Paul,

Children were baptized shortly after their birth. When the Baptism took place, the infant was taken to the church by the father or the Padrinos, godparents or the grandparents but never the mother. The mother was not allowed to leave the house until after 40 days. It was believed to be unsafe or un-healthy for the mother to go out doors. Births always occurred in the home, not in a hospital.

Per the Catholic church, a baby had to be baptized in order for it to be saved in the event the child should die before baptism, therefore the baptism could not wait. In many towns in Mexico, that's still how it's done.

Alicia,
San Jose, Calif

________________________________
From: "paul.gomez@verizon.net"
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org; Erlinda@Castanon-Long.g.dreamhost.com
Sent: Fri, January 1, 2010 4:16:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates forSan Miguel

I am interested in learning more about your statement that "mothers were usually not at the baptism". Which sources can you cite to support your statement?

Respectfully,

Paul Gomez
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Erlinda Castanon-Long
Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:36:36
To: ;
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates for
San Miguel

Maureen you brought up a good point. I've often wondered abt time of birth since so many ancestors did not read or write so being able to tell time or even owning a clock seems strange to me. The mothers were not usually at the baptism so it was up the the Father and the padrinos to pick a time. a.m. or p.m. would be easy but actual time is hard to believe..

Linda in Boulder City

________________________________
From: "mytmo@netnitco.net"
To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Fri, January 1, 2010 2:15:34 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates for San Miguel

Recently I started my Familytree Maker cleanup of my Alviso/Bejar genealogy trees. I am adding a few things I did not add originally. One is the time of birth. Oddly, many of the times are 3 pm, and I know this many children could not have been born at 3 pm. Was this just a catch all time in case the exact time was not known or possibly they just guessed not having clocks? Some also have other times such as 12 noon or 11 o'clock at night, so I am not sure why 3 pm was so popular. Has any one else noticed this?

Maureen Bejar

I've wondered about that also. I just read somewhere that when Jesus was born, the mother had to go to a purification ritual after 40 days. I think I also have heard that in Mexico, mothers had to stay in the house for 40 days and it was the godparents who usually took the child to be baptized, so they would not know the exact hour of birth.

Emilie
Port Orchard, WA
----- Original Message -----
From: paul.gomez@verizon.net
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org ; Erlinda@Castanon-Long.g.dreamhost.com
Sent: Friday, January 01, 2010 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on BaptismalCertificates forSan Miguel

I am interested in learning more about your statement that "mothers were usually not at the baptism". Which sources can you cite to support your statement?

Respectfully,

Paul Gomez
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Erlinda Castanon-Long >
Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:36:36
To: >; >
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates for
San Miguel

Maureen you brought up a good point. I've often wondered abt time of birth since so many ancestors did not read or write so being able to tell time or even owning a clock seems strange to me. The mothers were not usually at the baptism so it was up the the Father and the padrinos to pick a time. a.m. or p.m. would be easy but actual time is hard to believe..

Linda in Boulder City

________________________________
From: "mytmo@netnitco.net" >
To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Fri, January 1, 2010 2:15:34 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates for San Miguel

Recently I started my Familytree Maker cleanup of my Alviso/Bejar genealogy trees. I am adding a few things I did not add originally. One is the time of birth. Oddly, many of the times are 3 pm, and I know this many children could not have been born at 3 pm. Was this just a catch all time in case the exact time was not known or possibly they just guessed not having clocks? Some also have other times such as 12 noon or 11 o'clock at night, so I am not sure why 3 pm was so popular. Has any one else noticed this?

Maureen Bejar

it was traditional for a mother to stay in bed for up to 40 days.  That's what I was told by my grandmothers who were both born in Mexico, one in Jalisco and the other in Zacatecas.  Even today you would seldom see a mother of a new born out and abt within the first week except for a Dr.s visit..

Linda in Boulder City

________________________________
From: "paul.gomez@verizon.net"
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org; Erlinda@Castanon-Long.g.dreamhost.com
Sent: Fri, January 1, 2010 4:16:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates forSan Miguel

I am interested in learning more about your statement that "mothers were usually not at the baptism". Which sources can you cite to support your statement?

Respectfully,

Paul Gomez
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Erlinda Castanon-Long
Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:36:36
To: ;
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates    for
San Miguel

Maureen you brought up a good point.  I've often wondered abt time of birth since so many ancestors did not read or write so being able to tell time or even owning a clock seems strange to me.  The mothers were not usually at the baptism so it was up the the Father and the padrinos to pick a time.  a.m. or p.m. would be easy but actual time is hard to believe..

Linda in Boulder City

________________________________
From: "mytmo@netnitco.net"
To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Fri, January 1, 2010 2:15:34 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] The Time of Birth on Baptismal Certificates for San Miguel

Recently I started my Familytree Maker cleanup of my Alviso/Bejar genealogy trees.  I am adding a few things I did not add originally.  One is the time of birth.  Oddly, many of the times are 3 pm, and I know this many children could not have been born at 3 pm.  Was this just a catch all time in case the exact time was not known or possibly they just guessed not having clocks?  Some also have other times such as 12 noon or 11 o'clock at night, so I am not sure why 3 pm was so popular.  Has any one else noticed this?

Maureen Bejar