ABSTRACT
I n Gosforth, as elsewhere, the welfare of a baby before its birth is a matter of considerable concern to the family, relatives and friends of the mother, and numerous beliefs are held about the consequences to the child of the mother's behaviour during pregnancy. For example, horrible tales are told of expectant mothers who stood on bridges over a river, or who did too much ‘brain work’, actions which are said to result in the birth of an idiot child. The unborn child is referred to as ‘t’babby’ very much as ‘living’ children are, and a birth is therefore thought of as a transition from one state of existence to another.
