In the past, Hmong women had child labor at their home with their mother and husband. Nowadays, child labor occurs at hospitals with midwives and doctors to help you. After the child is born, the father would dig a hole to bury the placenta. If the baby was a girl, she would be buried underneath her parent’s bed. If the child was a boy, he would be buried under the central column of the house. When a Hmong woman gives birth, she has to eat a special diet which is Chicken broth with herbs. This diet is to be eaten for every meal for about a month after the birth. It is said to help the women to be healthy after child labor and replenish her body. When the child is born, the mother would put a silver or gold necklace on the baby. The necklace is to protect the child and make them have good health.

In the Hmong culture, a Hmong family usually consists of about 10-12 members. Having a lot of family members is said to better and that it will help the family because each member will help contribute to the well-being of the family. Having a lot of member is like having a lot of hands to help at the home and at the fields. It makes working at the fields easier for the family because the jobs would be split between the members. The work would be reduced by half if everyone helped out.

After three days of the birth to about a month, a calling of the spirit ceremony or Hu Plig is to take place to welcome the child into the family. It is a ceremony with the sacrifice of chickens. During the ceremony, the parents would name the child. The ceremony joins the baby with the baby’s soul so the baby would be healthy and well (Liamputtong 210). “The Hmong believe that the name of the baby represents his or her soul…wrong name...the child is not called...right name has to be chosen” (Liamputtong 211) This means that the ceremony helps find the right name for the child so the soul would go to the child. If the name was wrong, the child would fall ill or cry so finding the right name would make the child be healthy.

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