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Post Info TOPIC: Birth without fear--Ten tips to plan a blessingway.


Vette's SS!!

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Birth without fear--Ten tips to plan a blessingway.
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I saw this and thought of Squeaks! 

My sister has been to a couple of these, and loves them.  A great alternative to a baby shower, especially for a second or third baby. 

http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2014/10/14/10-tips-to-plan-a-blessingway/

10 Tips to Plan a Blessingway

by Heather Crescimanno on October 14, 2014

A Blessingway is a sacred pre-birth ceremony that has traditionally been performed by Navajo people, and celebrates a woman’s rite of passage into motherhood.

Today, a gathering known as a ‘Mother Blessing’ is gaining popularity in North America. Unlike a traditional baby shower where the focus is on gifts, a Mother Blessing puts the focus back on nurturing the woman. A woman’s closest girlfriends and family gather in love to build up her mind, body, and soul in preparation for her journey to motherhood. It is intended that the mother-to-be leaves bursting full of love, strength, confidence, and belief in the ability of her body to birth her baby.

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HOW TO PLAN A MOTHER BLESSING:
Keep the preferences of the mother-to-be in mind; after all this event is about her. Make her feel as comfortable as possible. Not all mothers will be into all the ideas below, so choose a few that best suit her.

(1) Pampering
Make a foot soak, and offer her a hand massage, foot massage, or back massage. This can be a beautiful time for her to sit and relax and have her friends take turns laying hands on her and transferring as much loving energy to her as possible.

(2) Flower Crown
Make the mother-to-be a flower crown to celebrate her beauty. Ask each woman coming to bring a flower from their garden to contribute to the crown when they arrive or just have a selection of stems for each attendee to choose from when they arrive. If you want to celebrate all of your attendees, you might want to have everyone make themselves a flower crown when they arrive.

(2) Paint Her Belly
Painting her belly, henna, or a belly cast is a beautiful way to celebrate the life inside her. Let the art radiate the life she carries.

(3) Circle Time
Gather all the woman to share a blessing with the mother-to-be. It can be a time to share their best mothering wisdom, an inspirational verse, or a song. You can meditate together, belly dance together, or sit and laugh and tell your favourite birth stories.

(4) Leave Your Guests Thinking About the Mother-To-Be.
During circle time, a beautiful activity can be binding everyone’s hands together in ribbon. After praying over or blessing the mother, each attendant cuts herself a small piece of ribbon to wear on her hand until the mother-to-be goes into labour. Every time they glance at the ribbon on their hand, they can send up a prayer for their friend’s upcoming birth. Once the birth begins, someone texts out a message to the rest of the group and they all cut off their bracelets together in solidarity. Another send home gift could be a candle that all the friends light when they hear the birth has started.

(5) Bead Ceremony
Ask attendees to bring a special bead to create a necklace for the mother to wear in the last few weeks of pregnancy and during birth.  After each attendee offers their blessing, they can string their bead onto the mother’s necklace. She will be reminded of the love and support she has in her community of friends every time she looks at each individual bead.

(6) Birth Flags
Have some plain cloth banners for attendees to paint with encouraging words and phrases. The mother can string these in her home and have them be a reminder of her strength leading up to birth. This is a great option for women planning a home birth since she can decorate her birthing space with them. Some women who are planning a hospital birth and may also want to bring their birthing flags to hang in their hospital room.

(7) Stone Painting
Ask each attendee to bring a stone that you will paint with encouraging words for the mother. The mother can place the stones in various spots in her house (one by the bathroom sink, one by the kitchen sink, one by her alarm clock) or place them together in an encouragement altar. Seeing these stones will remind her of her strength leading into birth.

(8) Bring Gifts for a Birth Altar
A birth altar serves as a focal point for the labouring woman. Sometimes it can be difficult to stay focused on the positive affirmations you read and meditated on during pregnancy, so the woman can focus her attentions to her birth alter to give her visuals of her end goal- her baby. Items for a birth altar can include a birthing goddess, ultrasound pictures, positive words, aromatherapy, candles, and any imagery that you find beautiful and inspiring.

(9) Eat!
Of course, sharing a meal with friends is the best way to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Ask your guests to each bring a dish to contribute to a potluck meal.

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(10) Let The Emotions Flow
Be open and transparent with each other. Share your joys and your struggles. Don’t be scared to let the tears roll.

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After all of this love and attention, the guest of honour is sure to leave bursting at the seams with good birth mojo.

Written and Photographs by: Cradled Creations Birth Photography.

Also at www.CradledCreations.com



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Hooker

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I.....LOVE....THIS!!!!!!! absolutely beautiful!!!!

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Vette's SS!!

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My sister loveloveloves them. Potluck, leave the toddlers behind, just love and peace. I think flower crowns and painting the belly is common, not sure about the rest.
One was very Christian, with lots of prayers, the others more just spiritual.

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Itty bitty's Grammy

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AMAZING!!!

flan

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Give Me Grand's!

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LOVE THIS!!

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Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

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I SO wish this had been around when I was pregnant. Of course, my family would have thought it was crazy hippie-dippie stuffs but I would have loved it.

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Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

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It IS hippie-dippy - that's one reason it is so cool! biggrin

Seriously, this is awesome - I love it.



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Regular

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Think henna on my belly would hide my stretch marks?

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Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.



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Fort Worth Mom wrote:

Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.


 No, you aren't. smile



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Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

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Well now, I didn't say I would like it for myself - I was thinking of for others who are less of a private/loner than I am.  For me it would be too invasive, but I think I would enjoy attending it for someone else.



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PotteryChick wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:

Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.


 No, you aren't. smile


I never let any of my friends throw a baby shower. For any of my kids.

The whole idea , of a baby shower,  made me nervous. I didn't want to tempt fate. Or jinx it.

I never would have done this. It would have made me too nervous.

That's just me.



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Hooker

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I lost one too...and I would have loved this.

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Vette's SS

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Fort Worth Mom wrote:

Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.


 No, it would not have been my thing either. 

I can understand why other women would like it though. 



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Vette's SS!!

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Squeakers wrote:

Think henna on my belly would hide my stretch marks?


 Pish posh. That belly is freaking amazing, and carrying a baby. Wear those strech marks with pride--you have earned every one!

Henna does look really pretty though, so go for it!



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Fort Worth Mom wrote:

Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.


 I'm right there with you.



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Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

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I really like that the focus is NOT on gifts and garbage that you will throw out in a year. The focus is more on welcoming this new phase of your life with women who support you and are willing to share in your joy. This seems much more focused on the baby and the new mom and not the stuff. That's what attracts me.

At the time I was pregnant, I would not have wanted the henna on my belly, but I would have enjoyed a nice mani/pedi, massage, etc.

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Bonny22Pye wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:

Okay, so am I the only one, who has 3 kids, lost one..........that would have hated this?confuse

Just asking?

I would have run like the wind, at something like this. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

JMHO.


 I'm right there with you.


 Add me to this camp.



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Owl drink to that!

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This is not something I would enjoy but I'm not really into calming, finding my center type of stuff :p

The tattoos were pretty though.

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When I'm invited to a baby shower, I try to buy the MTB some stuff as well as the baby. Slippers, kleenex, bubble bath and a nice fluffy towel. She's going to need them and being a new mom is not a walk in the park. It's awesome, but takes a lot out of you.

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Itty bitty's Grammy

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Mellow Momma wrote:

I really like that the focus is NOT on gifts and garbage that you will throw out in a year. The focus is more on welcoming this new phase of your life with women who support you and are willing to share in your joy. This seems much more focused on the baby and the new mom and not the stuff. That's what attracts me.

At the time I was pregnant, I would not have wanted the henna on my belly, but I would have enjoyed a nice mani/pedi, massage, etc.


 Exactly. The traditional baby shower, with the stupid games...BLECK.

flan



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On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

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It's lovely for people who would like it.

I'm with the FWM camp, though.

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My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

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I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


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lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   



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My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

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Me too.

The first pregnancy I was stiff as a board.

The second I did stretching exercises the whole time and it made a huge difference.

The third I did the same thing.

But that first time. Nope. It wasn't happening.

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Lexxy wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   


 mine too.  my second thought was how many times did she have to be hauled up off the ground to go to the bathroom....



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My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

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No kidding!



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She might be bursting at the seams with joy but really just wants some of that wine her friends were throwing back.

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Itty bitty's Grammy

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just hanging around wrote:
Lexxy wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   


 mine too.  my second thought was how many times did she have to be hauled up off the ground to go to the bathroom....


 So they can sit in chairs...

flan



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On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

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flan327 wrote:
just hanging around wrote:
Lexxy wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   


 mine too.  my second thought was how many times did she have to be hauled up off the ground to go to the bathroom....


 So they can sit in chairs...

flan


 That would totally ruin the hippy look.



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Itty bitty's Grammy

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Lawyerlady wrote:
flan327 wrote:
just hanging around wrote:
Lexxy wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   


 mine too.  my second thought was how many times did she have to be hauled up off the ground to go to the bathroom....


 So they can sit in chairs...

flan


 That would totally ruin the hippy look.


 Hippies never sit in chairs?

flan



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On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

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flan327 wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
flan327 wrote:
just hanging around wrote:
Lexxy wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I wouldn't like it either.

I am trying to figure out how I would have sat on the ground for any length of time without my legs going numb.

If you like that sort of thing, then that is great.


My first thought was how did she get herself seated on the ground & how was she going to get back up.   


 mine too.  my second thought was how many times did she have to be hauled up off the ground to go to the bathroom....


 So they can sit in chairs...

flan


 That would totally ruin the hippy look.


 Hippies never sit in chairs?

flan


 No!  They only sit in the grass bathed by sunbeams.



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