Pagans do you know of any fertility ceremonies?

Question

My sister is six months pregnant with her first child, she senses that she carries a girl, and has suffered from serious health problems her all her life. She is healthier now. In our religion there is a ceremony where expectant mothers are blessed at certain stages during pregnancy. I was wondering if there were any pagan ceremonies for pregnant women or fertility ceremonies to that effect. I heard of some performed at the birth of a child, a blessing of some sort, but wondered if there were any ceremonies like that still surviving or if anyone knows of any that were practiced. I am interested to find out more about them.

Lady Lorenzo; my family isn't Wiccan I referred only to ceremonies within the religion we follow. I asked for any pagan ceremonies that bless pregnant women etc. or a blessing at the birth. The ceremony to name children and welcome them into my religion is called Kessavicaa. However, I am specifically wanting to know of ceremonies for pregnancy either practiced today or that were once practiced anywhere. I was not referring to Wicca.

Okay, I think that people have not understood what I was asking. My sister is not looking for an alternative blessing for her child she has a religion and seeks no other. We merely wanted to know of other ceremonies for blessing expectant mothers. People have provided spells which I did not ask for. I was not specifically asking about Wicca or I would have said. I want to know if anyone can tell me about ceremonies of this kind practiced in olden days, or still practiced today. This is not a magical question I just want to know about religious ceremonies either a description of the ceremony or the name of the people or religion that do so etc.

Does that make things clearer?

Please see;
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AijLF0cHkba7ubkDRVihFfXsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071015050017AAlyMgG

hopefully people will see more clearly what I mean and I will get more varied answers.

Answer 1

In our local group we do a ritual called a "belly blessing" on the pregnant woman. (Lady Lorenzo is incorrect; a wiccaning is performed on a baby, not on a child about to be born.) It is loosely based on a Silver Ravenwolf ritual, but Ravenwolf's ritual didn't work very well, and we ended up largely rewriting it.

Winnipeg Full Moon Group Belly Blessing

Supplies: 
1 large white pillar candle
1 blue votive candle
5 white votive candles
incense of mother’s choice
masking tape
a gift for the mother

 
Instructions: With the masking tape, make a large pentacle on the floor, with the top point oriented north. The altar will be in the center. Place a white votive candle on each point of the pentacle. Before the ritual, cleanse the area with the elements. Stack gifts for the mother by the altar and cleanse with burning sage or other incense. Place the white pillar candle in the center of the altar with other supplies close by.

Cast the circle, call the quarters, invoke deity, then cut a door and bring the mother into the circle, first challenging her:

“_________, are you ready to enter this circle of your friend and famiy and receive our blessings upon you and your unborn child, as well as the blessings of the Goddess and the God?”

When the mother responds in the affirmative, anoint her with salt water and allow her to smudge with incensee, saying:

“May you be cleansed, consecrated,
And regenerated in the names of
Our Lord and Lady. So mote it be.”

Have the mother light the white pillar candle (the mother candle) from the Goddess candle and tell her to utter a silent or spoken prayer to Spirit for a safe, successful birth and for continued protection for her child. Have her then light the pentacle candles, asking Deity for each of the blessings they represent. The points of the pentacle represent Love, Good Health, Strength, Harmony, and Wisdom. (Print words on little tents and place by corresponding candles so mother knows what to ask for.)

When they are lit, pause to visualize the blessings represented by each of the pentacles candles flowing down from the Divine into those candles and from them into the mother candle on the altar.

Have the mother light the blue candle (the baby candle) from the mother candle, asking for special gifts and protection for the unborn.

Place the blue candle on top of or right up against the white candle, saying:

“As we are one with the Lord and Lady,
So this mother and baby are one.”

Hold both hands on the stomach of the mother, and say:

“May they remain healthy and safe throughout
the birthing process. May no evil, real or
imagined, penetrate the sanctity of the love
between mother and child, and may they
be protected in this world and
in the worlds we cannot see.”

If anyone would like to add any blessing to the mother and child, now is the time.

Read the Charge of the Goddess, then give the mother her gift. Allow the blue candle to burn completely, or snuff it out and give to the mother to continue burning at home.

Answer 2

FACING BIRTH SPELL
Materials needed:
--Cast off Fur from a Female Cat A Small cloth bag Statue or picture of Kitten
--Also one of Bast Incense of Jasmine or Wisteria
Timing: Whenever necessary preferably before birth pains start.
Set up a little altar or sacred space in a place where it can be left until the birth is completed.
Arrange the statues in the center at the rear of this space.
Light the Incense and say:
Gentle Bast hold me in your loving hands
Let the birth of the coming child be easy
Keep all fear and negativity far from me
Be at my side as the child enters the world
Place my trust in you Bast
Gently brush the cast off fur against your cheeks, thinking of Bast's love and goodness.
Put the fur into the bag and leave it by the statue on the altar. Leave it there until the birth is over.
Whenever you feel or dread of the coming birth, open the little bag and breathe you fears gently into it.

Answer 3

There are many different rituals that can be preformed for babies at birth from many cultural heritages.

IN our Coven we have done a prebirthing meditation ( based around being within a cave of mother earth & tunnels etc also a massage with cowrie shells & a chat with the baby still in the womb.

A blessing ritual preformed when the little one has arrived.

Then of course there is the naming ( this one we are still to have for the last birth)

Answer 4

What you are referring to is called a 'Wiccaning'. It is the Pagan version of a Christening. I recommend that you buy Galen Gillottes 'Prayers to the Goddess' and 'Prayers to the God' books.

You could bless her tummy or a sonogram picture. Ask her permission first though!

Answer 5

I'm solitary also but I did my own. I put myself in a circle and arranged a ceremony of love, courage, hope, and intent for it all to go well.

Both my kids are healthy and beautiful.

Answer 6

I can't really help you because I'm solitary and have never had a chance to create any rituals for a situation like this.

But starred for contacts.

Answer 7

I have seen some.

They take place at a place called the Fertility Clinic.