The birth of a baby is a true gift of fate. However, the expectant mother does not forget for a minute that a great test awaits her ahead, as well as terrible pain. That is why many rely on God's help. Prayer before childbirth will give you confidence and strength at a crucial moment, and fear will certainly leave you if you put all your faith into prayer.
It is believed that a believing Orthodox Christian woman should turn to God not only during childbirth, but also before conceiving a child, during the period of gestation. The more often you call on God's help in prayer, the calmer and more confident you will feel. It is very important to remember prayer during childbirth. If you read a prayer in the midst of contractions, it will become a little easier - the pain will calm down.
For a long time, Orthodox Christian women have offered prayers to the Holy Mother of God before childbirth. She is considered the patroness of mothers and their children. If desired, close people of a woman giving birth can gather in a church or at home in front of the image of the Mother of God, and then read together a prayer for a successful outcome of the birth and the birth of a healthy, strong baby.
Such a religious text is primarily pronounced in order to provide assistance to the woman in labor. In more detail, it is read for the following purposes:
- to relieve severe pain;
- to relieve difficult, protracted labor;
- in order to eliminate complications that arise during difficult contractions;
- to relieve heavy bleeding if it begins during childbirth;
- to rid the baby of a pathology that doctors could diagnose in the early stages of pregnancy.
Interestingly, prayer addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos helps not only pregnant or giving birth women. It can also be pronounced if a woman is unable to become pregnant and bear a child.
Even if you are infertile, you should not give up. You need to seek help with such prayer and ask the Lord to give you a healthy child. However, you should not limit yourself to one sacred text. You are also encouraged to visit church, go to confession and receive communion. In this case, prayer will have much more power. When you are in church, first of all, buy three candles and place them near the image of the Virgin Mary. Then read “Our Father” and only after that ask the Mother of God for health for your unborn child.
Do not forget that you need to turn to the Mother of God throughout your entire pregnancy, and not just during childbirth. In this case, you will feel much calmer, and you won’t worry so much about the successful completion of the birth. You can read the prayer book not only to the Mother of God, but also to other saints:
- Great Martyr Catherine;
- Xenia of Petersburg;
- Anastasia the Pattern Maker.
If the doctors have informed you that you need to prepare yourself for a rather difficult birth, it is best to read a prayer to Joachim and Anna. This couple could not have a child for a very long time, but they prayed to the Lord so fervently and for a long time that they were given a child.
Who to pray for help
Holy Mother of God
I, the servant of God (proper name), appeal to you, Lady of Heaven. I ask for your support and help in this period of life. The hour of my delivery is approaching, so help me to survive it safely, so that there is no harm to either me or my child. Hear me, the servant of God, unworthy and sinful (proper name) and do not despise my prayer, Most Holy Theotokos. Deliver me from internal fears and fill my soul with confidence in a successful outcome.
Deliver me from suffering during childbirth and protect my child. Ask the Lord to grant me an easy birth and protect me from serious illnesses. Ask your Son to help my child enter this world healthy and strong. I trust only in you, Most Holy Theotokos, and I believe in your goodness. Become my heavenly Mother and grant your protection to me and my child. Amen.
In front of the icon “Helper in Childbirth”
Accept, Heavenly Lady, Most Holy Theotokos, the tearful prayer request of the servant of God (proper name). Pay attention to me humbly kneeling before your holy image and become my support in my difficult period of life. I look with tears of tenderness at your Icon and see you carrying in your womb your Son and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. You, the Most Holy Theotokos, gave birth to him painlessly and with great spiritual joy, without experiencing any pain. So help me about the time of childbirth.
Grant me, Most Holy Theotokos, your support and do not allow me to experience terrible pain during childbirth. Give your intercession to my baby, so that he is born healthy and strong, so that he comes into this world without pain. I bow before your image and ask for your intercession. Oh, Most Holy Theotokos, have mercy on me, as I await the birth of my child with love and joy. Do not let grief and sadness come into my life, do not despise my humble tears.
On the day of my boundless joy, at the moment of the birth of my dear little blood, I, the servant of God (my own name), will offer you a prayer of gratitude and thank our Lord, the All-Merciful and All-Merciful. Amen.
Matrona of Moscow
Oh, blessed Elder Matrona of Moscow, your soul is in heaven next to the Throne of the Lord, but your body rests on earth and exudes various miracles. Hear my prayer, Servant of God (proper name) and grant me consolation in sorrows and sorrow. Ask our Lord Almighty to show mercy to me and forgive all my voluntary and involuntary sins committed due to my lack of understanding. Ask him to grant me the birth of a healthy and strong child, so that he does not have to pay for my sins, for which I sincerely repent.
I thank you, Blessed Elder Matrona of Moscow, and I trust only in you. I believe in your boundless mercy. May your mercy never fail for those who suffer and need your help. I glorify the Holy Name of the Lord in my prayers and accept His will in everything. Amen.
Lord God
Our God, Savior of the human race, Jesus Christ, born of the Lord and the Lord himself. You are a great Lover of Humanity, therefore you always hear the prayers of those who turn in their sorrows and suffering. Hear me, Servant of God (proper name) in my difficult hour. Help me to successfully resolve my burden and give birth to a healthy child, to the glory of the Name of the Lord. For you yourself, the Great Creator of the whole world, having created a man and given him a woman as a reliable assistant, said that couples need to be fruitful and multiply in order to populate the world you created. Save and keep my child healthy and give me the strength to raise him in the fear of God, so that we glorify Your holy Name and thank You in our prayers. Amen.
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Spiritual preparation of the upcoming woman in labor
A woman prepares for the upcoming birth throughout her pregnancy. She visits doctors, chooses clothes for her unborn baby, and takes special training courses. But don’t forget about the spiritual aspect. Prayers to saints provide indispensable assistance in successful childbirth. They work wonders and fill the soul of the expectant mother with peace and confidence that everything will go well and the child will be born healthy to the delight of the parents. Before giving birth, a woman is recommended to confess and receive communion in an Orthodox church. The priest blesses the mother and her unborn baby.
Postpartum prayer
We must also not forget about postpartum prayer. We need to thank God with all our hearts. After all, after the birth of the baby, His help may also be needed. This is associated with milk loss, postpartum depression and other possible complications. In order for the growth and development of the baby to proceed favorably, one must always turn to the Mother of God. It can heal and relieve depression and many other ailments associated with the female body. A mother's prayer dedicated to her daughter also has great power. There is an invisible connection between mother and child. Therefore, she can also help her daughter with her prayers to the Lord during childbirth.
Virgin Mary, rejoice. Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of the womb, for You have given birth to all our souls as the Savior. Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos, Virgin Mary, I ask, Thy servant. Just as You gave birth to Your son, Jesus Christ, so regenerate me, the servant of God, restore my blood, and veins, and joints, and bones. So that, just as a small child’s cartilage will be restored, so the face of God’s servant will be restored and reborn with my birth. Amen!
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How to determine the onset of labor
Unfortunately, there is no clear order of events that indicate the onset of labor. Each pregnant woman goes through her own journey, which marks the beginning of labor. There are women who experience a surge of energy before giving birth, others feel lethargy and loss of strength, and still others may not even notice that their waters have broken.
Ideally, the birth process begins after the fetus has formed and has everything necessary for independent life and development outside the womb. The imminent appearance of the baby is indicated by the opening of the cervix as a result of contractions - rhythmic contractions of the uterine muscles. On average, the duration of contractions is 10-15 seconds every 15-20 minutes at the beginning of labor and at the peak of activity every 60 seconds 2-3 minutes. Contractions make it easier for the baby to move through the birth canal. Therefore, it is important for a woman to be able to breathe correctly both during contractions and after them.
An interesting fact is that contractions do not always begin when the water breaks. Although this plot formed the basis of many films: a woman feels a flow of water and after a couple of seconds becomes familiar with contractions. However, in real life this plot is far from the truth. The water may break even before contractions occur. By the way, the amniotic sac may begin to rupture gradually, so a woman may not immediately notice leakage of amniotic fluid (amniotic fluid).
Gynecologists say that premature rupture of amniotic fluid has different meanings: what happens does not always mean that the female body is ready for childbirth and does not always say the opposite. In any case, if a woman detects a break in her water, she should immediately consult a doctor, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. For each woman, the volume of water can be different (oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios) and sometimes leakage can occur even in the early stages of pregnancy.
Based on the research results, it was concluded that approximately ¾ of women were able to give birth within 24 hours after the amniotic fluid broke. Of these, more than half of the pregnant women did not even require stimulation.
If labor has not begun after the rupture of the amniotic sac, but the due date has approached, the woman is induced. When it’s the other way around, this indicates the onset of premature labor. Amniotic fluid helps protect the baby from external infections and contains a lot of nutrients (mineral salts, proteins, fats, glucose). Therefore, premature loss of water can threaten not only the health, but also the life of the child.
Pink or red discharge may indicate the onset of labor. This is the so-called process of the removal of the plug that closes the cervical canal. The plug helps protect the fetus from infection and may not come off completely, but in parts. As a rule, it goes away within a week before or during childbirth. However, her rejection can also be overlooked.
As for the uterine opening, it can begin either 2 weeks before birth or an hour before it. The obstetrician-gynecologist keeps this issue under control by conducting special vaginal examinations of the pregnant woman. The first dilation of the cervix can reach 4 cm, after which the uterine os can dilate up to 8 cm. In the active stage of labor, the uterus is fully dilated, which ranges from 10 to 12 cm.
Image of the Virgin Mary
The essence of the Mother of God lies in motherhood, because it was her Son Christ who made her who she is. Her nature is the nature of a mother and she, like no one else, can understand every girl who carries a child under her heart. The prayer to the icon of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth” helps the mother overcome fear and pain, and is also a request for the blessing that the Virgin Mary bestows.
Icon of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth”
In the icon “Helper in Childbirth,” the Mother of God stands with her head uncovered, and her hands rest on her chest above the Eternal Child. Christ blesses with one hand, and the other rests on his knee. The Holy One's outfit is red with splashes of gold with stars on the shoulders. Her underdress is a dark green shade with gilding and stars.
Prayer for an easy birth to Panteleimon the Healer
Panteleimon was born in Nicodeemia - Roman Empire. From a young age he was trained as a doctor. He changed several teachers and soon became so good at treating people that the emperor took him to the palace.
But the main goal of the young doctor was to save ordinary people from pain and suffering. During his lifetime, he resurrected a boy who had died from a snake bite. Every year new reports come about the miraculous healing of those praying in front of the icon of the Healer Panteleimon. A mother’s prayer during the birth of her daughter relieves pain and shortens the time it takes for the baby to appear.
Usually one of the texts is selected and read continuously until the child is born and screams.
First prayer
Second prayer
How does a prayer request help?
How does regularly asking the image help? Like any prayer, it eases a heavy heart and makes you trust the Lord.
In addition, regular appeal to the Virgin Mary:
- relieves pain;
- facilitates the expected difficult birth process;
- relieves infertility;
- relieves pain and discomfort during childbirth;
- helps correct possible or existing complications;
- stops bleeding;
- helps the baby to be born strong and healthy.
What to do if labor begins
Before the fetus begins to emerge from the uterus, amniotic fluid is released.
Those delivering babies need to take off their shoes, woolen clothes, and wash their hands thoroughly. The woman's external genitalia should be washed with soap and water. If possible, hair from the vulva should be removed. A clean cloth, sheet, towel, oilcloth is placed under the woman’s buttocks.
When your water breaks, contractions become frequent and painful. After contractions, pushing comes. The woman should be supported from the back, motivated to push harder so that the fetus begins to come out. To relieve pain, you should synchronize your breathing with the amplitude of pushing - you need to push after taking a deep breath. In this way, the child is additionally pushed out by the diaphragm. Between attempts, a woman needs to breathe deeply and evenly.
When pushing occurs, the woman in labor holds tightly to her own knees, pulling them towards herself. Those attending the birth monitor the appearance of the baby's head. As soon as it appears, the woman needs to restrain her efforts by breathing. You need to breathe with your mouth open, often and shallowly. The head and then the body of the newborn baby are supported by the person delivering the baby.
After the child comes out, he takes a breath, and then begins to scream. His body changes color from bluish to pink. Otherwise, the baby is lightly patted on the buttocks and back. Use a clean cloth or bandage to remove mucus from the child's mouth and nose. It can also be sucked out with a thin tube.
It is necessary to monitor the condition of the umbilical cord. When it stops pulsating, it must be bandaged with a piece of clean cloth in two places – five centimeters from the newborn’s umbilical ring, and 10-15 centimeters from this knot. Using pre-disinfected scissors, you need to cut the umbilical cord between the nodes. The cutting sites are treated with an antiseptic.
The end of the umbilical cord remaining with the child is tied with a bandage. The baby is carefully wiped, wrapped in clean material, and placed on the mother's chest.
After birth, the placenta separates, approximately 25-35 minutes later. A woman in labor may leak up to 350 milliliters of blood. Now the woman can be given clean warm water to drink. A cold compress or a bottle of cold water and ice is placed on her stomach. If it is not possible to make a cold compress, any dense object weighing 2-3 kilograms is placed on the stomach - this allows you to speed up the contraction of the uterus and prevent the development of uterine bleeding.
The mother in labor and the newborn must be transported to a medical facility as soon as possible. The released placenta (placenta and blood) should be collected in a plastic bag and sent with the woman so that doctors can examine it.
If the baby comes out with membranes, they must be cut immediately, otherwise the baby may suffocate.
Texts of prayers in front of the icon “Helper in Childbirth”
Troparion, tone 4
The Mother of our God, having conceived Christ the Life-Giver in the womb, You did not require help in giving birth to Him; therefore, it is easier for Thy servant to be allowed to bless and help, and their babies in times of need. Those who have great things will be born under Your protection, like the Mother, we pray, accept: For You are in childbirth, Helper, Intercessor of Your servant.
Translation: Mother of our God, who conceived Christ the Giver of Life in the womb, You did not need help at His birth, therefore, bless and help Your servants to be easily relieved (from the burden), and their babies born in a timely manner, under Your protection, as a Mother, we pray, take it, for You are the Helper in childbirth, the Protector of Your servants.
Kontakion, tone 2
The solution of the tears of the Virgins, the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures, conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Infant God, and humbly giving birth to Him in the manger of Bethlehem, we resort to You as the Guardian of wives and babies, to You We sigh and magnify You: Rejoice, Compassionate Mother, Helper in childbirth.
Translation: Eve’s deliverance from tears, the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures, who conceived from the Holy Spirit of the Infant God and humbly gave birth to Him in the manger of Bethlehem, we turn to You, Guardian of wives and babies, We bring our sorrows to You and we glorify You: “Rejoice, Mother of Grace, Helper in childbirth "
First prayer
Accept, Lady Theotokos, the tearful prayers of Your servants who flow to You. We see You on the holy icon in your womb, bearing Your Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though you gave birth to Him painlessly, the mother bears the weight of sorrow and infirmity of the sons and daughters of men. The same warmth falls on Your whole-hearted image and tenderly kisses us, we pray to You, All-Merciful Lady: us, sinners, condemned to the pains of giving birth and the sorrows of feeding our children ours, mercifully spare and compassionately intercede, but our babies, likewise the one who gave birth to them, from the grave deliver from illness and bitter sorrow; Grant them health and well-being, and their nourishment will increase from strength to strength, and those who feed them will be filled with joy and consolation, as even now through Your intercession from the mouth of a baby and those who piss The Lord will perfect His praise.
Oh, Mother of the Son of God! Have mercy on the mother of the sons of men and on Your weak people: quickly heal the illnesses that befall us, quench the sorrows and sorrows that are upon us and do not despise the tears and sighs of the slave in Yours. Hear us on the day of sorrow, those who fall before Your icon, and on the day of joy and deliverance, accept the grateful praise of our hearts. Offer our prayers to the Throne of Your Son and our God, that He may be merciful to our sin and weakness and add His mercy to those who know His name, even as we and our children have passed on. We see Ty, the Merciful Intercessor and the faithful Hope of our race, forever and ever . Amen.
Second prayer
Oh, Most Holy Lady, Lady Theotokos, who never leaves us in earthly life! To whom will I offer prayers, to whom will I bring tears and sighs, if not to You, consolation to all the faithful! With fear, faith, love, Mother of the Belly, I pray: may the Lord give understanding to Orthodox people for salvation, may He give us children to You and Your Son to please us, may He keep us in purity of humility, in the hope of salvation in Christ, and grants to us all, in the shelter of Your grace, earthly consolation. Keep us under the canopy of Your mercy, Most Pure One, help those who pray for childbirth, turn away the slander of evil freedoms, grave troubles, misfortunes and deaths. Grant us grace-filled insight, the spirit of contrition for sins, grant us to see all the height and purity of Christ’s teaching given to us; keep us from disastrous alienation, so that all of us, gratefully chanting Your greatness, may be granted heavenly peace and there with Your beloved, with all the saints, we will glorify the One God in the Trinity Ga: Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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Prayer to the Holy Prophet Zechariah and Elizabeth
O holy saints of God, prophet Zechariah and righteous Elizabeth!
Having fought a good fight on earth, we have naturally received in heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present We will be worthy, through your intercession, even though we are unworthy, to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints, the glorified God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. Order a prayer service
Prayer of a woman in labor to the Savior
Calling on the Son of God, a woman in labor will definitely feel His support.
Prayer to Jesus before childbirth
Our Lord God, Jesus Christ, Savior and Defender, from the Most High God the Father, through reverence and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, was born in the womb of the Virgin Mary as a baby and was laid in a manger, for the Creator at the creation of the world created man and woman, gave them the commandment to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, according to Your great mercy, have mercy on Your servant, who is in childbirth according to Your commandment. Lord, forgive me all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, bless me for a successful birth of a healthy baby, keep me and the child in health and well-being, place Your angels near us to protect us from the arrows of the evil one. Amen.
