Letting an infant look into a mirror before one month of age will lead to teething problems.

Newborns and Mirrors: A Teething Superstition

Details

According to this superstition, newborns should be kept away from reflective surfaces—particularly mirrors—during the early weeks of life. It is believed that allowing a child under one month old to see its own reflection can disrupt normal teething, causing pain, delays, or complications. The reasoning typically stems from the belief that mirrors possess mystical or spiritual properties, and exposing a vulnerable infant to a mirror might ‘disturb’ the child spiritually or physically, particularly at formative stages. In practice, caretakers might cover mirrors or keep children in rooms without reflective surfaces until they are a few weeks old. Although the belief is not based in medical science, it fits into a broader category of traditional folk practices intended to protect infants during their most fragile developmental phase.

Historical Context

This superstition likely originated in European and American folk traditions during the 18th and 19th centuries, when infant mortality was high and access to medical care was limited. Mirrors were often viewed as mystical objects—portals to the spirit world or devices capable of capturing the soul. During this period, many beliefs emerged aiming to protect infants from harm, both physical and spiritual. Preventing infants from seeing their reflection may have been one such measure, based on the idea that their identities or health could be disrupted by such exposure. The teething period, often accompanied by fever and discomfort, was a serious parental concern, and thus became linked to other precautionary practices. This belief illustrates how ordinary developmental phases became associated with supernatural or unexplained influences.

Modern Relevance

Today, the idea that babies should not look into mirrors is rarely practiced in most developed regions. However, echoes of this superstition persist in some cultures and communities, particularly in rural or traditional households where folk beliefs are still respected. In contrast, many modern parenting approaches encourage showing babies their reflections to promote self-awareness and cognitive development. The superstition is sometimes referenced in ethnographic studies or parenting forums discussing cultural curiosities. Overall, access to pediatric healthcare and better understanding of infant development have largely diminished this practice, though it may occasionally resurface in communities valuing ancestral knowledge or oral traditions.

Sources

Daniels, Cora Linn. Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World. 1903.

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