Why and How To Invite Christ Into the Labor and Delivery Room

I had seen it time and time again, a momma working through intense contractions buoyed and given strength by a song that came on in between. It may have been “Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here” by Kari Jobe, “Fear is a Liar” by Zach Williams, or “I am a Child of God {Who You Say I Am}” by Hillsong Worship. It didn’t seem to matter the song, but when Christ was invited into the labor and delivery room, the hard work of labor can turn into a spiritual experience and an opportunity to meet Christ like you never have before.The gospel transforms pregnancy and it can change your perspective on labor and delivery as well. Just like we need to invite Christ into our daily lives, we also need to invite him into the labor and delivery room.   

How you can invite Christ into your birth story

1. Pray and have your birth team pray for you too.

It doesn’t need to be anything long, but if you pray as you are going into more active labor and give all those fears that you may have tumbling around in your brain, it can help shorten your labor and it may be less painful as well. It has long been documented that our mental state has power over our body, and specifically labor. By releasing your fears, casting your cares on the Lord, and asking Him to walk with you and help you through the miracle of birth, you can stop the stress-tension-pain cycle and start a new cycle of relaxation and labor progress.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV 

You could also pick a small number of people to pray you through the labor. You could add them to a group text or message and then tell them specific things that you would like them to pray over you. Let them know when you go into labor and when the baby is born, and in between if you want. {Tip: updating the prayer team could be a task for a nervous hubby or grandma who is in the labor room with you, or for your doula.}Pray at the beginning of labor, have your team pray for you in between contractions, and thank God after the process is over and your little one is earthside with you. 

2. Play hymns and worship music.

Just like we welcome Christ into our church services with music, you can do the same during your labor to invite and welcome him in. Some moms like to listen to their favorite station on Pandora, others like to hand pick a collection of songs that has meaning and that they find encouraging in that specific pregnancy. Some like to listen to music during the whole labor, others prefer to wait until active labor so they have something to focus on during the breaks between contractions. There is no right way or wrong way to incorporate music into your birth, you might even bring it and decide that you don’t want it, that’s okay!  

3. Use Biblical Birth Affirmations

Birth affirmations are great! I encourage my clients to find some to use, but the problem that I have with many of them is that they turn all of our focus onto self. In labor you will get to a point where you feel like you can’t do it, and for some it can be hard to get to that point after they have been telling themselves “I can do this.” or something similar. Here are some biblical birth affirmations that you can use in labor:

• God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
• God is here with me.
• The Father knit my baby together in my womb and he know when my baby will be born.
• During this labor, I am working with Christ to bring an eternal soul into the world.
• For this child, I have prayed.
• I cast all my cares on the Lord.
• He has heard my cry and will deliver me.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” Psalm 46:1-2 NIV

 A great book that can help you go deeper into how God enters into childbirth with us, is Holy Labor. Here is a short excerpt:“The entire process of childbirth is so profound, so miraculous, so incredible, that it requires worship of the One who created it. From his providence over conception to the knitting together of parts in the womb, from the widening of the cervix and vagina and the careful twisting of a body through the pelvic opening to the emergence of a brand-new life not manufactured, or sculpted, but created, God’s work in childbirth is unbelievable. It should cause us to weep, as mothers often do when they feel the weight of the miracle, naked in their arms. Who could have imagined that childbirth and worship could be so inextricably linked?” Holy Labor: How Childbirth Shapes a Woman's Soul - Aubry G. Smith If you are a momma who is expecting soon, I hope that these tips on inviting Christ into your labor and delivery room gave you something to think about. You are about to do some hard work, but God is there with you! See also: 26 Pregnancy and Labor Bible Verses 

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About the Author

Rebekah Thompson, CD(DONA) has been a birth doula for five years and loves walking with women through pregnancy and postpartum. She lives in West Michigan with her husband of ten years and four boys, writes at Surviving Toddlerhood about motherhood and faith, and is also the author of The First Six Weeks: Thriving Naturally on Your Postpartum Journey. She is a fan of decaf coffee and tea, natural remedies, dark chocolate, reading, and writing. Rebekah would love to connect with you on Facebook and Instagram!