I went into my daughter’s room, picked a little pouch out from her bedside draw and asked her if she knew what it is. When she didn’t, I proceeded to share with her that it was one of the crystals that was in the birthing pool with us when she was born.
She replied “So it’s my birth crystal?”
It was such a special moment. The look on her face was of such appreciation of the special token to celebrate her entrance into the world almost seven years ago.
I relished in that moment and realised the lasting power of creating positive rituals for birth.
This is what I did..
I chose three lovely polished rose quartz crystals in my final trimester of her pregnancy. On the day of her birth, all three went into the birthing pool at Birthcare.
After the birth I placed two of them in their own little pouches.
One stays by my bedside, one stays by hers and the other we buried along with her placenta.
It isn’t so much the objects that I used, stones from the garden, or marbles would have worked equally well, but it was the intention and focus with which I did it that allowed the crystals to hold the meaning they do today.
It was also a way of me getting clear on how I wanted to welcome my first baby into the world. It helped me visualise being in the pool with her before I had her, and mark the special connection we would always have from that moment on.
What it has done for me is anchor that special time of being pregnant for the first time, all the feelings I felt and the beginning of my parenting journey.
It is a way of sign posting a turning point in my life and a small token, infused with memories to help me to return there whenever I choose.
What I’ve realised is that birth rituals don’t need to be complicated, the beauty lies in the love that they are formed with.
We did the same thing to mark the Hypnobirth of my son, two years later.