Religious peeps - praying during labour

[Cleofartra]

Once witnessed the most beautiful birth. Muslim parents expecting first baby. Mum came in in strong labour, accompanied by husband. Each contraction the mum was shouting "Allahu!" and her husband, who was holding her would reply "Akbar" (God is great) in a very earnest way. On and on through every contraction, until the baby was born, after which the dad rushed out crying into the corridor to embrace his own father who had come to hospital with the couple - storms of tears. So lovely. All the staff were crying too.

I've also heard a lot of Somalian women praying quite loudly in labour.

Wondering if any of the mums here found prayer helpful in labour.

I'm a Buddhist so wouldn't call myself "religious" but I'll definitely be meditating during labour! So far, throughout 2 long weeks of painful BHs and anxiety surrounding the inevitability of labour, I've found meditation to be enormously helpful. Chanting quietly really grounds me and enables me to focus. Not sure that DH will be too happy as he doesn't believe in all that "rubbish"!

HTH!

Have also worked with a Muslim couple. She prayed very quietly in a meditative way whilst in the birth pool. It was a very relaxing sound!

Surely it can't do any harm, can it? Go for it...

I sat underneath an icon of mother mary and the christ child which is above my deceased mother's embroidered lake scene and I went into myself quite quiet and prayed for hours, sometimes the rosary sometimes just my thoughts as they occured to me. It was one of the most calm and yet pain and scerene moments of my life. My husband called the hospital and because I was calm and able to speak they didn't want me to come in or send for help. I felt the need to push but wanted to wait for a medical person either at home or in hospital. When ambulance men arrived I felt like somehow a calm bubble had burst and I was in incredible pain. I managed a natural birth but lost control of the situation and at the hospital because i was told to push (and given a time scale)rather than push when my body was telling me I ended up confused frightened underthreat and tearing. I'm going to try to have a home birth with qualified insured midwives this time. Hopefully they will understand when i pray. It helps enormously.

i am an orthodox christian and plan to bring icons with me to the birthing room and pray to certain orthodox saints. surely, prayers help, but i think one must be very much in touch with her spirituality to do so.

praying to saints? Aren't they dead? Jesus isn't though....