Mitoni, Javanese Traditional Baby Shower Javanese culture has its own traditional baby shower ceremony. It is called Mitoni and it is held on the seventh month of pregnancy.
Javanese culture is very rich and diverse. So, it is normal to find some differences between one place and another. But overall, the purpose is the same. It is done to pray for the mother and the baby’s safety and wellbeing, also to ask for God’s protection so the mother and baby will be safe from any harm.
The ceremony involves siraman (bathing) where the mother-to-be is “bathed” using water from seven wells and various flower petals. The ceremony is usually done during the day in an opened place like the backyard of the house. The mother-to-be is dressed in a white cotton cloth and the people who will bath her must be in traditional clothes.
The grandfathers and grandmothers of the baby usually will have the first honor to bath the mother, followed by other close families.
After the siraman, the mother-to-be will be bathed once again using a holy water from a kendi (earthenware flask). Once all the water has been poured, the mother will break the flask. It is believed, if the flask is broken the mother will give birth to a baby girl. But if it’s not, a baby boy will come to the earth.