After the birth of a child the mother receives no food for the first
and second, and fourth and fifth days, while on the third she is given
only a warm decoction to drink. On the sixth day the men of the house
are shaved and their impurity ceases. But the mother cooks no food
for two months after bearing a female child and for three months
if it is a male. The period has thus been somewhat reduced from the
traditional one of five and a half months, [533] but it must still
be highly inconvenient. At the expiration of the time of impurity
the earthen pots are changed and the mother prepares a meal for the
whole household. During her monthly period of impurity a woman cooks
no food for six days. On the seventh day she bathes and cleans her
hair with clay, and is then again permitted to touch the drinking
water and cook food.