Prayers for a mother during pregnancy

A brief prayer that can be said at any time by a mother during her pregnancy:

The following prayer, being brief and concise and calling upon the saints traditionally ascribed as protectors of pregnancy, may be offered by the expecting mother frequently and at any time:

O Master Christ, I bring unto Thee this child growing within me. Guard and protect this precious life! Grant me strength to carry this child safely through the days and months ahead; grant our doctors and midwives wisdom and steady hands; give my husband and family patience and love.

Most Holy Theotokos, Mother of God, intercede for me with thy Son and our God! Saint Stylianos, heal and protect us. Saint Anne, strengthen my faith. Saint Irene, grant me peace. Saint Eleutherius, guard my family. Amen.

Prayers offered by a pregnant mother:

The following are prayers to be prayed by the mother during the period of her pregnancy. They may be incorporated into an existing prayer rule, with the spiritual father’s blessing; or they may be prayed separately, prefaced by the traditional opening prayers and Psalm 50.

To the Saviour:

O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, Source of life and immortality, I thank Thee, for in my marriage Thou hast granted 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 therefore and humbly pray Thee: Bless this fruit of my body that was given unto me by Thee. Favouring and animating it by Thy Holy Spirit, grant it to grow a healthy and pure body, with well-formed limbs. Sanctify its sinews, mind, heart, and vitals, and grant this infant that is to be born an intelligent soul, establishing it in the saving fear of Thee and granting a faithful angel to guard both its soul and body.

Yea, Lord, protect, keep, strengthen, and shelter the child in my womb until the hour of its birth. Conceal this new creation not in its mother’s womb: as Thou hast given it life, do Thou also grant it health.

O Lord Jesus Christ! Into Thine almighty and paternal hands do I entrust my child. Place it upon the right hand of Thy Grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify it and renew it unto life everlasting, that it may be a communicant of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

To the Theotokos:

O most glorious Mother of God, have mercy on me, thy servant, and come to my aid amidst the pains and dangers in which all the poor daughters of Eve bear their children.

Remember, O blessed amongst women, with what joy and love thou didst go in haste into the hill country to visit thy kinswoman Elisabeth during her pregnancy, and what a wondrous effect thy grace-filled visitation had upon both mother and child.

In thine inexhaustible compassion, grant also unto me, thy lowliest servant, to be safely delivered of my child. Grant me this grace: that the child now resting beneath my heart, coming to awareness and leaping joyfully like the holy infant John, may worship our divine Lord and Saviour, Who in His love for us sinners didst not disdain Himself to become a child.

May the ineffable joy that filled thy virginal heart when thou didst behold thy newborn Son and Lord sweeten the sorrow that awaits me amidst the travails of childbirth. May the Life of the world, my Saviour born of thee, save me from the perils that befall many mothers at the hour of delivery, and number the fruit of my womb among God’s elect.

Hear, O most holy Queen of Heaven, my humble supplication, and look upon me, a poor sinner, with the eye of thy grace. Put not my hope in thy great mercy to shame, but overshadow me with thy maternal love. O help of Christians and healer of the sick, may I also be granted to know by experience that thou art the Mother of mercy. May I ever glorify thy grace, which hath never rejected the prayers of the poor and delivereth all who call upon thee in times of sorrow and distress. Amen.

Another prayer, to the Saviour:

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. When my hour and time is come, deliver me by Thy Grace. Look down with Thy 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 birthgiving, 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.

Another prayer, to the Theotokos:

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 of my child-bearing, as thou didst bear the Saviour of all; and implore Him that He ease the burden of heaviness of this unworthy handmaiden, and bestow His blessings upon the child to which I am giving birth.

I know no other help, 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 offer up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

A prayer for a woman in labour:

The following prayer may be read once the mother has entered into active labour. If a Priest is present, he will say the prayer; but if not, it may be read over the mother by the father or another pious family member.

O Lord God Almighty, Creator of all things and Giver of knowledge to mankind, Who didst fashion the body of man from the earth and breathe into his nostrils the breath of life, granting him Thy blessing that he might increase and multiply by means of the birth of children: we implore Thee now, O Thou Who lovest mankind, to bless this Thy handmaiden, N., who is with child and at this very hour labours to deliver unto the world this, Thy new creation. Grant her help and comfort at this trying time; ease her labour, and deliver her safely and in peace. Yea, O Lord, open the treasury of Thy mercies and Thy compassions unto her, and grant that she give birth to a fruilful vine, to be a cause of joy to her, her husband and her family, and the whole of Thy Church, all the days of its life: for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers upon the delivery of a child:

As soon as possible upon the safe delivery by the mother of her child, the father should call the Priest to the hospital or home to read the following prayers, which are prefaced by the usual opening prayers through Our Father. Then:

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People (the father, mother, other family members and all those faithful present): Lord have mercy.

Priest: O Sovereign Master and Lord Almighty, Who healeth every sickness and every weakness: do Thou Thyself heal this Thy handmaiden N., who this day hast borne a child, and raise her up from the bed on which she lies. For according to the words of Thy Prophet David, in sin were we born and all are defiled before Thee; thus protect her and this child which she hath borne; shelter her under the shelter of Thy wings from this day to her last, through the intercessions of the All-Pure Theotokos and of all the Saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord have mercy.

Priest: Sovereign Master, O Lord our God, Who wast born of our All-Pure Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, Who as a babe wast laid in a manger and as a Child wast held up to be seen, do Thou Thyself have mercy on this Thy handmaiden N. who this day hast borne this child, and be gracious towards her voluntary and involuntary offences, protecting her from every diabolical cruelty; preserve the child she hath borne from every bane, from every harm, from every hostile rage, from the evil spirits of the day and night; keep this woman safe under Thy mighty hand.

Grant to her a speedy recovery from her labours, O Lord. Cleanse her of every sin; bring healing from all suffering; and vouchsafe unto her health and strength of both soul and body. With the luminous presence of Thy radiant Angels enfold and embrace her, guarding her round about against every attack of invisible spirits; yea, Lord, from sickness and infirmity, from jealousy and envy and from the evil eye. Have mercy upon her and upon this newborn child, according to the greatness of Thy mercy.

Forgive her all voluntary and involuntary sin; remove from her any travail befalling her, and through Thy speedy mercy lead her to recovery in her bodily affliction. And of the infant which hath been born of her: do Thou account worthy this child to worship in the earthly Temple which Thou hast prepared for the glorification of Thy Holy Name. For unto Thee are due all glory, honour, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

People: Amen.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord have mercy.

Priest: O Lord our God, Who wast well pleased to come down from the heavens and to be born of the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary for the salvation of us sinners, Who knoweth the frailty of human nature: according to the multitude of Thy compassions forgive the sins of thy handmaiden N., who this day hath borne a child. For Thou hast said, O Lord, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and have dominion over it; therefore, we, Thy servants, beseech Thee and, trusting in Thine ever-patient and man-befriending love, with fear invoke the holy Name of Thy Kingdom. Look down from heaven and behold the feebleness of us who are condemned, and be gracious to Thy handmaiden N., to her husband and to all the house in which this child hath been born, and to all those here present, granting forgiveness as our Good and Loving God. For Thou alone hast power to forgive sins, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all Thy Saints.

People: Amen.