PRAYER IN PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

I've always loved this verse from Psalms: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (46:1). Over the years, my family and I have been continuously comforted by that truth. Many opportunities to feel this comfort came during the pregnancy and birth of our second child.

From the time I found out that we were expecting, I began praying with a Christian Science practitioner to see the child as spiritual, as an idea of God, Spirit, and also to start from the basis of God as the universal Parent not only for the child, but for us as well. With our first child we'd had a home birth, which was such a wonderful, harmonious experience. The delivery had taken place so effortlessly, and even the midwife had commented on this. Based on that first experience, we decided to have our second child at home also.

We made a call to a midwife and, during the first visit, found that this midwife had a more clinical approach to childbirth. I talked to her about how I relied on prayers as a means of healthcare, instead of medicine. The midwife's assistant, a very devout woman of faith, had been present at the birth of our first child, and shared with this midwife that based on what she had witnessed during that first birth, reliance on prayer in Christian Science worked.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

April 12, 2010
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit