Most lucky ladies that are having a baby get to partake in a fun filled afternoon with their closest female friends and relatives at some time late in their pregnancy. They will shower her with gifts for her new baby. They may even play some games like, “baby shower bingo” and my personal favorite, “guess how big her belly is by using this roll of toilet paper.” This is known as, the baby shower.
A new ritual that seems to be gaining momentum is called a blessingway. It is focused more on the mother and less on the baby. During the blessingway, she will be honored and celebrated. The participants may all go around the room and say a few words. Some blessingways that I have attended include massaging the mothers’ hands and feet.
After having two blessingway ceremonies of my own, I decided to have one for a dear friend of mine who was expecting her sixth baby. She had lost a twin two years prior and adamantly refused a baby shower. The idea of getting lots of baby booties and onesies was just a nightmare to this mother of four who already had every possible item of baby clothing stockpiled in her attic.
I had every person bring a bead that meant something or was special to them. We strung the beads together, making a beautiful necklace for her. I placed a lovely wreath of babies breath on her head like a crown. We sat around and said a few words to honor her and her new bundle.
The joy of putting together and attending this blessingway meant more to me than a baby shower ever could. I felt as though this ritual made all of us feel like we were sharing in her experience. We were really blessing the way for the baby to come into this community and paying homage to an amazing mother to be (for the sixth time). We were welcoming her into her family.