“I put my faith in Jesus
My anchor to the ground
My hope and firm foundation
He’ll never let me down”
— Promises | Maverick City Music
I wanted to write this post to somehow encourage other women and maybe even challenge some fears and ideas that many of us carry about pregnancy and birth.
And I say this not because I had everything figured out, but because I myself had to go through many dealings, tears, prayers, and moments of fighting fear throughout this journey. God had to transform my own heart and teach me to trust Him more deeply.
That is why I felt encouraged to write this — in the hope that it may strengthen and encourage someone else too.
If you ask most women about their pregnancy and birth story, they will probably tell you that things did not fully go according to plan. Sometimes better than expected, sometimes harder. Every story is different. Yet almost every mother will also tell you that giving birth is one of the most powerful experiences she has ever lived and a memory that stays with her forever.
PREGNANCY IS NOT A SICKNESS
One thing that really surprised me when I became pregnant was how quickly fear entered the conversation.
As soon as people find out you are pregnant, advice starts coming from every direction:
Do this.
Don’t do that.
Avoid this food.
Take these supplements.
Watch out for this risk.
Check this symptom.
And while I understand that many recommendations exist to help us, I found myself wondering how something so beautiful and God-designed had become so surrounded by anxiety and fear.
Very early in my pregnancy, some blood test results came back outside the “normal” range. Immediately, conversations about risks, percentages, and probabilities began.
And if you are not careful, fear slowly starts planting itself in your heart.
BUT pregnancy is not a sickness.
Pregnancy is a blessing!
I had to learn very quickly to filter what I was hearing. Doctors are there to help us, but doctors are not God. Numbers are not God. Statistics are not God.
The Bible says:
Proverbs 23:7 – “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
If you constantly see pregnancy through the lens of fear, probabilities, sickness, and problems, that will shape your entire experience.
But God did not create women with fear in mind. He created our bodies with wisdom and purpose.
So remember to keep returning to God’s Word. Choose to speak life instead of fear and to trust that the One who created your body knows exactly what He is doing.
AT 38 WEEKS
Just for context, Steve and I chose to go through the public medical system during pregnancy. We trusted God completely, but we also believed there was wisdom in being monitored and cared for.
By the second and third trimester, I was truly enjoying pregnancy. I felt light, healthy, and peaceful. From 17 weeks onward, I constantly felt my baby moving. She was lively from the very beginning, always kicking and reminding me she was there. I absolutely loved it.
Then at 38 weeks, during one of the final appointments before my due date, the doctors told me that the baby was measuring small and recommended induction.
They explained that if I did not induce, there was a possibility the baby could die.
As you can imagine, hearing those words while heavily pregnant was extremely overwhelming.
Steve and I went home praying and seeking God because deep down something did not feel right. I had a very active baby, good fluid levels, and both the baby and I were healthy. Our little one was simply measuring smaller than average.
I fully understand that medical interventions are sometimes necessary, and I am grateful they exist. But in this specific situation, we personally did not feel peace about inducing labour.
We believed that birth is something God designed beautifully — that a woman’s body and the baby work together in preparation for delivery in an incredible way.
So after prayer and careful consideration, we decided not to go through with the induction.
I won’t lie — it was emotionally difficult. There was pressure, fear, and many tears throughout the process. At one point, I even had to sign papers stating that I was taking responsibility for refusing the induction and its consequences.
But after Steve and I prayed one last time, peace filled my heart again.
And that peace was so reassuring.
THE BIRTH
Four days later, my waters broke!
Labour had actually begun naturally and gradually a few days earlier with contractions and the loss of my mucus plug, but once my waters broke, things slowly intensified.
We went to the hospital, and I was monitored for many hours. At first, I was allowed to move around, exercise, and breathe through contractions, which helped me tremendously. But eventually I was told that I had to remain in bed connected to monitors, and after many exhausting hours, the pain became extremely intense.
Throughout labour, I was continuously encouraged to take the epidural. Initially, I had hoped for a fully natural birth, but eventually I decided to accept a small dose.
And honestly, I thank God for that wisdom.
It allowed me to rest briefly before active labour intensified again. Once the epidural wore off, I was finally able to move again, breathe through contractions, and work with my body.
A few hours later, I was fully dilated.
I truly thank God for the medical team that was on shift during the delivery. The obstetrician caring for me was an older lady who, I later found out, retired only days after my daughter was born. She was calm, kind, and respectful of my wishes throughout the process.
At 11am, it was finally time to push.
Steve says the room looked like a war zone haha. Honestly, I don’t remember much of what it looked like — I only remember what it felt like. Giving birth was the hardest physical thing I have ever done, but also the most rewarding.
At 12:09pm, our little Chloe was born with a strong and beautiful cry.
Perfect.
Healthy.
And completely worth every moment.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
One of the biggest things I learned through pregnancy and birth is that the enemy tries very hard to rob women of joy through fear.
Fear about our bodies.
Fear about pregnancy.
Fear about birth.
Fear about the future.
But over and over again, God calls us to trust Him.
Pregnancy is not a sickness.
It is not something to go through in dread.
It is not a medical condition to survive.
It is one of the most beautiful gifts and responsibilities God gives to women.
And while every pregnancy and birth story is different, my encouragement to you is this:
Do not let fear be louder than faith.
Be wise.
Seek God.
Listen carefully.
But above all, remember that the Creator of life is faithful.
And He never lets us down 🤍
