Apart from some of the storybooks I have read to my children, there is one book I’ve read more than any other:
Supernatural Childbirth: Experiencing the Promises of God Concerning Conception and Pregnancy
This book is filled with God’s promises concerning conception, pregnancy and birth; and testimonies from women who have experienced miracle conceptions, sickness-free pregnancies, and pain-free births!
I read Supernatural Childbirth several times each pregnancy!
Pregnancy and birth are meant to be wonderful God-given experiences
Jesus died to save us not only from sin, but to free us from every curse, including fear, sickness and pain (Isaiah 53:4-5, Galations 3:13-14, 29 and Deuteronomy 28).
And, did you know that God did not curse woman with pain in childbirth?
The curse that came upon women, after Eve sinned, was actually one of hard labour in childbirth, not pain (Genesis 3:16). This is explained in depth in Supernatural Childbirth. It’s good news for us women!
Let me share my own childbirth stories:
First written in 2003
After the birth of my first son, I was left feeling pretty traumatised! Not so much because of the birth, but because of the medical intervention.
I had to lie on my back with a monitor strapped to my stomach for most of the time. The doctor burst my waters way too early – later I was put on a drip to speed up contractions. I had a catheter put in, an episiotomy performed and stitches!!
Phew! Not much fun!
BUT, praise God, through the whole process of labour and delivery I had no pain – not even with the episiotomy and stitches. Yes, it was hard work and intense – especially the last hour or so of contractions, and the pushing, but it wasn’t painful.
I had gone into hospital in complete peace, with God’s promises strong in my mind and in my heart, and God did the miracle for me.
Afterwards, I did wonder about the pain-free bit. Did I really have no pain? Maybe the intensity of the contractions is what people call pain, I thought.
My second birth I went into the hospital much later, and didn’t let the doctors intervene – though I still had stitches. Again, I was in perfect peace and expecting a pain-free birth.
All went well until I was about to push then I suddenly felt the most incredible pain!
It only lasted a few seconds and I remember saying, ‘Ooh, that hurt!’.
That is the ONLY pain I have felt in three deliveries, and I am actually very glad for it because now I know without a doubt, that apart from those few seconds my births have been pain-free. The rest was intense but it was not pain.
The only way to describe the intensity without the pain is to liken it to when you strain to push or pull something very heavy, or try to unscrew a lid that doesn’t want to be opened! Your muscles do some hard work, and it can be exhausting, BUT it doesn’t hurt.
The intensity of my last contractions were even greater than that of course, and in each of my pregnancies I did use gas and air the last hour or so. I also found that saying the name of Jesus over and over in my head washed me in peace and eased my body through the contractions.
My third delivery was wonderful – so much more natural, no intervention, no pain. Our ‘little’ boy was out in just one or two pushes.
He was our biggest baby at almost 9 lbs, but I had no stitches. Third time round, I specifically prayed and believed for that!
It may be difficult for you to believe for anything better if your present or previous pregnancy or delivery has been tough. But you don’t have to work up some great faith all by yourself. Read God’s promises. Speak them out. Pray God’s word over yourself and Baby.
Pregnancy Resources to Help You
Read my post 40 Bible Verses to Pray During Pregnancy
Or download my Chosen and Created Pregnancy Prayer Cards (a free printable with all 40 verses on ready-to-use cards, with ideas for use)
Let God’s truth soak into you until you have that real kind of heart revelation: ‘Wow..this is truth, and I can experience it too!’
I really recommend you read the book Supernatural Childbirth too. It explains so much more, and really builds faith. There are also whole sections about God’s promises for you if you have difficulty conceiving or have had miscarriages. You too can be a ‘joyful mother of children’ (Psalm 113:9).
Each pregnancy you can believe for more. God will work. Each pregnancy and birth can be better than the last!
Pregnancy Update
Written 2005
I’ve had another baby since I wrote the first part of this! So let me share that experience too.
Fourth time round, I decided to have a home birth. However, it did not go according to plan!
At about 2:00 am I started having contractions. They were ten minutes apart, but from the strength of them, I knew Baby was coming soon.
We called the midwife, but she refused to come out when my contractions were still so far apart. I knew if she didn’t come straight away, she wouldn’t make it in time. She lived over 20 km away!
So, change of plan!
We quickly called my brother to come and be with our other kids, and rushed to the hospital. Our precious daughter was born 30 minutes after we got there!
Though super quick, this delivery was harder and I did experience some pain. BUT I know this is because I lost my peace! Fear crept in when I thought we were going to end up delivering this baby at home by ourselves (with our boys in the next bedroom).
I learnt from this experience that a key to a pain-free birth is keeping in God’s perfect peace! (Not that I’m planning to have any more babies!)
So, store up God’s word in your heart in the weeks and months before your delivery. Soak in his love. Let his peace cover and keep you.
Have a wonderful pregnancy and birth!
Download your ‘Chosen and Created Pregnancy Prayer Cards’ here!
Get the book ‘Supernatural Childbirth’ here!
Related Resources:
14 Tips to Prepare Your Child for the Arrival of a New Baby What I did with my children!
Chosen and Created Pregnancy Prayer Pack: Beautiful Bible verse cards and audio MP3 files with Bible verses, faith declarations and prayers to build faith, and know peace, joy and health in pregnancy and birth.
A Prayer Journey into Parenthood by Claire Daniel. A beautiful devotional book with Bible reflections and prayers, and space for personal journalling. Includes the author’s story of infertility and God’s breakthrough! Would make a lovely gift.
You are blessed. Your body is blessed. Your baby is blessed.
I pray God’s peace, protection and joy over your pregnancy and birth!
Oh I love this! This is one of my favourite books and I’m pregnant with number 3. There were elements of supernatural childbirth with the first two but this time we are praying for no medical intervention, my second was like your first almost identical, with no pain, except I lost a lot of blood and went into shock.
This time round praying I will be able to stand up and look after baby myself instead of being in bed 3 + days.
This is so encouraging! I was given this book with my first pregnancy. I looked at a few pages and set it aside.. never picking it up again until recently! I am pregnant with my third. I had a good labor the first two were not horrible but were very painful even with epidurals. Large healthy babies.. 10 lb and 11 lb.. but my doctor was frightened by my large babies and told me my next will be a C section. I changed doctors – read this book and.. WOW. Why didn’t I just read it the first two times? I am floored with excitement for this birth. I feel so much peace about everything. I know for a fact this time around will be much more different. I am not due until March 5 2017. I will be reading this book over and over and standing on all the TRUTH that is laid out. Your post was very encouraging. I hope that you get this even though you posted this a long time ago.
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m thrilled this post encouraged you, and that God’s done something in you to believe for a great pregnancy and birth! It’s wonderful that you feel so at peace about it all. I’m excited for you. Do let me know how everything goes. I’d love to know. Many blessings on the rest of your pregnancy xx