Celebrating Motherhood: Reclaiming Rituals for the Journey into Motherhood

We’ve Lost Our Rituals — And We Miss Them

As we’ve moved away from communal living, we’ve lost more than just shared meals and childcare—we’ve lost rituals. Those small but meaningful ceremonies that mark life’s sacred transitions have quietly faded from our modern lives. But while rituals may seem like “extras,” they’re anything but. They offer healing, reflection, and celebration—things every mother deserves.

A Mother Blessing: Honoring the Spirit of the Mother

Unlike a traditional baby shower, a Mother Blessing is a sacred gathering that centers the mother—not the baby registry. Inspired by the Navajo Blessingway ceremony, this gathering is a time for women to surround the mother with love, encouragement, and intention.

Guests may share stories, offer blessings, create a birth affirmation necklace or a red thread bracelet, or simply hold space. The goal isn’t gifts—it’s emotional and spiritual preparation. It’s a reminder to the mother that she is supported, held, and deeply powerful. It’s also a time for wisdom to be passed down—through stories, laughter, tears, and traditions—as she prepares to cross the threshold into motherhood.

Forty Days of Rest: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Need

In cultures around the world, there’s an understanding that birth is only the beginning of the transformation. In Latin America, it’s called la cuarentena; in Chinese culture, zuo yuezi; in Ayurveda, the “sacred window.” All recognize the need for at least 40 days of intentional rest, nourishment, and support after birth.

During this time, mothers are cared for with warming foods, herbal baths, massage, and community support. They’re not expected to bounce back—but rather to soften, to be held, and to begin bonding with their baby from a place of strength and peace. You can reclaim this in your own way—whether it’s meal prepping ahead of time, accepting help, or setting firm boundaries around visitors.

The Sacred Power of a Ceremonial Bath

Once those early weeks of deep rest are complete, some cultures honor the mother with a ceremonial bath—symbolic of washing away maidenhood and stepping fully into the sisterhood of motherhood. These baths are deeply personal and can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

Ideas for bath add-ins:

• Powdered milk (or powdered coconut milk for a vegan option)

• Essential oils

• Fresh or dried flowers and herbs like lavender, chamomile, rose petals, marigold, and rosemary

• Honey

• Epsom salt

• Baking soda

• Oatmeal powder

• Aloe vera

What matters most is your intention: to honor the mother, to bless the body, and to mark this sacred shift with love and reverence.

Closing the Bones: A Ceremony of Integration

Another deeply moving way to celebrate your transition is through a Closing the Bones Ceremony, also known as a Cerrada or Sealing Ceremony. This traditional Mexican ritual involves wrapping the new mother gently but firmly from head to toe using a rebozo (a woven shawl). Surrounded by loving hands, the mother is blessed by the facilitator and her community.

Pregnancy and birth are about opening—opening the body, the heart, and the mind. A Closing the Bones ceremony helps bring everything back together. It’s a physical and spiritual honoring, a chance to feel held and witnessed in all you've done and all you’ve become.

It’s Time to Celebrate Mothers

We crave ritual. We celebrate birthdays, weddings, holidays—yet for every birthday, there’s a mother who gave birth. Shouldn’t she be celebrated, too?

There are so many ways to honor the sacred transition into motherhood. These are just a few of my favorites. You might explore stories from your own lineage, ask the women in your life how they were celebrated, or create something entirely your own. It doesn’t have to be elaborate—it could be as simple as sharing birth stories over tea, lighting a candle, or enjoying a nourishing meal made with love.

Whatever it looks like, let it be yours. And know that I’m celebrating with you in spirit.

From my heart to yours,

Sumer