Telvans have a society very focused on the continuation of family lines and the stratification of society, as such their traditions surrounding pregnancy and child rearing reflect that. Most of these traditions have come about as a result of the caste system and the concept of ritual purity in the empire.
Childbirth & Midwives
Telvans go through a pregnancy and go through live birth at the end. The specific aspects of childbirth and how one is cared for during pregnancy vary depending on a person’s caste rank.
For the lower caste common people, the midwives would be anyone with enough knowledge to be able to deliver a baby, often the elder women. If they are well connected, they may be able to get a local business owner or less prestigious member of the scholarly caste who works in the medical field to assist them.
In the upper castes, they will often have someone from the scholarly caste with a medical background to help with the pregnancy and birth. They will often be able to have more rest and leisure time than those of the lower castes.
In the highest of castes, the Lanbe, the family will have their own medical scholar on call for the family, who will assist with any pregnancy the birth. They may also have a hereditary servant who is trained in the medical profession for the express reason of helping the family when it comes to medical needs.
Infants
Due to infants being quite squishy for a while after birth, they require constant care and attention.
Members of noble houses will often have nannies and wet nurses who will breastfeed and take care of the child during the early years. After the baby grows into the toddler stage, it will often be looked after by a nanny or a governess, often a hereditary servant.
Those of the lower castes will not often have these luxuries and often the mother and other family members take care of the child.
Children and Approaches to Education
As a child grows, they must learn and be educated about the world around them. In the Telvan Empire, this education includes a wide variety of schooling options that are again caste dependent in terms of materials and opportunities.
In the lower classes and castes, children are often taught and raised by their parents and other family members, maybe getting an apprenticeship with a fellow community member when they are older. They may go to school, this is most common in the urban areas which provide public schools for those of the lower castes; this is not common for those in rural regions.
The upper castes and those that can afford it may hire tutors and teachers to educate their children. Elite private schools are also common for those of the upper castes; these private schools often only allow people of a certain caste or caste.
Children of the military caste are born and raised in segregated military compounds and are to special military training schools that focus on training them in weaponry and strategy.
Rituals & Traditions
Confinement of Pregnant People
In high-ranking castes like the Lanbe, as well as for people of significant wealth, it is common for pregnant women to be sequestered away in the home during the pregnancy and for some time after. In some cases, it is common for women to even be sequestered away when trying to get pregnant. This is done as a way of guaranteeing the parentage of the children.
Those of more common means and those of the lower castes often do not practice such customs as the family cannot often afford to do so.
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