Release Your Anxiety and Incorporate These 3 Prayers for Pregnancy
Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7
When my husband and I got married, we knew we wanted to have children. Before I ever wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to be a mother. So when my husband and I tried to conceive, or rather not prevent conception, I was distraught that it didn’t happen right away.
When we finally conceived, I was eager to add any prayers that would encourage a healthy pregnancy. And after two missed miscarriages, I was an anxious mess about every aspect of my pregnancy. I was the pivotal “first-time mom”. Not only did I follow every rule, but I was also taking medication to try to prevent miscarriage. I worried if my baby would stay and I wanted all the checks to ensure that she was healthy.
Although the majority of pregnancies are healthy and most babies are born without an issue, I was still filled with anxiety. The only thing that brought me comfort was prayer. So with that, I have found a few prayers and saints I’d love to connect you with. Consider talking to your spiritual father about adding these prayers to your prayer rule. And ask these saints for their intercessions, to help you find peace and solitude through your pregnancy.
Prayers to Pray During Pregnancy
In addition to your daily prayer rule, adding the following prayers can be a small comfort when there isn’t much else we can control. We don’t get a say in how our baby develops or how we adapt to pregnancy, but we can concentrate our efforts on prayer.
Prayer is communication with our Holy Lord. It’s in prayer that we can pour out our hearts and fall on our knees. Every season of life may bring a different prayer rule but the following prayers are great for the specific season of pregnancy.
Prayer to Jesus Christ
I do not know who authored this prayer but it’s put out by the Church. It can be prayed through pregnancy and birth and is a beautiful testament of our Lord’s love for us and our babies.
I offer this prayer and the one to the Mother of God as a laminated set in my Etsy shop.
“O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, the Source of life and immortality, I thank Thee, for in my marriage Thou has blest me to be a recipient of Thy blessing and gift; for Thou, O Master, didst say: Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.
I thank Thee and pray: Bless this fruit of my body that was given to me by Thee; favor it and animate it by Thy Holy Spirit, and let it grow a healthy and pure body, with well-formed limbs.
Sanctify its body, mind, heart, and vitals, and grant this infant that is to be born an intelligent soul; establish him in the fear of Thee.
A faithful angel, a guardian of soul and body, do thou vouchsafe him. Protect, keep, strengthen, and shelter the child in my womb until the hour of his birth. But conceal him not in his mother's womb; Thou gavest him life and health.
* * *
O All-Merciful Christ our God, look down and protect me, Thy handmaiden, from fear and from evil spirits that seek to destroy the work of Thy hands. And when my hour and time is come, deliver me by Thy grace.
Look with compassionate eye and deliver me, Thy handmaiden, from pain. Lighten mine infirmity in the time of my travail and grant me fortitude and strength for birth giving, and hasten it by Thine almighty help.
For this is Thy glorious work, the power of Thine omnipotence, the work of Thy grace and tender-heartedness. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, into Thine almighty and paternal hands do I entrust my child. Place him upon the right hand of Thy grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify him and renew him unto life everlasting, that he may be a communicant of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.”
Prayer to the Mother of God
There is no intercessor better for pregnant mothers than the Most Holy Mother of God. She had Christ God himself in her womb. She gave birth without pain or suffering. She joined man to nature and revoked the curse of Eve. As His mother, she can intercede for us in a much more intimate way than any other saint.
“My most gracious Queen, my hope, O Mother of God, the joy of those in sorrow, help me, for I am helpless.
Intercede thou and pray thy Son, Christ our God, that He lighten for me this season while I am with child, and that He ease the burden of heaviness of me, this unworthy handmaiden, and bestow His blessings upon the child to which I am giving birth.
For I know no other help save thee, no other hope save thee, O Mother of God that will guard and protect me and my child. For by thine intercession and help we send up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
You can also pray The Akathist to the Mother of God throughout your pregnancy. This is a longer option but perhaps, with your spiritual father's guidance, you can break up the Akathist over a few days every week and find spiritual nourishment there.
Psalm 18 (19) as Prescribed by St. Arsenios of Cappadocia
I have to thank my priest husband for introducing me to this tradition. St. Arsenios was known for using the Psalter of the Prophet and King David as a Book of Needs. He prescribes Psalm 18 (19) for pregnant women so that they may have a smooth delivery.
It’s not a long psalm and is easy to add to your daily prayer rule. You can even use apps like Bible Gateway to listen to this psalm if you forget to add it to your morning or evening prayers. I have this Psalm available as a digital download or laminated print in my Etsy shop.
Saints to Pray to While Pregnant
Along with the above prayers, you may find it helpful to ask a specific saint for their intercessions. Some saints are well known for their intercessions through pregnancy but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask other saints for their prayers. Sometimes a saint may choose your child and you might find yourself praying to them without a conscious decision.
The Mother of God – see above for my adoration of her!
St. Olga of Alaska – She is a newly glorified saint from Alaska. She was a priest-wife and midwife *goals* and has worked many incredible miracles. You can pray her Akathist or simply ask for her intercessions throughout your pregnancy.
St. Eleutherios – He is known as “the patron of pregnant women”. It’s said that he is asked for help for freedom and since pregnancy and birth carry a risk, you can pray to him to help with freedom from illness or hardship in pregnancy. A common phrase is “Kali Leuteria” meaning “good freedom” and gives wishes for an easy and harmless childbirth. Here is his Akathist for your prayers.
St. Luke the Surgeon – He is our family saint and an all-around incredible saint when it comes to help with illness. Now I don’t believe pregnancy is an illness but there are situations that may require more intervention and some pregnancies and births which need the skill of a surgeon. Therefore, it may be prudent to ask St. Luke for intercessions if you have a high-risk pregnancy or if you need a surgical birth. Here is his Akathist.
Ss. Cosmos and Damian– These two are well known as “unmercinary healers” and can be a great comfort for the mother who faces illness in pregnancy. Whether you suffer from hyperemesis, cholestasis, or for any illness in pregnancy, Ss. Damian and Pantelemion can be of great help. Here is their Akathist.
St. Stylianos — He is well known as the protector of children but I recently learned that he is called upon to protect children in the womb. As an ascetic he was entrusted with the care of many children and by his prayers many received healing. You can find his Paraklesis here.
Make Prayers for Pregnancy Apart of Your Daily Rhythm
The anticipation of birth can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first baby. And for most of it, you’re just along for the ride. There really isn’t much to do other than trust that your body will grow and birth your baby just as millions and millions of other women have since the beginning of time.
But the one thing you can do to make your pregnancy relaxed and free of anxiety is to pray. Pray for peace, pray for comfort, pray for trust in God’s plan. The above prayers are a great place to start and the aforementioned saints are incredible intercessors. When the anxiety or doubt creeps in, banish it with prayer. Only then will you have a peaceful and God-filled pregnancy and birth.
May God bless you and have mercy on you in this beautiful season! Do you find a closeness to any of these saints? I personally asked for St. Olga’s prayers through my fourth pregnancy. She gave me so much peace and trust in the Lord.
