In Mesopotamian mythology, the female demon said to prey on pregnant women and infants is Lamashtu.
Lamashtu was feared as a powerful Mesopotamian demoness—or, in some interpretations, a goddess in her own right—who caused miscarriages, harmed expectant mothers, and killed or consumed infants. Texts and images describe her with frightening hybrid features, including a lion’s head, donkey’s teeth, a hairy body, and the feet of the monstrous bird Anzû.
People used incantations, figurines, amulets, and protective plaques to guard mothers and children from her attacks. Lamashtu was also blamed for disease, nightmares, sleep disturbances, and other forms of harm. Her threat was especially associated with childbirth and the vulnerable period immediately after birth.
Pazuzu is the most important neighboring figure in this tradition. Although Pazuzu could bring famine and drought, his image was also used protectively against Lamashtu, especially in amulets worn by pregnant women. Lilith is sometimes compared with Lamashtu in modern writing, but they come from different religious and historical traditions. Ekimmu is a restless dead spirit, not the specific infant-threatening demon described here.