Pregnancy and birth is an experience almost all women share. Here are some African Proverbs sharing attitudes, thoughts and beliefs on pregnancy and childbirth.


She who gives birth to triplets cannot ask for a third breast. ~African Proverb

Parents give birth to the body of their children, but not always to their characters. ~Ganda Proverb

From little date seeds, great things are born. ~Namibian Proverb

Pregnancy and fire cannot be kept secret. ~Rwandan Proverb

Nobody is born wise. ~Kikuyu & Bajan Proverb

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A fire and pregnancy cannot be kept secret. ~Rwandan Proverb

A child in the mother's womb unfailingly takes some qualities from her. ~Ganda Proverb

One does not force a pregnant woman to give birth. ~Baule Proverb

She who is pregnant, is pregnant even though she wrap herself in an 'mkaja'. ~Swahili Proverb

Whatever a pregnant woman says is said by two people. ~Yoruba Proverb

The pumpkin gives birth and the fence has the trouble. ~Moroccan Proverb

Clothes should not be made for an unborn child. ~Bangala Proverb

Pregnancy could not be covered with the hand. ~African Proverb

You cannot abort the pregnancy of a born child. ~African Proverb

A loving wife is often blessed with the birth of a tenth child. ~Botswana Proverb

A mother cannot give birth to something bigger than herself. ~African Proverb

Many births mean many burials. ~Kenyan Proverb

One is born, one dies; the land grows. ~Ethiopian Proverb

Do not make the dress before the child is born. ~Tanzanian Proverb

The antelope does not bear a child that cannot run. ~Hausa Proverb

Birth is the only remedy against death. ~Nigerian Proverb

You are not born a leader, you become one. ~Bamileke Proverb

We will be grateful to flowers only if they have born fruits. ~Zimbabwean Proverb

These youth taught their mother to give birth. ~Somali Proverb

Rather than an abatement of her viciousness, a witch gives birth to only female children and witchcraft multiplies. ~Yoruba Proverb

Born by the fire and die by the fire. ~African Proverb

You cannot name a child that is not born. ~African Proverb

An animal that gives birth to a young one in the desert must suckle it in the desert. ~African Proverb

The lazy one is pregnant in the sowing season. ~Burundian Proverb

He who eats with you will not die with you except he who was born with you. ~Swahili Proverb

Good friut comes from good seed. ~Tsonga Proverb

A pregnant woman cannot claim to be a virgin. ~African Proverb

A rat is not born a rabbit. ~Nigerian Proverb

He who longs too much for a child will marry a pregnant woman. ~Bambara Proverb

A man prolonging his age sees a camel giving birth. ~Somali Proverb

The buried do not give birth. ~African Proverb

It is not by watching a newly wed wife that she is going to become pregnant. ~African Proverb

Childbirth will later lighten your burden. ~Namibian Proverb

The unborn baby that fears criticism will never be born. ~African Proverb

Of what good is giving birth when later there regrets of disrespect. ~African Proverb

The fetus that is afraid of criticism is never born. ~Burundian Proverb

Every cackling hen was an egg at first. ~Rwandan Proverb

He who is born a fool is never cured. ~African Proverb

The woman who gives birth to a child is like the banana tree that breaks under the weight of its fruit. ~Kikuyu Proverb

The person who has been a slave from birth does not value rebellion. ~Yoruba Proverb

A woman's stomach does not grow if she is not pregnant. ~Kamba Proverb

A pregnant woman is not afraid if you threaten her with what you made her pregnant with. ~Bambara Proverb

A dog gives birth to a dog. ~African Proverb

One who gives birth cannot avoid defilement. ~Swahili Proverb

It's wise to do what you're born to do. ~African Proverb

The rabbit has a saying which goes: 'if you were born a male then you are given impossible tasks.' ~Tshi Proverb

We praised the bride, and she was found pregnant. ~Tunisian Proverb

Better give birth to a sweating baby than a laughing one. ~African Proverb

The buffalo does not wander from the marsh where it was born. ~Ngbaka Proverb

Those who give birth to nincompoop it's not their wish. ~African Proverb

The place where you are happy is better than the place you were born. ~Tshi Proverb

Give birth to children and you will be pregnant with worries. ~Namibian Proverb

A girl only gets pregnant once. ~Rwandan Proverb

That you don't give birth too, you let him or her carry a stone on the head. ~African Proverb

The labor of childbirth is known to the mother. ~Swahili Proverb


African Proverbs for Weddings, Marriage and Love
This eBook contains many African Proverbs on love and marriage. Some Proverbs are very sweet and romantic while others are tongue in cheek and almost making fun of love and romance.