By Ingeborg, Founder of The Hummingbee for Holistic Magazine
Pregnancy is one of the most profound and transformative experiences a person can go through. But in many modern societies, it’s also one of the loneliest.
Once, not so long ago, pregnancy was shared. Not just in a partner’s embrace or a midwife’s care, but in kitchens, living rooms, and village squares. Expecting mothers were surrounded by sisters, mothers, aunties, neighbours — a web of support woven through daily life. They learned not just from books or professionals, but through conversation, stories, and witnessing birth as a shared human experience.
Today, many pregnant women go through these big changes mostly alone — attending appointments solo, scrolling through apps for reassurance, and sometimes feeling unsure of where to turn for real, honest connection. We live in a time of remarkable access to information, but often with little personal connection.
This disconnection isn’t just emotional. Studies have shown that social support during pregnancy can lead to better birth outcomes, lower rates of anxiety and depression, and even shorter labours. Feeling heard, seen, and supported matters — deeply.
At The Hummingbee, our prenatal yoga and birth preparation retreat is rooted in this belief: that pregnancy deserves to be held in community. While physical practices like yoga and breathwork are central to what we do, just as important is the space we create for conversation, reflection, and real connection between pregnant women.
During the retreat, we carve out daily time for sharing — not forced or structured, but gently guided, allowing women to speak openly about their hopes, fears, questions, and joys. Comparisons fall away, and what’s left is honest presence. We hope women leave with lasting friendships — or simply the relief of knowing, I’m not the only one feeling this way.
This idea of a “new village” doesn’t mean moving back to small towns or traditional living. It means being intentional about the spaces we create — whether that’s a retreat, a weekly yoga class, or a WhatsApp group with other mums-to-be. It means asking for help, and offering it. It means remembering that even in our independence, we still need one another.
We’re not meant to figure it all out alone. Pregnancy is a time of immense change — physically, emotionally, spiritually. Sharing that journey can lighten the load and deepen the experience.
If you’re pregnant, or planning to be, I invite you to think about who’s in your “village.” It might be your partner, a trusted friend, a midwife, or a group of other women on the same path. And if that community doesn’t exist yet, know that it’s okay to create it — to reach out, to join a class, or come to a retreat.
Because you deserve to be supported. You deserve to be heard. And you deserve to walk this path — not alone, but held.
The HummingBee is a 5-day prenatal retreat in Lot-et-Garonne, France. With daily yoga, meditation, nourishing vegan meals, and holistic birth preparation, it is a sanctuary for all mothers-to-be seeking peace, strength, and connection.
www.thehummingbee.com
