Today is Midwives’ Day

With a variety of colorful rituals, Bulgaria marks the day of midwives on January 21, the so-called Babinden.

Since 1951, January 21 has been declared the Day of Maternity Care and Midwives and Gynecologists. A holiday to which society pays tribute to the dedicated and highly responsible work of obstetricians and midwives and honors the people who contributed to the development of maternity care in Bulgaria.

Traditions have it that early in the morning the midwives visit the children they have delivered, and wash their faces with water. Then the mother of the child helps the midwife wash her hands and gives her a bar of soap and a towel as a gift.

In the evening, all midwifes sit down to a generous table. Men are not allowed to join the festivities and hardly would anyone dare breach the rule.

The same festivities are traditionally organized in Bulgaria on January 8, which is the Gregorian calendar date for paying tribute to midwives.