When the child is christened, you may have godfathers enough.
Meaning: Offering help after a child arrives proves easier than providing it during uncertain pregnancy and difficult labor.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
Equivalents in French
- French: C’est quand l’enfant est baptisé qu’il arrive des parrains (literally: When the child is christened you will have godfathers enough)
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From our idioms
- con il piede sbagliato — To start something badly or get off to a poor beginning.
- togliere il fiato — To leave someone astonished or breathless with amazement.
- andare a nozze — To be perfectly suited or to delight in something.