On July 9, I gave birth to my second child. We met each other in the waters of the birthing tub, and it was one of the holiest moments of my life.
In these major life milestones, I find comfort in the wisdom of my ancestors. Since learning I was pregnant for the first time in 2022, I’ve taken a deep dive to learn about Jewish traditions, stories, and rituals around pregnancy and birth.
Here are five ways I imbued Judaism into my pregnancy and birth experiences:
1. I took a dip (well, three dips) in Cedar Lake
There is a Jewish tradition to immerse in a mikveh (Jewish ritual bath)
during the ninth month of pregnancy. While our community is still working to build a new pluralistic mikveh center in Minnesota, my husband and I turned to the living waters of my favorite local beach, Cedar Lake.We recited blessings from Mayyim Hayyim’s immersion ceremonies and dunked our bodies into the cold lake waters three times. I left the beach that day feeling renewed and spiritually ready to expand our family.
2. I listened to a Jewish birth playlist
During labor, my husband and I hummed and sang along to music by Jewish artists. I found that the repetitive rhythms of niggunim (Jewish wordless melodies) helped me get into a labor “flow state.” Musicians Batya Levine and Nava Tehila were a couple of highly featured artists on the playlist.
3. I surrounded myself with Jewish birth art
I created collages with my favorite Jewish art that we displayed on the walls of the birthing room. These images and blessings brought me inspiration, comfort, and a spiritual focal point during labor. The collages featured beautiful artwork by Judy Chicago, Jessica Tamar Deutsch, Sol Weiss, Wendy Elisheva Somerson, Bat Sarah Press, and others.
Eight days later, we displayed these birth art collages at our daughter’s Brit Bat baby naming ceremony in our backyard.
4. I recited blessings after the birth
My husband and I sang the Shechechyanu blessing a few moments after my daughter was born. We also recited a few other special Jewish prayers during the “golden hour” period, such as a more contemporary blessing for cutting the umbilical cord.
5. I connected with Jewish community
Nothing is more Jewish than coming together as a community. I feel so grateful for the Twin Cities’ 
amazing offerings for young Jewish families. During my pregnancy, I connected with other Jewish parents and parents-to-be through JFCS’ new Jewish Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group. In the first few weeks with a newborn, I leaned on the generous support of the Jewish Beginnings preschool community, and I look forward to attending PJ Library events during my parental leave and beyond.
Jewish ritual, music, art, liturgy, and community buoyed me through the sacred journey of bringing new life into the world.
I hope that sharing my story may support others who want a more Jewish birth experience too. May we all be strengthened by ancestral wisdom through life’s holiest moments — kein yehi ratzon, let it be so.
Explore additional resources about Jewish pregnancy and birth traditions:
- Bara: The Jewish Birthing Network, founded by the TzimTzum Doula
- Jewish Pregnancy & Childbirth Rituals on Ritualwell
- Jewish Pregnancy Guide by Kveller
Lucy Marshall is a queer, Ashkenazi Jewish educator, facilitator, and ritualist. Passionate about cultivating Jewish belonging, she is the Director of Community Services at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Minneapolis and a board member at Maayanot Community Mikveh of Minnesota. Lucy lives in the Whittier neighborhood with her husband Jake and their children Lazer and Raizel.
