretive.

good luck with that.


you can politely or jokingly remind the person asking, that you've already told them three times?