The Alsea Indians had very clear rules about birth, death, and naming.
Birth
If an Alsea Indian woman ever had twins, the second baby always died. They believed that if both babies were kept then they would both die. There were never triplets, that the informant remembers.
...the second baby always died.
The umbilical cord was cut with a stone knife, then put in a skin sack, and hung on the end of the cradle. The afterbirth was taken out into the woods, and hidden or burned. If the afterbirth was burned, the woman could have no more kids.
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drawing by Courtney Powell
A baby cradle with a head flattener attached. The head flattener was a bag of sand placed on the babies head.
Every baby of the tribe would have a flattened head. The only babies that did not have flattened heads were the slave babies. The family would put a sack of sand on the baby's head when it still had a soft spot. The baby was not yet five days old. The babies were not weaned for two to three years.
Mothers
The mother was not allowed to have cold water or fresh meat for five days after having her baby. She was confined to her bed for five days. The gestation period for the first baby was thought to be longer then the gestation period for the other babies (if she had anymore).
Pregnancy was indicated by sickness. The women would continue to have sex until she was "pretty close" remarked Ludson.
Even though the woman could not get out of bed for five days after the birth; the father was allowed to leave, to hunt or fish.
Many gifts were given to the mother, father, midwife, and child.
Midwives
Midwives were said to have power. They could speak the baby's language, and had most of the responsibilities of taking care of the woman during pregnancy, but the father had some responsibilities.
