5 Prayers I Prayed Concerning My Labour & Birth
I look back at my labour and the birth of my daughter with gratitude to God, remembering how the things I committed to prayer were answered beyond my expectations. I truly felt God’s presence with me every step of the way.
I remember one of the questions God asked me while I was pregnant:
”What hopes do you have for your pregnancy labour and birth. What is your expectation?”
It was an invitation to commit this incredible experience into His hands, ask Him for help and trust that He would guide me through it. It was also a reminder that He created us and designed our bodies to carry and birth our babies.
“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.”
Psalms 37:5
My prayers centred around these five areas:
1. God's intervention in my body
I asked God to help my body do what He designed it to do, with ease and to take control of my body's functions and add to me everything I needed to bring my baby into the world. God is Lord over the heavens and the earth, and He is also Lord over my body and its functions. (1 Corinthians 6:13)
2. My baby's positioning and wellbeing
I prayed for my baby to move into the optimal position for a smooth, safe birth, and for relief and comfort for my baby throughout labour. The same God who knit my baby together in secret was the One I trusted to deliver her safely. (Psalm 139:14)
3. Everyone in the room with me
Doctors, midwives, every hand that would touch me that day, I prayed they would be God-sent, that their hearts would be steered toward mine and my baby's wellbeing. (Psalm 121:2, 7)
4. Wisdom in the decisions ahead
I knew there might be decisions to make in the moment: birth positions, procedures and pain relief. I prayed that no decision would be made out of fear, but that God’s peace would surround me and His Spirit would help me discern what to do. (Isaiah 30:21)
Sometimes things may not go exactly according to our plans, but God is still very much present and in control.
5. My own mental wellbeing
Fear has a way of creeping in through our thoughts, or through stories we hear from others. I prayed that God would help me believe His truth above all of it and trust that His purpose would be fulfilled on the day of my baby’s birth. (Philippians 4:8)
I believe that one of the coping techniques we can utilise as God’s daughters is trusting that He is with us and will give us grace and strength during labour. Meditating on His Word can help us feel safe, grounded and supported.
The seeds of faith I had planted throughout my pregnancy became an anchor during those intense moments. The prayers I had prayed, the Scriptures I had meditated on and the promises of God I had held onto became something I could return to when labour felt overwhelming.
With each breath and each contraction, my faith in God became a source of comfort and strength, reminding me that I was not alone and that I could do this.
Discover the Labour & Wellbeing Devotional, featuring these prayers and more scripture-anchored prayers for every stage of labour and birth, affirmations, practical wellbeing tools, to prepare your heart for the day you meet your baby.
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