How the Thái Ethnic People of Vietnam Raise Their Young Babies: Cultural Practices, Parenting Techniques, and Traditional Beliefs
Introduction
Vietnam is a tapestry of 54 officially recognized ethnic groups, each contributing unique beliefs, practices, and traditions to the country’s vibrant cultural mosaic. Among these, the Thái ethnic group, primarily inhabiting the mountainous northwest, stands out for their rich heritage and distinctive approaches to child-rearing. Understanding how the Thái people raise their young babies provides essential insight not only into their way of life, but also into broader Vietnamese and Southeast Asian parenting philosophies. This report delivers an in-depth, multidisciplinary exploration of the traditional and contemporary methods by which Thái families nurture, protect, and socialize their infants, drawing upon anthropology, sociology, public health, and comparative studies, and integrating video resources and the latest scientific research.
Demographics and Geographic Distribution of the Thái Ethnic Group
The Thái people—known previously by colonial and academic sources as White Thai (Thái Trắng), Black Thai (Thái Đen), and Red Thai (Thái Đỏ)—form Vietnam’s third-largest ethnic group. As of 2019, the Thái population in Vietnam was approximately 1.8 million, with a roughly equal gender ratio. The majority of Thái communities are concentrated in the provinces of Sơn La (36.9% of the overall group), Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa, where they make up significant proportions of local populations; other notable concentrations exist in Hòa Bình, Lao Cai, and Yên Bái123.
Typically, Thái communities are located in valleys and low mountainous areas, near river courses, where their agricultural practices—mainly wet rice cultivation—are best suited. Their settlement patterns reflect a strong connection to the land, shaped by generations of adaptation to the local environment. Extended family structures are common, with the concept of “ban muong” organizing society into villages (ban) and chiefdoms (muong), overseen by hereditary leaders. High household fertility rates (average household size of 4.6 persons as of 2009), significant youth dependency ratios, and moderate literacy rates combine with a primarily agrarian economy to define Thái demographics and social structure1.
In recent decades, migration, urbanization, and state resettlement projects have gradually expanded the geographic reach of Thái populations, including smaller communities now found in Vietnam’s Central Highlands2.
Traditional Postpartum and Confinement Rituals among Thái Mothers
Traditional Thái postpartum rituals—reflecting both indigenous beliefs and broader Southeast Asian influences—emphasize the vulnerability of new mothers and infants in the weeks following childbirth. The “lying by the fire” or “sitting month” practice is central. For about one month, a mother and her newborn remain largely secluded indoors, sleeping next to a wood stove or fire in the communal stilt house. This custom is intended to keep them warm, preventing perceived dangers posed by “wind” or “cold” entering the body during this period of frailty4567.
Hygiene restrictions are strictly observed: mothers avoid bathing or shampooing for at least thirty days to prevent rheumatism or headaches later in life. Physical exertion, housework, and sexual intercourse are taboo; social contact is limited to close family, with visits from outsiders discouraged due to fears of contagion and bad luck. The extended family—especially mothers, mothers-in-law, and grandmothers—assume the bulk of household duties and childcare, allowing the mother to rest and recover8659.
Diet during confinement is carefully regulated. Foods are boiled or steamed with minimal fat, and certain "hot" or "neutral" items are favored to restore balance. Traditional herbal medicines—such as ya tom or special soups—may be administered to support recovery and promote lactation, while certain foods are strictly avoided. The postpartum period ends with the “full-month” celebration, a key rite of passage for both mother and child.
Cultural Beliefs and Practices around Breastfeeding in Thái Communities
Breastfeeding occupies a central place in Thái approaches to infant care. Mothers are expected to breastfeed on demand, sometimes up to the age of two or longer, with the first milk, or colostrum, often recognized as vital for the newborn’s immunity and development—though beliefs about colostrum vary107. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months; however, actual practices may vary due to work requirements, household labor, or economic necessity, with some mothers introducing complementary foods earlier11.
Initiation of breastfeeding typically occurs within hours of delivery, often assisted by the maternal grandmother or midwife. Some Thái communities, particularly in isolated areas, hold traditional beliefs that the first milk should be discarded due to impurity, a notion now being addressed by health campaigns and state educational efforts8. Community-based programs and NGO-supported initiatives have focused on promoting breastfeeding’s health benefits, gradually overcoming former taboos and supporting better infant nutrition outcomes.
Extended kin, neighbors, and elders often play a role in encouraging or guiding mothers’ breastfeeding behavior, and breast milk is widely recognized as crucial for both physical and spiritual health.
Thái Infant Massage, Swaddling Techniques, and Physical Care
Infant massage and physical care are integral to Thái traditions. Grandmothers or older female relatives frequently instruct new mothers in the use of gentle massage, herbal baths, and swaddling techniques intended to improve circulation, foster bonding, relieve infant discomfort, and promote healthy growth12613.
Newborns may be massaged with warmed herbal oils or bathed in water boiled with medicinal leaves. Kinds of herbs used—such as calendula, chamomile, or locally available plants—aim to soothe, ward off evil, and fortify the child. Swaddling is practiced with handwoven cloths, keeping the baby snug and warm, which is believed to support restful sleep and prevent “startle” illness. In recent years, Thai-style aquatic exercises (bơi thủy liệu), involving floating or gentle movement in warm water, have also found popularity in urban centers—these are supported by pediatricians as safe forms of sensory activation and physical development1214.
An example of a baby bath and massage technique can be seen in Vietnamese-language video resources, which occasionally highlight Thái-specific traditional methods and compare them with evidence-based infant massage programs15.
Naming Ceremonies, Full-Month Rituals, and Early Life Festivals for Thái Babies
The most important early-life celebration for a Thái infant is the full-month ritual, commonly held when the child reaches one month of age. This event is both a celebration of survival—historically significant due to high infant mortality—and a formal introduction of the child to the extended family and ancestors4.
Table: Elements of a Typical Thái Full-Month Ceremony
Item/Element | Role/Purpose |
Offerings | Chicken, eggs, pork, fish, rice wine, incense sticks, clothing for baby and parents |
Ritual implements | Cradle (bamboo), baby carrier, Tạy bamboo soul bottle |
Key ritual figures | Shaman (pầy mo), maternal grandmother (makes baby carrier), paternal grandfather (makes cradle), relatives |
Symbolic actions | Soul-invitation rites, prayers for health/luck/protection, hanging of Tạy bottle, first swing in cradle, family meal |
During the ceremony, a shaman is invited to conduct prayers, ward off misfortune, and call upon ancestral and guardian spirits to protect the child. The maternal grandmother often creates a handcrafted baby carrier from indigo-dyed, embroidered fabric, while the paternal grandfather constructs a bamboo cradle. A distinctive object, the Tạy bamboo bottle, is made and hung in the family’s stilt house, believed to safeguard the child’s soul for life4.
Another significant ritual is the tying of thread bracelets. Cotton threads—often in auspicious colors like red and black—are tied around the baby’s wrist or neck by elders, symbolically binding the child's spirit to its body, ensuring health, peace, and longevity16.
Celebratory meals, song, and community attendance are central. These customs have both spiritual and social dimensions, confirming the newborn’s status as a member of both family and community.
Use of Herbal Medicine, Dietary Prescriptions, and Traditional Remedies for Infants
Herbal medicine and dietary regulation play a central role in Thái infant care. Herbal baths and massages for both babies and postpartum mothers are commonplace. Roots, leaves, and flowers—selected for their warming or cleansing properties—are boiled for infant baths or compresses, aimed at strengthening the baby and protecting against “evil wind” or “bad spirits”12171813.
For minor ailments, teas and topical remedies made from chamomile, calendula, ginger, or local plants address colic, skin irritations, or digestive upsets. Caution is typical in employing herbal medicines for infants, with the weakest preparations administered, often through the mother’s breast milk by altering her diet17.
Mothers are advised to avoid certain foods believed to harm milk production or the baby’s health (e.g., “cold” foods, buffalo meat, raw vegetables); others are recommended for their healing properties (e.g., chicken, ginger, certain soups)8. While some traditional restrictions might lead to nutritional deficiencies, health initiatives increasingly promote balanced diets and moderate the more restrictive prohibitions.
Role of Extended Family and Community in Thái Child-Rearing
Thái child-rearing emphasizes the pivotal role of the extended family and the broader community. The multi-generational household is the norm, and caregiving responsibilities are distributed among grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings. This arrangement supports mothers during the postpartum period and provides continuous guidance and oversight as the child grows.
Family elders, particularly grandmothers, are esteemed for their wisdom, overseeing rituals, dictating dietary practices, and providing daily care to newborns. Fathers may also play a hands-on role, notably in constructing ritual objects or assisting with farm chores during the mother’s seclusion819.
The communal aspect extends to ceremonies; full-month celebrations, thread-tying, and other rites often involve neighbors and kin, reaffirming the child’s belonging to both lineage and wider society. Reciprocity, filial piety, and respect for elders are deeply instilled—both through everyday interactions and ritualized, performative acts.
In times of hardship or illness, the community mobilizes, offering practical support and participating in healing or spiritual rituals. Such collective responsibility fosters a sense of safety and resilience in Thái children from the earliest stages of life.
Shamanistic, Spiritual, and Protective Rituals Associated with Newborns
Spirituality permeates the Thái worldview, with shamanistic and animist beliefs intertwining with Buddhist influences. Newborns are believed to be particularly vulnerable to spiritual threats, necessitating protective rituals performed by shamans (pầy mo) or skilled elders2016.
Key practices include the following:
- Soul-invitation ceremonies: Calling and binding the soul (khwan) to the infant so it is not lost or stolen by malevolent forces.
- Thread-tying rituals: Symbolically securing the baby’s life-spirit to its body through bracelets or amulets16.
- Use of talismans: Items such as a knife under the pillow, or special cloth with sacred symbols, provide supernatural protection against evil, illness, or accidents57.
- Offerings and ancestor worship: Ensuring the continued favor and guardianship of deceased relatives.
- Practices of Then: UNESCO recognizes the “Then” rituals, shared with Tày and Nùng groups, as vital spiritual traditions. These feature shamanic journeys, musical prayers, and invocations for health, safety, and well-being, with children sometimes included in ritual observance or as dedicated recipients of protective prayers20.
The underlying belief is that a baby's health is tied not only to physical care, but to harmonious relationships with ancestral, household, and nature spirits. Such practices, though evolving, persist as important elements of family security and community identity.
Parenting Techniques, Discipline Approaches, and Socialization Methods
Traditional Thái parenting is defined by warmth, communal responsibility, hierarchy, and respect for elders. Children are socialized to internalize society’s values—respect, filial piety, obedience, and cooperation—primarily through example, story, song, and gentle guidance rather than harsh punishment.
Infants and young children receive abundant physical affection and close proximity to caregivers; discipline in the early years is typically mild, with expectations gradually increasing as the child grows and begins to participate in household tasks. Storytelling, lullabies, and participation in family rituals are important tools of moral education—teaching about kindness, generosity, and collective responsibility19.
When discipline is necessary, the preferred approach is gentle correction, redirection, or withdrawal of privileges, rather than corporal punishment. Nonetheless, as in many Southeast Asian societies, physical punishment is not entirely absent, particularly in later childhood; its usage is increasingly questioned in light of contemporary science and child psychology21.
Traditional Beliefs About Infant Health, Colostrum, and Cleansing Ceremonies
Thái beliefs about infant health blend practical observation with spiritual symbolism. Colostrum, for instance, is increasingly recognized as beneficial, though older traditions sometimes dismissed it as impure. Cleansing ceremonies—ranging from herbal baths to ritual prayers—are performed to purify both the mother and infant, protect from evil spirits, and support postnatal healing68.
If infants display persistent crying or illness, spiritual explanations may be sought—such as the “loss of soul” scenario—prompting interventions by shamans or elders (soul-calling and thread-tying). Modern education and medical outreach have helped promote infant vaccination, hygiene, and professional care within Thái communities; yet practical restraints like poverty, remoteness, and tradition may sometimes limit their adoption228.
Scientific and Anthropological Studies on Thái Child-Rearing Practices
A substantial body of scholarly research confirms that Thái child-rearing practices, while unique in ceremonial detail, reflect broader Southeast Asian patterns regarding communal involvement, postpartum protection, and ritualized socialization138.
Recent anthropological and sociological surveys highlight the resilience and adaptability of Thái families. For instance, a qualitative study conducted in Dien Bien Province revealed that grandmothers remain influential in shaping postpartum and childcare decisions, despite significant modernization. Health professionals and local authorities have observed increased acceptance of hospital births, nutrition advice, and exclusive breastfeeding, especially among younger Thái mothers8.
Other studies confirm an ongoing tension between preserving tradition and incorporating innovations, emphasizing the importance of culturally sensitive health education and the vital role of extended family networks in infant care.
Multimedia Resources and Videos Illustrating Thái Baby-Rearing Practices
Though comprehensive, community-produced English-language video content is limited, several YouTube channels and ethnographic documentaries feature full-month ceremonies, herbal baby baths, infant massage, and parental testimonials filmed in Thái-majority provinces. For example:
- A VOVWorld segment (2021) documents the full-month celebration (Lễ Đầy Tháng) in Son La, showing the making of traditional carriers, the ritual swing of the bamboo cradle, and the communal meal4.
- The Mamibabi channel provides short videos highlighting baby growth, care techniques, and instructional knowledge drawn from Vietnamese and minority parenting practices, including Thái influences23.
- Home-care reviews and demonstrations of herbal bath and massage techniques—often featuring Thái or Tày hosts—are accessible via Vietnamese-language platforms, sometimes with English subtitles or detailed visuals15.
Such resources supply valuable “lived experience” context that complements academic literature and deepens cultural understanding.
Comparative Analysis of Thái and Other Vietnamese Ethnic Minority Infant Care
Many features of Thái child-rearing overlap with those in neighboring Tày, Hmong, Dao, and Kinh communities, as well as with traditions across Laos and northern Thailand. Ritual confinement, herbal medicine, thread-tying ceremonies, and soul-calling are widespread across northern Vietnam, though ritual details, symbolism, and frequency vary11.
Comparative Table: Key Infant-Raising Rituals Across Northern Vietnamese Ethnic Groups
Group | Postpartum Ritual (Duration) | Soul/Security Ritual | Infant Massage | Breastfeeding Beliefs |
Thái | Lying by fire (28–100 days) | Full-month, thread tying, Tạy bottle | Herbal baths | Favorable; colostrum increasingly accepted |
Tày | As above | Full-month, midwives worship | Similar | Similar |
Hmong | Lying in dark room, placenta burial | Soul-calling ceremonies | Less documented | Colostrum sometimes withheld |
Dao | Lying in dark room | Soul-calling, ancestor invocation | Herbal baths | Similar |
Kinh (majority) | Sitting month, fire heating (more urbanized) | Naming and soul-retention ceremonies | Modern and traditional | Exclusive breastfeeding actively promoted |
Modern Influences, Urbanization, and Changes in Thái Child-Rearing Customs
The landscape of Thái child-rearing is gradually shifting in response to modernization, education, urban migration, health services expansion, and changing gender relations. Improvements in economic conditions and infrastructure have enabled easier access to hospitals, antenatal care, and child immunization822.
Younger Thái mothers—especially in urban or peri-urban areas—more frequently engage with professional healthcare, utilize modern baby products, and selectively adapt traditional rites to contemporary realities. The duration and stringency of postpartum seclusion and dietary restrictions have relaxed, while beliefs in spiritual causation of illness have yielded ground to biomedical explanations and prevention. However, reverence for ritual and the wisdom of elders endures83.
Challenges endure: poverty, limited access to quality health services, and lingering taboos persist in remote communities. Public health projects, such as UNICEF’s Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) scheme, continue to target ethnic minorities, providing parenting skills, emphasizing nurturing care, and supporting multilingual early education2224.
Conclusion
The child-rearing practices of the Thái people in Vietnam showcase a dynamic interplay of tradition and innovation. From the protective rituals of the postpartum “lying by the fire” period, through the communal full-month ceremonies, to the modern embrace of evidence-based health and nutrition guidance, Thái families combine reverence for cultural heritage with pragmatic adaptation to new realities.
Core elements—extended family solidarity, ritual and spiritual protection, responsive caregiving, and intergenerational teaching—remain resilient, providing infants with a foundation of safety, connection, and socialization. At the same time, economic change, increased medical infrastructure, health campaigns, and exposure to wider Vietnamese and global parenting norms are prompting steady, sometimes rapid, transformation.
As the Thái—and other Vietnamese minorities—navigate the pressures and possibilities of modernity, their experiences offer valuable lessons in resilience, flexibility, and the enduring value of family and community in the vital work of raising the next generation.
Supplementary Resources
- Baby full-month celebration of the Thái (VOVWorld Video)4
- Mamibabi: Thái Baby Care23
- Traditional Massage and Baby Bath Homecare (Vietnamese)15
These multimedia resources provide visual and narrative demonstrations of the key practices, rituals, and values described in this report, offering a window onto the living reality of Thái child-rearing today.
(This report integrates findings from a diverse array of scientific, anthropological, policy, and community sources, including but not limited to those cited in the embedded references.)
References (24)
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