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Original poster

Any thoughts about childbirth from Christians?

26 replies

AppleAndBlackberry · 10/06/2009 10:50

I'm probably going to phrase this very badly so hope no-one gets offended...

I'm a Christian and currently 32 weeks pregnant with my first child. I'm doing NCT classes and all that kind of thing but I guess I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to prepare for childbirth from a spiritual perspective. I'm pretty apprehensive about the whole thing so any encouragement would be good! We are obviously praying that it goes well etc, but if there are any Bible verses that anyone would recommend reading, or any other thoughts about your experiences I would love to hear from you!

OP posts:
slug · 10/06/2009 11:51

Without wanting to scare you, while in labour and asking for pain relief, my midwife quoted the Bible to me about the punishment for Eve's sin being to suffer bringing children into the world, then refused to call the anaetheist.

Good luck BTW. Remember however painful, stressful and frightening it is, it is over in a day or so and its worth it for the beautiful baby you get at the end.

AMumInScotland · 10/06/2009 12:41

Hi, I don't think there are any bible verses which are positive and encouraging about childbirth, but if you think having a text to focus on will help you, then pick out one which helps you to feel secure and supported, something which makes you feel God is always there with you in the tough bits, even when it really doesn't feel like it. If you can stay calm and positive about the birth process, then that will help, and focussing on something like that can be useful.

But, in the thick of it, don't be surprised if you are too focussed on the physical to even think about God or anything spiritual. God's there with you whether you talk to Him or not.

Northernlurker · 10/06/2009 13:14

Jeremiah 29,verse 11 'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' (NIV translation) is a pretty good focus for any stressful situation I think.

MadHairDay · 10/06/2009 15:46

I love that one too Northern. A good one is all of Psalm 121 as well, just generally encouraging about God being there for you.
All the best.

donnymouse · 10/06/2009 18:07

Well as for child birth technically we are still under the curse as we still feel pain during labour.

I gave birth to my second child, and my first as a christian a while ago. I had a bad c/section the first time. This time I was convinced that it would all go well, I was trying for a VBAC. I prayed and prayed for a normal birth.

Well I can tell you it went wrong and I ended up with a worse birth than before this time c/section under general.

What can I tell you from this concerning God. Well I felt grief, and sense of loss for not having the experience of having held my children after giving birth. BUT I believe that NOTHING happens to me other than what is ordained by God as I am his child, My pain and hurt made me closer to him, gave me more faith, made me less afraid.

God is my father, and he is my LOVING father, he denied me my perfect birth for a reason and even though I don't know why I know I can trust him. He never left me, he was right there with me as I went through it.

LGod has all the hairs on your head numbered, you can trust him.

hedgiemum · 11/06/2009 10:22

"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11

The above verse has carried me through labour, and indeed parenting! I have very much discovered that God has lead me and DH gently during this time when we have young children.

I have heard it said that the word translated "pain" in Genesis 3 is translated as "sorrow" in the other passages in which it is used. I'm not a bible scholar though!

For what its worth, I have found labour to be an extremely positive experience. Totally relaxing into myself, going floppy in every part of my body, and also relaxing into God's love for me, has helped this immensely. It is an incredibly positive pain, unlike any other. And I have been blessed/lucky (!) that things have gone smoothly. But I think trusting God and relaxing helped my sister who had c-sections in just the same way. Her recovery was much faster than it could have been.

Hope this helps a bit....

Original poster
AppleAndBlackberry · 11/06/2009 11:36

Thanks everyone - some really helpful thoughts and verses and I already feel much more peaceful about the whole thing. I have copied all those Bible verses and found a few more I like like Psalm 139 and I am planning to print them out and look at them over the next few weeks (and maybe during labour if I can).

slug - that sounds like a really strange viewpoint!

OP posts:
MrsMerryHenry · 11/06/2009 11:44

Apple - somewhere in the letter of John (just a short book, so not difficult to find!) it says: 'God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything'.

Also remember that God's goal for you is to thrive in every way - to be empowered, strong and abundantly blessed. I found birth the most extraordinary experience - God has made our bodies work brilliantly to produce and give birth to our children. So anything you can do to help you relax, go with the flow and 'be present' in that experience will enable you to engage with this phenomenal process that God has created.

I highly recommend reading Ina May Gaskin's extremely hippyish but empowering 'Spiritual Midwifery' - you can ignore the spiritual bits which don't chime with your beliefs (not that much 'spiritual stuff, tbh' and just let the positive stories (and hilarious images of hairy hippies) fill you with a sense of how amazing birth is, and how much you as a woman can be both in control and utterly absorbed by it.

Best of luck, huge hugs!

MrsMerryHenry · 11/06/2009 11:46

By the way, I write the above as someone who was terrified of birth for 20 years...then did it all with just gas and air and natural endorphins. Giving birth is truly amazing.

Nahui · 12/06/2009 01:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

gingertoo · 12/06/2009 13:36

A good friend of mine (who is also a lay minister) gave me a beautiful wooden 'holding cross' before I went into labour with dc3. I agree with the others that in the thick of it you are focussing on the physical rather than the spiritual but holding (or almost crushing!) the cross in my hand at the most painful time reminded me that I was not alone, that God was with me and that as Nahui said He made us strong enough to bear children.....

Good luck

katsh · 12/06/2009 13:49

As everyone else has said - God will be with you in it - however it goes. If things are difficult, or not as you would have hoped don't feel or believe that it was because you weren't trusting God enough, or that he'd left you. Like the rest of life, giving birth can be an easy or difficult things for christians and non christians alike. Different bodies do different things (mine isn't really well made for giving birth - have had 3 !) Being a Christian won't mean you'll have a wonderful birth ( although you may), but you will know that your Father is there holding you throughout. AT this point I think praying for peace in your own mind - and remembering that God's perfect love casts out fear - will help you. Keep remembering that God already know this person who is your child, and has great plans for him or her. How exciting! Hope all goes well.

Catz · 12/06/2009 14:06

Slug I am astounded by what your midwife said, I hope you complained. Presumably she also disagrees with modern farming techniques that might alleviate the curse on Adam and refuses to feed men bought food (Genesis Ch 3 17-19)... I think her views are pretty far from mainstream Christian ideas!

AppleandBlackberry, I hope that all goes well, I was just thinking about what to say but I think Katsh has summed up very accurately what I would say too. I didn't have the perfect birth by any means but having that overall trust helped me to relax and feel very positive about it. Hope all goes well in the next few weeks.

slug · 12/06/2009 16:32

Ah Catz, she was pretty hardcore. She called me a 'dirty girl' when she was rummaging around inside and my waters burst all over her

MrsMerryHenry · 15/06/2009 23:00

Slug - what a freak. She shouldn't be allowed near...well, anyone, with that attitude.

BalloonSlayer · 16/06/2009 16:52

I am glad for Catz's post and second it.

If anyone tries the Eve's Punishment line on you, remember that Adam's Punishment was that men were supposed to work the land with their bare hands.

(So bring on the drugs )

MrsMerryHenry · 17/06/2009 11:07

Well said !

mariagoretti · 28/06/2009 20:50

I found this very helpful in labour. For me having a rosary to hold, a Scripture to meditate on and some familiar prayers to say helped me to concentrate on God rather than on the pains. The Bible readings are very apt for pregnancy & childbirth for any Christian.

www.ainglkiss.com/ros/jo.htm

Reallytired · 06/07/2009 22:30

I found this book helpful.

Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children (Paperback) by William Sears (Author), Martha Sears (Author)

It has bibical references in it for child rearing and childbirth. It is very attachment parenting orientated though.

Loubelou26 · 01/03/2010 02:02

Hi I recently gave birth to a 9lb 6oz baby (6 weeks ago so it is pretty fresh in my memory. I found having worship music in the room really helped calm the atmosphere and gave me something to focus on. Praying in tongues also helped, when it got the most painful- my epideral didn't work so did most of it with gas and air. I felt prayer helped bring me out of myself so I could cope with the pain.

Sorry don't have a verse to back this up but it's late as I am writing one handed and expressing. Let me know and I'll search them out and add . This was just my experience and it really helped had a relativly easy birth for such a big baby and it being my first.

Louisexx

Loubelou26 · 01/03/2010 02:23

Also remember that God said to Eve he would greatly increase her pain in child birth so their still will be some pain ( which is necessary believe me) eventhough we are redeemed from the curse because Jesus became cursed for us. And even though he did this for us we still have to recieve it by faith. Which is hard to do in the midst of everything. That's why I believe praying in tongues helped me. ( I wouldn't have been able to think of words to pray)

And my last thought would be that Gods plan is for you to have an amazing birth experience, but if this does not happen for whatever reason. It's not because of God willed it this way but he will bring you the provision to deal with anything that happens. I have many friends who will testify to that.

Louise xx

JeMeSouviens · 01/03/2010 03:46

I love this scripture and it is so true

John 16:21
a woman when she is giving birth has grief, because her hour has arrived; but when she has brought forth the young child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a man has been born into the world.

DutchOma · 01/03/2010 09:50

Appleandblackberry, come over to the prayer thread when you are near to the birth, so we can all pray you through the whole experience.
It will be lovely to have a new baby on the prayer thread

AMumInScotland · 01/03/2010 10:52

I think the baby is probably quite big by now - she was 32 weeks back last June...

SpeedyGonzalez · 01/03/2010 11:01

The world's longest pregnancy...