Did you have a Blessing Way instead of a baby shower?

[bheditor]

Afternoon all!! :wave:

We wanted to put an article on the site about people who've had a Blessing Way instead of a Baby Shower.

Basically we want to know:

1. What went on at your Blessing Way

2. Why you had a Blessing Way instead of a Baby Shower

3. What the best thing about a Blessing Way is

Thanks!! :highfive:

[earthfairy]

I certainly did! And it was THE BEST day ever!

So full of love & magic :goodvibes:

Im happy to post pics if you like>?

:D

1. What went on at your Blessing Way

I had 10 of my closest friends im my home. The table was set with beautiful white, crisp linen, candles, flowers & statues of fertility, mother hood & goddesses.
We had beautiful food to share - cakes, fruit platters, nibbles & lots of iced water, juice, tea & coffee.

All over my house were scented candles & fresh flowers of all kinds.....

Everyone was asked to bring two beads that sympolize hopes, thoughts & wishes. One bead was to be thread onto a birthing necklace for me.
The other bead was to go onto a big sister necklace for my daughter Poppy to wear on the arrival of her sibling.

We all sat around in a circle & each person explained the meaning behind the beads they had chosen & then thread their beads onto the leather.

It really is quite a powerful thing creating a circle of feminine energy. Even people who arent quite "into that sort of thing" were quite moved. A few people were shaking & a couple even shed a tear at how moving it was.

Everyone then made me comfortable & they started the henna painting of my beautiful baby belly :goodvibes:
This was a real bonding experience for everyone. Plus we laughed & laughed & my baby was kicking & moving so much - almost like she was enjoying it too!

Once the day was over I presented everyone with a scented candle in a glass container wrapped in a mesh bag.
With the candle was a card that said the following:


:babydust1:

Once you hear of the arrival of our baby, please light this candle in celebration.
Send all your love, hopes & wishes on our baby's birthday
& read out this poem:



"We light this candle, Star child to honor your presences

and illuminate your way into our lives.

Just as the earth’s rain transforms white light into a rainbow of vibrant hues
You will transfer each of us and the entire world with

your radiant presence and love.

We all came to welcome you, to welcome you to earth.
We all came to welcome you, to celebrate your birth.
and we are here to love you, to love you on this earth.

:babydust1:



2. Why you had a Blessing Way instead of a Baby Shower

As this was my second baby I didnt really need anything for bub. My first "baby shower" was half assed organised by a "friend" who couldn't really be bothered so it wasn't even a baby shower as such. She only invited 4 people & I was really disappointed. No games, no real gifts etc...she arranged it at a cafe & I was home by 11am! I spent the rest of the day crying.
This time I wanted something that I wanted & had always wanted!

Even though I knew I was having a c-section I thought it was important to still acknowledge it as a birth. So many people dismiss c-sections as "giving birth" and I thought this is a perfect way to still make it special.

3. What the best thing about a Blessing Way is

It more so worships the mother instead of the baby. Something that is often left to the way side.

The magic that a circle of women can make. The feminine energy & love that happened in my lounge room that day is still very present in my home.
I love that. :goodvibes:

[V8]

I am having one later this year and i organised one for my very good friend.

1. What went on at your Blessing Way -

At the blessingway i organised a circle of women to celebrate the journey of my friend birthing her second baby. We had a blessing we did with a candle and we passed it around and shared our blessings to the mother to be and her new baby that was going to be welcoming her.

We all had a piece of string wrapped around our wrists until she was due to birth so that when she was in labour we could all release our energy and our wishes towards her for an empowering birth.

We also helped make her a blessingway necklace and blessed the beads aswell for her to wear the necklace during labour so that she would feel our combined energy.

Then we painted her belly with henna and ate food and had a lovely time :)

2. Why you had a Blessing Way instead of a Baby Shower

With my friend we had a blessingway because she was having a homebirth, we wanted to create a harmonious space for her in her home that honoured her and her baby so that when the time came to give birth her birthspace was filled with lots of female centred energy to give her power for her upcoming birth. She wasn't interested in all the presents and things with a baby shower, it was more about honouring her as a woman and as a pregnant mother to be.

3. What the best thing about a Blessing Way is

I think it was just the energy of all the woman, how it was focused on the pregnancy, the labour and the birth and supporting the woman as best we could to acheive the outcome she wanted. It was very empowering and made her feel very loved and special as opposed to a baby shower the mother isn't really the main focus it's more about the baby.

[bheditor]

I certainly did! And it was THE BEST day ever!

So full of love & magic :goodvibes:

Im happy to post pics if you like>?

:D

Cool - thanks Earthfairy!

Although ... if you sent pics I'd have to learn how to put them in articles ...

:eek: ... BH Tech!?!?!?!?

What was the reason you had a Blessing Way?

[bheditor]

I am having one later this year and i organised one for my very good friend.

1. What went on at your Blessing Way -

At the blessingway i organised a circle of women to celebrate the journey of my friend birthing her second baby. We had a blessing we did with a candle and we passed it around and shared our blessings to the mother to be and her new baby that was going to be welcoming her.

We all had a piece of string wrapped around our wrists until she was due to birth so that when she was in labour we could all release our energy and our wishes towards her for an empowering birth.

We also helped make her a blessingway necklace and blessed the beads aswell for her to wear the necklace during labour so that she would feel our combined energy.

Then we painted her belly with henna and ate food and had a lovely time :)

2. Why you had a Blessing Way instead of a Baby Shower

With my friend we had a blessingway because she was having a homebirth, we wanted to create a harmonious space for her in her home that honoured her and her baby so that when the time came to give birth her birthspace was filled with lots of female centred energy to give her power for her upcoming birth. She wasn't interested in all the presents and things with a baby shower, it was more about honouring her as a woman and as a pregnant mother to be.

3. What the best thing about a Blessing Way is

I think it was just the energy of all the woman, how it was focused on the pregnancy, the labour and the birth and supporting the woman as best we could to acheive the outcome she wanted. It was very empowering and made her feel very loved and special as opposed to a baby shower the mother isn't really the main focus it's more about the baby.

wow. thanks Vee ... i could just about copy and paste this and voila! article done!

[V8]

Lol no worries! :laughing:

[bheditor]

bumping in case there are more hubbers out there who have had a Blessing Way

[Chubear]

I want one, but am not even pg yet.

Similar to the others but I also want to incorporate the scientific part of me so we will be doing all the old wives methods of telling the sex like the ring test etc. These will all be noted in a book for a keepsake.
I plan on having the beads for the necklace and I want to give the guests something as well. I am not sure what yet though.

[bheditor]

thanks Chubear!

Sounds awesome. Maybe after a few more people respond you might get some more ideas for something to give the guests!!

[V8]

Chubear - we got given just a small votive candle and a little glass jar to put it in, actually she gave us 2 candles cause she knew she'd be in labour for a while, but it ended up being 5 days we certainly used more than 2 candles! lol

[bheditor]

Hi! I have finally made an article about Blessing Ways.

http://www.bubhub.com.au/info/articles/pregnancy/what_is_a_blessing_way.shtml

Thanks for your help with this one. :yes: I've used your stories, V8 and earthfairy ... if you want me to make any changes let me know!

[V8]

Will have a read :) Thanks BHed :)

[bheditor]

Will have a read :) Thanks BHed :)


No ... thank you ... :yes:

[V8]

:laughing: It was very good, i liked it :)

[bheditor]

:laughing: It was very good, i liked it :)

Yay! Glad you do ... you wrote most of it!!! ;)

And thanks again by the way ...

[gonnabeaGR8mum]

Ooh great thread- going to check out the article now!