Mother Blessing
What is it?
A mother blessing is a ceremony akin to a rite of passage, in that it creates a space in time to celebrate the woman who is carrying her child and who will soon welcome them earthside.
It is an alternative to the baby-focused (and often more commercially-driven) baby shower. A big difference between the two is that a mother blessing is focused on the woman and not so much on the baby. So much of pregnancy is (rightly so) spent preparing for and thinking of the baby. But at a mother blessing – instead of showering the mother with gifts for the baby, playing baby-themed games and sharing (more often than not horror) stories about birth and postpartum – the pregnant woman is the guest of honour, who is pampered, nurtured and showered with support and trust that she has everything she needs to birth her baby and to mother them.
Why have a Mother Blessing?
Besides being a supportive and nurturing ceremony for the mother-to-be, a mother blessing tends to generate less pressure on the mother to play the hostess (as guests are invited to focus on her, and in pampering and providing support for her rather than the other way round), and less pressure on the guests for providing brand new gifts that may not even be needed or useful for the mum and baby (and thus potentially creating waste and being more financially demanding).
A mother blessing weaves around the woman a web of support that reminds her that she isn’t alone in this important (and sometimes daunting) time. It gathers around her those that love her and believe in her strength as a woman and as a mother-to-be. By doing this, in a way, a mother blessing reclaims the community and village that is so valuable when going through a transition.
It is also a great opportunity to create a network of support for the postpartum period, with guests pledging the support they are able and willing to give once the baby arrives, such as a meal dropped off at the family’s door, help around the house, doing some food shopping, etc.
So what does it involve?
Anyone the mother-to-be would like to gather around her to honour, celebrate and support her. Shared food. A nurturing, welcoming environment. And then any other things you’d like to include, for instance;
- Painting the bump (with body paint or henna)
- Making a bump cast
- Hand and/or foot massage
- Red Thread weaving
- Singing
- Making a birth necklace
- Gathering affirmations or making an affirmation banner for the birth