Do Amish use birth control?

Amish culture generally discourages modern birth control, viewing large families as blessings from God, but practices vary, with some families quietly using natural family planning (like the rhythm method) or even condoms, especially for health reasons or spacing, though it's often a sensitive, unspoken topic. While many have large families due to faith and the need for farm labor, a minority of Amish women use contraception, with one study finding 21% admitted to using condoms, showing a gap between official rules and private actions.

Are Amish allowed to use condoms?

No, generally Amish people avoid modern contraceptives like condoms, viewing children as blessings from God and preferring large families, though some might quietly use natural methods for health or financial reasons, as practices aren't strictly uniform across all groups. While not always forbidden, using birth control goes against the core belief that family size is God's will, so it's often discouraged, but church discipline for contraception alone is rare. 

Do Amish females shave?

No, generally Amish women do not shave; they typically do not remove body hair, including leg or underarm hair, as it's seen as vanity or going against their simple lifestyle, with some communities even forbidding it, contrasting with Amish men who often shave their faces clean but grow beards. 

What do the Amish do for birth control?

Amish beliefs generally discourage birth control, viewing large families as blessings from God, with abstinence being the primary accepted method; however, practices vary by community, with some more traditional groups prohibiting all contraception while less conservative or newer groups might permit natural family planning or even modern methods, especially for health reasons, but large families remain common due to faith, agrarian lifestyle, and cultural emphasis on children. 

How does Amish give birth?

Amish women typically give birth at home with midwives, preferring natural, low-tech, and communal settings, staying active during labor (chores, walking), avoiding pain medication, and relying on family support for postpartum recovery, though hospital births are an option for complications. They focus on simplicity, modesty (keeping pregnancies quiet), and view birth as a blessing, often having large families.
 

How big are Amish families? Do Amish use birth control? And...the largest Amish family ever?

Do Amish ladies wear bras?

Yes, most Amish women wear bras, but they are typically plain, functional cotton styles (not lacy or fancy), and in some very conservative communities, a hand-sewn alternative garment might be used instead of a store-bought bra for modesty and nursing needs. The specific undergarments vary by community, but the general principle is simplicity and practicality, not adornment. 

How many wifes can Amish have?

Amish men can only have one wife at a time, as polygamy (having multiple wives) is not practiced, and divorce is generally not allowed, making marriages monogamous lifelong commitments, though widowers can remarry within their community, often to an older single woman or a widow for companionship or family formation. 

What do Amish use instead of toilet paper?

Amish people traditionally use simple, reusable items like old rags or cloth, alongside readily available natural materials such as leaves, corn cobs, or even newspaper pages, often seeing manufactured toilet paper as an unnecessary luxury, though some progressive groups do use it. Their choices reflect resourcefulness, simplicity, and waste reduction, with reusable cloths being washed and reused for hygiene.
 

What culture does not allow birth control?

The Roman Catholic church forbids contraceptive use because it is a sin against nature. Some Protestant denominations have allowed contraceptive use. Islamic law states that children are gifts from Allah.

Do Amish girls get pregnant during Rumspringa?

Rumspringa is a period that begins at age sixteen and ends with the promise of baptism, during this period young Amish are exposed to the outside world. Another problem the Amish community faces during the Rumspringa period is unexpected pregnancy.

Do men prefer no pubic hair female?

Results We obtained data from 69,920 subjects (52,787 women and 17,133 men). The mean age was 31.9 years for men, and 28.5 years for women. Most women (64.3%) and men (62.2%) preferred complete removal of female pubic hair, and this preference was more pronounced in younger women and men.

What must an Amish bride do on her wedding night?

On their wedding night, an Amish woman spends her first night as a wife in her parents' home, often with playful pranks from friends, before helping with cleanup the next day, as the "honeymoon" involves visiting relatives to receive gifts, not a separate trip. The evening involves celebration, but the focus is on community and preparation for starting their new life, often living with parents initially. 

Do Amish girls wear thongs?

While Amish modesty generally favors practical, simple undergarments like cotton briefs, it's unlikely they wear thongs for daily wear due to cultural emphasis on plainness, though personal choices and curiosity during Rumspringa (teenage years) might lead some to experiment with more revealing styles, even bikinis in private, but this isn't representative of typical Amish modesty. 

Do Amish men wear underpants?

Yes, most Amish men wear underwear, typically simple, practical styles like boxers or briefs, similar to store-bought basic cotton ones, though some very traditional groups might have rules against them or prefer homemade versions, with a focus on modesty and plainness rather than modern, fancy designs. 

Are Amish men circumcised?

It depends on the community. We are currently working with a Mennonite community and all the boys that have been born were circumcised. There is an Amish community downstate that doesn't circumcise. So it really depends on the community as to what they practice.

At what age do Amish girls marry?

Amish girls typically get married in their early 20s, often between ages 20 and 22, usually shortly after being baptized into the church during their late teens or early twenties, with dating starting around 16 and partners found at social events like Sunday singings. 

Are Jews allowed birth control?

Yes, Judaism permits birth control, but views vary by denomination; Orthodox Judaism allows it under specific circumstances (like health risks or spacing children) and favors female methods (pill, IUD) over male ones (condoms, which are often prohibited due to the prohibition on "wasting seed"), while Reform and Conservative Judaism are generally more liberal, permitting it more broadly for various reasons, with individual couples often consulting rabbis for guidance.
 

Do Mormons allow birth control?

Yes, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) allows birth control, but it's a private decision for each couple, made prayerfully with God, balancing the desire for children (seen as blessings) with family health and capacity, while strongly discouraging elective abortion and permanent sterilization for non-medical reasons. While leaders historically discouraged it, the modern stance emphasizes agency, with the General Handbook stating couples should decide with the Lord, not be judged by others.
 

Do Muslims allow birth control?

Yes, most Muslims and Islamic scholars permit reversible birth control for valid reasons like health or family well-being, viewing it as a way to plan families responsibly, though permanent sterilization is often debated, and the practice requires mutual consent between spouses, not for fear of poverty, as children are seen as blessings.
 

How do Amish handle periods?

Amish women manage periods using traditional, reusable methods like cloth pads (often homemade rags) for absorption, similar to historical practices before modern disposables, focusing on resourcefulness and cleanliness by washing and reusing them, while also relying on family planning through calendar-based fertility awareness to avoid pregnancy, reflecting their simple, faith-based lifestyle. 

Do some cultures not wipe after pooping?

Not all countries or cultures use toilet paper to wipe their bums. This can be because of cultures that have traditionally used alternatives to toilet paper and therefore never really used it or lack of access to toilet paper.

Do Amish bathe once a week?

Yes, many traditional Amish, especially stricter groups without indoor plumbing, bathe about once a week in large tubs, often on Saturday nights, due to the work involved in heating and hauling water, though some modern or less strict families bathe more frequently, even daily in summer. Hygiene remains important, but methods vary greatly by community and access to amenities, with some even having showers outside the home. 

Is inbreeding common in Amish?

Yes, the Amish practice a form of inbreeding, or more accurately, endogamy (marrying within their closed community), which leads to higher rates of genetic relatedness and the increased prevalence of specific genetic conditions, as they descend from a small group of founders with limited gene flow from outsiders. While they avoid close cousin marriage (first cousins), their limited pool of marriage partners, due to cultural isolation, means many marriages are between second or third cousins, increasing the chance of recessive disorders appearing, like Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (dwarfism with extra fingers). 

Can Amish remarry if their spouse dies?

Yes, Amish people are permitted to remarry after a spouse dies, and it is a common practice seen as a practical way to find companionship and support, though courtship is very private and respectful of the deceased, sometimes done through mail. While divorce is strongly discouraged and forbidden, widowhood opens the door to remarriage, with the community offering support and the possibility of a new union to provide for the surviving spouse. 

Can Amish people fly?

Most Amish people generally do not fly due to their commitment to a humble, non-worldly lifestyle, but it's not absolutely forbidden, especially for emergencies or by more liberal groups like the New Order Amish, who may fly for business or essential travel when other options are impractical, though trains and buses are preferred for long distances. Air travel is viewed as extravagant and too connected to the outside world, but exceptions are made for critical needs like emergency medical transport.