Asking God into Birth

Over the past week I have been watching the “More Business of Being Born” episodes on Netflix that followed the success of the documentary, “The Business of Being Born.” I am just about 6 months pregnant with my third baby and yet again I am stirred. Now, I know documentaries are made with an agenda and let me tell you, I am a peace maker and hate the thought of turning people off by the things that make my heart beat, but I don’t want to be quiet either. In all of the birth education I’ve gone through over the past six years from my first pregnancy until now more than anything I want women to dive into understanding what our bodies can do and I want fear to lose it’s grip over the labor and delivery of our sweet babies.

Right off the bat I want other mother’s to know that I don’t look down on them if they did not have a natural labor. I myself had an epidural and c-section my first time around. I didn’t want those things, but through a series of events they became my reality. I gave birth to my second through an unplanned, crazy fast home birth, which gave me the vbac (vaginal birth after cesarean) I had wanted, but this birth wasn’t what I had planned either. It was a whirlwind filled with God’s redemption regardless of how out of control the whole scene felt. 

I think what strikes me in our generalized choices as a society to embrace epidurals and c-sections so easily is that in my opinion it can numb a part of our mothering stories. It’s not entirely surprising that we are told (I know this is not always the case) by doctors, our own mother’s, and other mom friends that not experiencing the pain is the way to go, considering culturally we seem to like to avoid pain in all scenarios. But I truly believe birthing our babies as we were made to birth them, connecting with our bodies, and letting God’s Spirit speak as we journey through the foreignness of pushing into pain brings about a strength we can’t produce on our own. It also points us to the the awe of God, His Holiness outshining the pain.

I don’t want to sugar coat the process either. It’s hard, it hurts, and it’s scary. But just like other difficult journeys in life I believe pressing in and asking God into each unknown step after step is shockingly rewarding. God shows up. He didn’t leave me alone during my c-section or my home birth and I know He won’t leave me no matter what this third labor looks like. I want women to take courage and trust in the one who made us to birth. 

For the single woman who feels far from birth, and the newly wed who may shiver at the idea of a natural labor, and the expecting mom who’s had two planned c-sections already, and the soon-to-be grandma who wants to support her pregnant daughter; I wish that all of these scenarios would allow a space for the conversation of a natural unmedicated birth. It doesn’t have to be a crazy option. No matter what we choose as we walk these birth stories out, God will tell you how much He loves you. He will whisper each direction as we ask Him into our home births, hospital births, planned c-sections, and emergency c-sections. I know it will blow us away when we ask Him into these options.