I really doubt that this is an accurate interpretation or a widespread
practice even in the old days.  "Guardar reposo por 40 días" or
resting for 40 days wasn't supposed to be taken that the mother should
stay in bed, not taking a bath, etc. rather that she should "keep the
husband away from her bed for 40 days", if you know what I mean...  

Victor

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Irma GomezLucero <igomezlucero@c...>
wrote:
> I recall telling my mom & aunt about a family baptism record having the
> wrong information.  They  informed the same about the mother not
attending
> her own child's baptism.  The mother stayed in bed, had chicken
soup, and
> didn't bathe for 40 days!   It used to be the belief that a child
needed to
> be baptized right away within a few days of birth.  Since the mother
needed
> to "Guardar reposo" for 40 days, she was unable to attend the
baptism.  The
> father did go with the godparents in our experience.  My father even
had to
> hire someone to take care of my mother after my oldest sister's
birth.  This
> lady cared for my mom, and their home during these 40 days which was
a real
> financial drain on them at the time.  I guess he had to go to work, and
> couldn't care for her & the baby.  I met the elderly lady on my last
visit
> to Mexico with my dad.    My mother only attended her children's
baptisms
> when she immigrated to the U.S.
> Irma
> 
>   _____