Certain circumstances at birth were thought to foretell the baby's future character or luck

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is blithe and bonny, good and gay.

A breech birth indicated a trouble-maker (‘awkward born, awkward all their lives’); teeth already visible, a cruel nature; hands open, generosity; a caul, immunity from drowning. Those born at midnight on a Friday, or at the chime hours, would be able to see ghosts; those born on a Sunday, or on Christmas Day, would never be drowned or hanged. Some midwives said the first food to pass the baby's lips should be a spoonful of butter and sugar, to give ‘a sweet nature’.

One widespread rule was that the baby's first move should be upwards, so that it ‘rises’ in life; if possible, this was done by carrying it to a higher storey or an attic, but if there was none, then the midwife should climb on to a stool with the baby in her arms. She should also wrap it in some old shirt or petticoat before putting its proper clothes on, to avert bad luck. In Cumberland, the baby's head was washed with rum for luck, and in Suffolk with gin; everywhere it was (and is) usual to drink its health, which is called ‘wetting the baby's head’.