One of the greatest joys and celebrations in the Balinese culture is the birth of a child. Prior to the birth, a pregnant woman is not permitted to enter a temple as she is seen to be 'unclean'. A father often lets his hair grow throughout the pregnancy. In the third to fourth month of pregnancy the soon-to-be parents will go through a cleansing ceremony. After the birth of the baby, the placenta is put in a coconut shell and buried near the entrance to the family's house. This process is believed to attract spiritual guides for the child.
At twelve days, offerings are made to the baby as it is believed that after this length of time the soul is now firmly secured within the child's body. It is also at this time that the child is given its own individual name.
At 42 days old, the child goes through further purification in the form of a detailed ceremony, where the baby is welcomed into the family further and becomes a full member. After this ceremony the child's mother can return to daily religious and home activities.
Up until the 105th day, the child has not touched the ground and has been carried around since the day it was born. On this day the child is finally set down on the ground with further ceremony conducted where mother Earth (or Ibu Pertiwi) is asked to protect the child from harm. A child is not placed on the ground until it is old enough to walk, and a Balinese child is not allowed to crawl.
At 210 days (the equivalent of one Balinese year) the formal naming ceremony is conducted and the child will receive its formal name, which depends on its family's social status and its birth order.
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