Very often, when we are expecting a baby, we have only one idea: to celebrate its arrival. In this sense, the Baby shower is the first party we will think of. But a more spiritual alternative, more centered on the mother, is beginning to impose itself among birth ceremonies: it is the Blessing Way. We enlighten you on the subject.
For many concerned parents, the arrival of a baby is good news that should be celebrated. Baby shower, gender reveal, surprise party (or not): there are a thousand and one ways to celebrate this special event, adapted to all family structures. Most of the time, all these events are centered on the child and somewhat neglect the expectant mother. However, a birth ceremony does things differently and finally puts the focus on the “forgotten” mother: it is the “Blessing way”. You have to cross the Atlantic Ocean to understand where the practice comes from. The Blessing way is in fact a typical celebration of the Navajo Indians of America.
Originally, it applies to all pivotal and transitional stages of life : evolution from girl to woman, transition from the status of woman to that of wife. But on the western side, the Blessing way is best known for its celebration of the transition from wife to mom : the ceremony serves as“bachelor party for a woman without children”. Very often, it is organized only before the birth of the first child. Its goal ? Bless individuals facing important transitions in their lives, bring them good luck and protect them from bad luck. It therefore takes on a spiritual dimension which does not exist in its more “superficial” festive alternatives.
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“Blessing Way”: how do we celebrate the transition to motherhood?
In addition to its “blessing” aspect, the “special mother” Blessing way also aims to prepare the latter for her role as a mother ; whether emotionally, mentally and/or spiritually. The interest of the ceremony is therefore that she feels well surrounded, pampered, supported, empowered and more confident in her birth experience and in her existence as a future mother.
It is for this reason that the party is generally held in a small committee and that she is reserved for women : some of them having already experienced pregnancy, they are more experienced on the subject and are in full capacity to support the main person concerned. To keep the intimate side, we invite only the closest women: his mother, his sisters, his best friend, his girlfriends, his grandmothers etc.
The practice being foreign and for the time being not very popular, it is very likely that the tradition is unknown to the organizers: if necessary, they can call a doula (accompanying at birth/prenatal) or even to a midwife to oversee the ceremony and ensure that everything goes well. However, if the ceremony is reserved for women, its organization, meanwhile, is open to all family members who wish to help.
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Blessing way: what do we do there?
The entire ceremony is thus centered on this desire to prepare the mother to come. The activities chosen are less focused on leisure and more based on the idea of gather around the mom to support her, bear her, pamper her, and love her.
- Most of them consist of give and show love to mom-to-be :
– foot, neck and hand massage
– writing and reading texts, thoughtful little words, poems for the latter
- The organized activities also invite relaxation and at well-being :
– meditation, yoga
– facial care
– foot bath in hot water filled with flowers
- Finally, others, more artistic and symbolic, make it possible to strengthen the bond between the women of the assembly and the pregnant woman which is celebrated:
– body painting on the round belly of the pregnant woman (using body paint or natural henna)
– making a flower crown carried by the future mother
– “bellycast” : molding of the belly of the latter using plaster
– the ritual of the “link” : a thread is wrapped around the wrist of each woman to form a bracelet. Sitting in a circle, the latter actually cut pieces of thread from a collective spool to tie it around their wrist. When the mother goes into labor, each cuts her bracelet and says a prayer so that the birth takes place in joy and safety.
– the “necklace” ritual : before coming to the Blessing way, each of the guests must bring back a pearl. All the pearls are gathered to form a necklace that the future mother will wear on the day of her delivery.
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What makes this ceremony different from the Baby Shower?
- During the Blessing way, we really celebrate the mother-to-bemore than the birth of the child.
Therefore, the themes of the activities are essentially centered on it. During the Baby shower, even the games are turned around the toddler: we will ask the guests to guess things about the future baby (sex, height, weight etc).
- The Blessing way festivities are much less focused on the material side than the Baby shower.
As its name suggests, the very principle of the Baby shower is to shower the mother with gifts. Conversely, in the ceremony of Navajo origin, the decoration (of the table, of the room), the small gifts, the cake, the cakes or other delicacies, are secondary. As mentioned earlier, the Blessing way has a more “spiritual” aspect, centered on the mental and physical well-being of the mother. Thus, the celebration will seek to pamper her emotionally and physically, rather than spoil her with presents: for example, we will draw and paint on her belly rather than offer her a diaper cake.
- The Blessing Way invites you to relax than the baby shower.
The Baby shower, on the other hand, is more in the game, in the action.
- Finally, the Blessing way is intended more intimate.
The circle of guests is more closed than in the Baby shower.
Freelance journalist
Open-minded and in love with life, Emilie likes to decipher the new phenomena that shape society and relationships today. Her passion for the human being motivates her to write…