My first blessingway!

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usamma,

: Read about this in The Mother Magazine and have say its better then a baby shower for sure. Rather have them instead of baby showers.

Thank you.

I went to one about a year ago and at that one, we each 'blessed' a candle for her to use during her labor. We started with a little potluck and tea. Gave our hopes to the mother for what we wished for her and her delivery. We all signed up for different 'tasks' for the mother after delivery, this was in lieu of presents. We signed up for dropping dinners with the family, that way mom and dad wouldn't have to cook dinner for a couple weeks. The idea being that we cook a hot healthy meal and leave it at the house. We also signed for helping walk her dog everyday, helping with family laundry and to help with taking mom's older daughter to get her out with other kids (only those the child were really comfortable with signed this one).

It was really nice. Very sweet and a wonderful thing, I think, instead of presents, since all of the things can be so helpful after baby is born.

One idea I know people have done, is have 'stock the freezer' instead of a hot dinner sign up, if the family and the friends of the mom aren't living in the same town or area. I am sure that others that have attended or organized a blessingway have tons of ideas for what can be incorporated into the event!

My best girlfriend just gave me the most beautiful blessingway this past Friday and I thought I'd share it with you!

This is my 5th baby, but my first planned homebirth, mostly b/c I've always had pg complications in the past that have prevented it. And unfortunately, I've run into some complications again in this pg (high blood pressure and swelling), so I've been feeling pretty down in the past week about my chances of a having the homebirth I've dreamed of for so long. I'm 31 wks. along right now.

Anyway, she brought over her whole family (herself, DH, and two kids, plus the two girls she nannies for) to join mine and we spent the whole afternoon celebrating homebirth and Sophie's upcoming arrival.

She had big 4x6 notecards and had each child (there were 8 of them there! ) AND each adult draw/color images of birth on them. Then she taped them vertically, 2 to a candle, onto tall round glass candleholders with white candles poured in them, so that I would be surrounded by positive images of birth during labor.

After this, we all made a big WELCOME SOPHIA! banner and decorated it, so we can hang it up while I'm in labor and afterwards, on our front porch, to let the neighbors know our happy news.

Then she helped me do a belly cast (my first, how fun!) and took pictures of the various stages, while the kids played and the husbands chatted.

Finally, to cap off the festivities, we all gathered round the TV and watched a homebirth video she'd brought along, with the older girls (7 and 10) inserting commentary on their own experience with homebirth for my kids, since they were present for my girlfriend's second homebirth and so, of course, were the experts, lol.

It was the most wonderful gift and was so special to me; I can't imagine a more perfect way to honor this baby or my hopes for her birth. This is also the girlfriend who will be here with my children when I go into labor -- she's really a fabulous friend and she cheered me up immensely!

Guin

Just wanted to comment on the term "Blessingway." My understanding is that a true Blessingway is a NA ritual, and that it is more appropriate for those of us who are not NA and who do similar rituals/parties to call these parties Mama Blessings or something else.

There was a thread about this ages ago, a really good one. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Glad you enjoyed the blessing. It sounds wonderful.

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I agree. Though I've found that that the term "blessingway" is already taking hold.

Anyway, I've been to three. Some of the things we've done is have each person bring a special bead. They all get strung (with a spacer bead for each child all the mamas have) for a labor necklace. We've had everyone contribute a quilt square and gotten together later for a quilting bee or paid to have the quilt put together. We've sung songs in the nursery or each brought special rocks to put at the cornerstones of a home when a homebirth was planned. We usually ask that each lady volunteer from a list of "duties", like photographing the event, drawing a map of the labor necklace, making a garland of flowers for the new mama's hair (that's always my job! ). Everyone brings a dish. Someone brings wine. Everyone cries.

It's wonderful, and I can't wait to have one!

I had not heard of this before now.

It sounds so very beautiful.