The birth of a child was originally attributed to supernatural beings and believed to be fraught with danger. The mother and child therefore required special protection and care. Prenatal and postnatal ceremonies developed as a result. Jatakarman, or the birth ceremony, is the sanskaras performed immediately after the birth of a child, even before the umbilical cord is severed.

Before birth itself, rites are performed for the protection of the house against evil spirits. A maternity room is selected and the expectant mother is confined to that room a day or two before her expected delivery.

After the child is born, the father goes to the maternity room to see the newborn. He then bathes with his clothes on and performs the Jatakarman. The ceremony is performed in a similar manner for both boys and girls. The only difference is that in the case of girls, the Vedic mantras are not recited.

The ceremony begins with the production of intelligence or midhyanan. With his fourth (ring) finger and a gold object, like a ring or spoon, the father feeds the child a mixture of honey and ghee thrice. Honey, ghee and gold are all believed to stimulate mental development. The father also prays for his child to be intelligent. At this time, a secret name is given to the child, known only to the parents (see Namakarana). This name is a secret to prevent enemies of the family from using it in sorcery to harm the child. No one else is told the name, and it is never used. Next comes the rite to ensure longevity or ayusya. Near the navel or the right ear of the baby, the father recites mantras for a long life for his child. He also cites examples of others'

Jatakarman with long lives, like Agni the fire and Surya the sun, to his child. By doing so, it is believed that the life of the child will increase. The father then recites another mantra thrice, believing that the life of his child will be increased three times. After this, he invites five Brahmins to stand around the child. They are asked to breathe upon the child and recite mantras. Since breathing is a sign of life, this is believed to increase longevity.

Next is the rite to ensure a hardy and pure life for the child. The father leans over the baby and says: "Be a stone, be an axe, be as imperishable as gold. Thou indeed are the self called son, thus live a hundred autumns".

After this, the father praises the mother for bearing the child. He also prays for her well-being and quick recovery. The umbilical Jatakarman cord of the child is then severed and the child is bathed and given to the mother to feed. The father then places a pot of water near the head of the mother to ward off any evil. After a safe delivery, a fire is lit at the entrance of the maternity room and kept burning for the next 10 days. This is because for this period, the home is considered ceremonially impure. The father offers mustard seeds and rice chaff into this fire every morning and evening until the mother gets up from the childbed, after the 10 days are over. Mustard and rice chaff are believed to have antiseptic properties and when burnt, the smoke cleanses the air. When this sanskaras has been completed, presents and alms are given to the Brahmins.

Jatakarman can also be performed at the end of this 10-day 'impure' period. If the birth has taken place during the period of mourning after a death in the family, the ceremony is postponed until the mourning is over.

The Vedas do not mention this ceremony, though the Atharva Veda (see Veda) has an entire hymn containing prayers and spells for an easy and safe delivery. The Grihyasutras (see Sutra) however, contain a complete description of this ceremony.

Nowadays most Hindus either do not do not perform Jatakarman at all, or they combine it with the Namakarana. A few weeks after the child's birth, there is usually a small puja performed for the family to pray for a long life and the well being of the mother and child.