Three Things to Look for in Your Baby’s Birth Chart
What if there was a way you could understand what your child's most joyful life might look like? What if the moment your precious baby was born, you could glimpse into the future and gain insight into her unique strengths and potential frailties? What if you could see her soul’s lesson plan for this singular life? The good news is, you can, through the magical tool of astrology.
A birth (or natal) chart is a record of the exact placement of the planets the moment a baby is born. It’s simple enough to look up and the internet is full of websites that will generate yours for free, my favorite being astro-charts.com. Type in the date, place of birth, and exact birth time and whoosh, half a second later you’ve got a map. Sure, If you have never dipped your toes into the world of astrology it will look like pure gibberish, but I promise you, with a little patience and studious dedication you can uncover some insightful treasures in no time…
Today, I would like to offer you three quick things you can look for in your baby’s birth chart in order to better understand his or her uniqueness. This will be brief, to the point, and hence radically oversimplified, but we are busy mamas here and my intention is to give you a tantalizing taste of the beauty of astrology in the hopes that you will someday come in for a full meal. It has been a profoundly enlightening tool during my parenting journey.
A quick but necessary caveat, I am not an astrologer, I am a mom who wanted to better understand my children and studied astrology in order to do so. I give you this knowledge in the spirit of a passionate student, take it as you will…
First of all, we have the sun. What’s your sign? The golden question that can tell us a lot and nothing at all. Modern pop astrology has us all categorizing ourselves by our sun signs. And though any astrologer will tell you it’s only the tip of the iceberg, even if that is all you examine in regards to your baby, you can actually learn a lot.
What does the sun mean in this world that we inhabit? That’s not so hard of a question, right? It means warmth, light, life, the center that everything else orbits around, it shines. So, through learning about the placement of the sun in our baby’s chart, we can learn what will make our child shine. More specifically, what certain personality traits need to be nurtured in order for her to exist in the world in the brightest possible way.
Look at what sign your child’s sun is in and learn about it. If it lies in Leo, let her roar, a Cancer sun child may need lots of quiet time for introspection, patiently answer all the questions your curious little Gemini baby asks, give your Taurus child time to work with his hands. According to renowned astrologer Steven Forrest, the sun is “the gravitational center of human personality.” Understanding what your child needs in order to center herself in this world is invaluable. Her sun sign helps you do that.
Next, there’s the moon. The moon is all about how we feel. It tells us what sort of environment and experiences are essential to our emotional well-being. It is the mood of your child’s internal self. Her sun might compel her to embark on a wild adventure climbing to the top of the tallest mountain, but it’s the moon that will make her heart soar when she finally gets to the top and looks out at the view. The moon placement tells us how our child’s emotional needs are best met. I have two children whose moons are placed in the sign of Cancer, they both need ample free time at home to recharge. If either one of them spends too much time outside of their shell so to speak, they start to deteriorate. I can see their emotional life force dwindling after a long day out and always know that what they need is a quiet home. When looking at where your child’s moon lies, think about when they seem most at peace emotionally and conversely when they throw their most violent tantrums. I guarantee their moon placement will give you some insights on how to maneuver into a space of emotional peace. I love Steven Forrest’s article on The Moon through the Twelve Signs for more clarity on this topic.
Lastly, let’s look at your baby’s First House or Ascendant. I won’t go into all the details about the astrological houses here but will say there are twelve houses and each represents a specific arena of life where the action is taking place. For example, there is a house representing one’s career, relationships, financial status, communication skills, and more. Each house is a landscape of life that serves as a unique stage for the signs and planets. The reason I chose to focus on the Ascendant is because this is the stage that will display your child’s truest personality.
You can look at your baby’s Ascendant and see what kind of outer expression will best serve her inner needs. We all have a particular personality that we present to the world, it is simply how we make our way in this dimensional reality. It is certainly not our whole self, as much lies beneath the surface, but it is important nonetheless. And when we are wearing the personality mask that most accurately portrays the truth of who we are behind the mask, we are the happiest.
This congruency between how the world sees us and what lies within is vital, and if you study your child’s Ascendant you might find tools to help them align their life in a way that fosters this congruency. For example, a child with an Ascendant in the sign of Aries seeks courage. How does one find courage? Through challenging himself with stressful situations. This child must be allowed to confront his fears and embark upon the necessary journeys needed to transform fear into courage. He will feel like his most centered and autonomous self when he is out in the world as a courageous, feisty, enthusiastic, and independent person with an instinct for survival.
Learn about your child’s Ascendant and guide them towards embodying its characteristics. We have all met someone who has lost herself completely after years of trying to be somebody she isn’t. It is devastating to witness an individual whose essence is lost or direly bland due to years of neglect. As parents, we can help our child avoid this depressing ennui through following the guidance of the Ascendant.
You now have a starting point for dabbling in your child’s astrology. If this has left you hungry for more I highly recommend the book The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest and the work of Astrologer Virginia Rosenberg. Best wishes on expanding your celestial wisdom.
With love, Olivia
Olivia is a mother of four, doula, birth photographer, and writer. She sees the journey through birth and postpartum as a sacred rite of passage, and believes every woman should be honored and nourished as they traverse this path. She is a lover of mystical texts, loose leaf tea, and fine fabrics. Olivia can often be found taking ridiculously long walks in all weather. She lives in the mountains of North Idaho with her husband and children.
Here at the Center for Sacred Window Studies, we share voices from many perspectives and backgrounds. We believe that the sacred weeks post birth, and the experience of humanity is experienced in countless ways. We learn by listening to one another and honoring our stories. The views and opinions of our writers do not necessarily reflect the mission, viewpoints or opinions of the Center for Sacred Window Studies.
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