Eileithyia: The Greek Goddess of Childbirth (and Alarm Clocks)

Eileithyia was one of the lesser-known goddesses of Greek mythology. She was the Olympian deity of childbirth and was responsible for delivering babies safely into the world. But, what most people don’t know is she was also the goddess of alarm clocks, waking up the exhausted mothers in the middle of the night when it was time to nurse their newborns.

Eileithyia was typically depicted as a young woman wearing a white gown and a veil. Her hair was usually styled in braids or left loose, and she was often shown holding a torch to guide the way for the babies coming out of the darkness of the womb.

There are several stories about Eileithyia’s role as the goddess of childbirth. One of the most well-known tales involves her assistance in the birth of Zeus, the king of the gods. Hera, Zeus’s mother, had been pregnant with him for what seemed like an eternity. She tried every trick in the book to get the baby to come out, but nothing worked. Finally, Eileithyia was called in to assist, and with her help, Zeus was born.

But, as we all know, newborns don’t just magically appear; they have to come out. That’s where Eileithyia really had her work cut for her. She had to make sure that the delivery went smoothly and that both the mother and the baby came out of the experience healthy and happy.

And, once the delivery was complete, Eileithyia’s job wasn’t done. She would stay with the new mom, helping her wake up in the middle of the night to nurse her baby. She would gently tap her on the shoulder, whisper in her ear, and sometimes even use her torch to shine a bright light in her face.

Of course, new moms don’t always appreciate this kind of wake-up call, and some started to complain to the other gods about how annoying Eileithyia was. So, Zeus, being the wise ruler that he was, decided to give Eileithyia another job to help her deal with some of the backlash.

And, that’s how Eileithyia became the goddess of alarm clocks. She continued to help deliver babies safely into the world, but now she also had a new role: waking people up in the morning. Instead of torches, she started carrying metal bells, and she would walk around neighborhoods, ringing them loudly to make sure everyone was up and ready for their day.

Today, Eileithyia is still remembered as the goddess of childbirth, but she’s also known as the goddess of annoying wake-up calls. So, the next time you’re woken up in the middle of the night by a crying newborn or by your alarm clock, just remember that Eileithyia is looking out for you–whether you like it or not!