Baby Blessings: An Alternative to Traditional Church Ceremony

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

02 Aug 2008 06:44 AM

Baby blessing is a ritual that is becoming increasingly popular with new parents. Read on to learn about baby blessings and see if this is something that is right for your baby and your family.

A baby blessing is a welcoming and blessing ritual for your baby that isn't associated with a particular church or religion. While people who are unfamiliar with this practice may think it is something new age or without an element of traditional religion, this is far from the case. A baby blessing can encompass many different ideas and meld together religious beliefs and traditions.

In a baby blessing, parents choose the ways and rituals that they want to use to honor their new addition to the family. The ceremony is custom created for the family by an interfaith minister or by the family themselves. Baby blessings are tailored to reflect the parents wishes. Some of the rituals that may or may not be included in a baby blessing include:

• Joining hands and vowing to love and protect the child
• Anointing the child with oil
• Giving the baby a separate Hebrew name or saint's name
• Dedicating the child to the service of God
• Sharing a chalice of wine or water
• Wrapping a baby in a special blanket or garment
• Including birth parents if your child is adopted
• Any blessing or welcoming ritual that you feel is meaningful.

And yes, you can include baptism in the ceremony, even if it does not take place in a church.

Baby blessings can be a blessing to parents who feel a conflict between the pressure by extended family to baptize or dedicate a child in a traditional church setting and the feeling that such a ceremony is not right for them. They may come from different religious backgrounds (a recent survey showed that 22 percent of American families say that they identify with a mix of religions), they may be unaffiliated with religious traditions (12 to 19 percent of Americans in the survey), or they may find themselves in conflict with some of the teachings of their associated church.

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Related Posts:

Would You Sell Naming Rights to Your Baby?

What is a Baby Baptism?

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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Kara (21380) 02 Aug 2008 08:48 AM

I was blessed when I was a baby. I also had a baby blessing for my little one. I sang a song for her and we didn't baptize her. We beleive she should be baptize when she can make that promise herself.

Mary Ann Romans (26886) 02 Aug 2008 10:58 AM

Kara, did you have a private blessing or did you invite friends and family?

Kara (21380) 02 Aug 2008 12:10 PM

It was at church and the whole family was invited and all the church members (who I do consider friends). Katelyn's was incorporated into the Sunday service. So anyone who came that Sunday got to be a part of it. They had the congregation promise to help raise her and protect her and guide her spiritually. The pastor put her hands on her head and my grandma (her great grandma) held her while they said a prayer and blessed her. My mother, her grandma, made her a special blanket for it. When I was blessed family and friends were invited and church members also.

Valorie Delp (49340) 02 Aug 2008 01:23 PM

Nice article. . .but I like the photo. ;-)

jonesx6 (1606) 02 Aug 2008 07:33 PM

We had our daughter dedicated to the Lord when she was about 6 months old. It was so wonderful. Our boys weren't dedicated or blessed, they decided to be baptized about 5 or 6 years ago. Blessings, Laura

Mary Ann Romans (26886) 03 Aug 2008 05:21 AM

Laura, did you follow the church's dedication service or create one of your own?

Tashi (1013) 03 Aug 2008 07:33 AM

We've taken our Yorkie to The Blessing of the Animals. Every October, churches hold these special "services". The animals are actually sprinkled with holy water and given a blessing by a priest. I don't have human kids, but this annual event is special for our family. I usually find a nice doggie shirt for him to wear for the occasion. :-)

Mary Ann Romans (26886) 03 Aug 2008 04:17 PM

In the church where I grew up, the blessing was done during advent to honor the animals in the manger.

jonesx6 (1606) 04 Aug 2008 06:18 AM

Mary Ann, I really wanted to give our testimony about how the Lord blessed us with this little miracle. For whatever reason, I didn't so we just had our pastor bless her and pray over her with the elders of the church. It was a very special day and one I truly treasure. Afterwards we went out to lunch and enjoyed a meal with family. Laura

Mary Ann Romans (26886) 05 Aug 2008 10:19 AM

Thanks for sharing your ceremony!