For example, “Inu no hi” (literally translated “Dog Day” takes place in the fifth month of pregnancy. A belly band, or maternity belt is worn in celebration of the pregnancy and as a public declaration of the pregnancy, but also as a practical matter for support. At the same time, it is meant to help the to-be mother become gain a level of self-awareness as a mother. Incidentally, the celebration is called “Dog Day” in reference to the ease with which dogs give birth, and the hope that the mother also experiences ease in childbirth. Traditionally, an “auspicious day,” as indicated on the Japanese calendar, would be chosen for the event, and the future mother would face the “auspicious direction” as the maternity belt was put on.
