There are as many ways to bring a baby into this world as there are families in this country — and we want to share your stories. We’d like to hear about your family’s or culture’s special postpartum rituals, whether they have been passed down over the years, or were invented on the fly by the merging of new parents’ histories .

For example: Did you observe a prolonged rest period after birth , like la cuarentena , which is popular in Mexico and elsewhere? Or did you “ sit the month ,” as some Chinese families do, restricting movement and staying inside? Are there other kinds of special postpartum foods or traditions that have been handed down by your family? Have you just arrived in the United States, bringing a tradition with you to a new community? Or has your family been here for generations, welcoming each new baby by passing along the same rattle? Have you and your partner begun a new tradition of your own, like a delivery-room glass of champagne?

Whether you’ve resisted your family’s postpartum traditions, or embraced and enjoyed them, we’d love to hear your stories, via the form below. We may publish a selection of the responses, along with your name and location. We may also reach out to you for further information.