i have been intrigued with a blessingway, ever since we found out i was pregnant!
for those who aren't familiar with a blessingway:
it is basically a mama blessing.
**a blessingway, is a traditional celebration to welcome a mother into a new stage of life when she is expecting a baby. It's an ancient tradition that centers mainly around woman, and the expecting mother.
A chance to encourage, pamper, and pray over the mom-to-be.
Unlike a traditional baby shower, where gifts are purchased for the baby, a Mother Blessing/Blessingway is all about nurturing the mother-to-be and celebrating motherhood.
It is meant to create a support or 'net' of women for the mother, to fill her with positivity and good wishes before and during her birthing time.
there are so many different things you can incorporate in a blessingway,
but i chose three that really meant a lot to me!
a blessingway bracelet/necklace::
**each guest brings a bead or a charm that will be placed on a birth bracelet or necklace for the mother. a special bed that represents a strength or virtue the mother possesses, or a wish they have for the newborn. The bead usually is symbolic of a virtue that the mother can think about before and during the birth of her baby. Of course, it can be a general bead or one that reminds the giver of the mom. the necklace/bracelet is a physical reminder of the support of women they have to have with them at birth. No limits! its also a good idea to have beads with larger holes to be able to string the beads.
a blessing or prayer::
**A poem, scripture, affirmations, or prayers are brought by guests. Something significant, encouraging, supportive. It can be brought on a piece of paper that they will give to her. She can put it in a baby book, a book for her blessingway, tape it on the wall, etc.
candle strings::
**strings are given from other mamas and friends that are then wrapped around one of the candles the mama will use in labor. friends and family also light a candle when mama is in labor and say a prayer over her. this is significant in that we are all sisters in Christ, we are all part of eachother.
you can look at a few photos of what we are doing on my pinterest board.
**[taken from articles pinned on my ::mama kate blessingway:: pinterest board]**
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i have been praying and researching how i could include my online friends and mamas in my blessingway!
well...
another win for IG mama friends!
rainbow (yes her name is really rainbow, how cool is that?!) is having a blessingway for her baby boy. (he is due a month after our little man!)
she figured out a way to include the online community of mamas!
she is doing a FB event where mama's can post their "blessings" for her and baby!
i decided to do mine a little differently!
i will have this post opened to all comments. :)
i will also place a button in the side-bar,
to direct you back to this post for easy access!
please place your blessing/prayer/encouragement in the comment.
i will then write them down over the coming weeks and have them placed throughout our home to focus and read during labor. [or have ryan read]
i am also starting a new account and hashtag on IG, specifically for this!
for those of you who want to follow our journey a little closer.
like lighting a candle when i start laboring.
possible labor updates, we haven't decided how much we want to share, and honestly i could decide last min, "never-mind, post a photo that we are starting labor and next update will be baby" lol you never know with me!
you can use the #mamakateblessingway hashtag to send photos of your lighted candle, blessing/prayer, or anything you want to tag to surround this mama with support!
it will be a private account, as to keep some things private. ;)
IG:: MAMAKATEBLESSINGWAY
#mamakateblessingway
if you would like to send a bead or string,
please just send me an email and i will give you our address!
just so you know... because i know not everyone is great with dates!
baby boy's "due/guess date" is Jan 13.
thank you for supporting me in this journey!
the friendships i have made are invaluable and i cherish them so!!
love you all!
xoxo,
Kate
