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Japanese A mother can pray for her pregnant daughter in a few words: “Lord, keep my daughter and her baby safe. Give her strength and rest, guide the midwives and doctors who care for her, and bring them both safely through the birth. Help me to be a help to her. Amen.”
Traditional prayers for a woman expecting a child
Richard Challoner’s Catholic prayer book The Garden of the Soul, first published in the eighteenth century, has “A Prayer that may be daily said by a woman in the state of Pregnancy.” It was written for the expectant mother to say herself, so you can copy it out for your daughter or say it with her. In the full text a long confession of sins comes between the opening request and the closing one. Here are those two requests.
O Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, who hast made us all out of nothing, and redeemed us by the precious blood of thy only Son; look down upon thy poor handmaid here prostrate before thee, humbly imploring thy mercy, and begging thy blessing for herself and her child, which thou hast given her to conceive. Preserve, I beseech thee, the work of thy hands, and defend both me and the tender fruit of my womb from all perils and all evils. Grant me in due time a happy delivery, and bring my child safe to the font of baptism, that it may be there happily dedicated to thee, to love and serve thee faithfully for ever. …
I once more beg of thee, for myself, thy grace and protection, and a happy delivery; and for my child, that thou wouldest be pleased to preserve it for baptism, sanctify it for thyself, and make it thine for ever: through the same Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Richard Challoner, The Garden of the Soul (1843 edition)
The Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer of 1928 prays for women in childbirth in its Litany, which asks God “to preserve all who travel by land, by water, or by air, all women in child-birth, all sick persons, and young children.” A mother can add her daughter’s name after “all women in child-birth.”
Scripture also gives a mother two short lines to pray over her daughter. Isaiah says of God that he “shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11), and Psalm 139 says to God, “thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13).
Prayers for each stage of her pregnancy
In any of these prayers you can say your daughter’s name where the prayer says “my daughter”.
When she shares the news
Lord, my daughter is expecting a child, and I am going to be a grandmother. Thank you for this life. You said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee” (Jeremiah 1:5), and you know this child already. Keep my daughter and the baby safe through every month ahead, and let me be glad with her. Amen.
In the first months
God, my daughter is sick and tired, and some days she can hardly get through her work. Give her rest when she can take it, food she can keep down, and patience with a body that is changing faster than she can follow. Keep the baby safe in these early weeks. Amen.
For the baby growing in her womb
Creator God, you are forming my grandchild in secret. You see its heart, its brain and every bone while it is still unfinished, and “in thy book all my members were written” (Psalm 139:16). Let it grow well and whole, and bring it to the day of its birth. Amen.
Before a scan or a test
Lord, tomorrow my daughter has a scan, and we will see this child and hear what the doctors think. Keep her calm in the waiting room. Whatever the screen shows, give her clear explanations and people who are kind to her. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). Amen.
When the pregnancy is high-risk
Father, the doctors are watching my daughter closely, and there are more appointments and more worries than we expected. Give her doctors good judgment and give her the patience to follow their advice. When she has decisions to make, give her wisdom: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally” (James 1:5). Carry her through each week, and carry me too, because I cannot fix this for her. Amen.
When the pregnancy was not planned
God, this child came when my daughter did not expect it, and the months ahead feel hard to her. You gave this life, and you know what she will need. Provide for her and the baby, put good people around her, and keep my words to her gentle. Amen.
When she is afraid of the birth
Jesus, my daughter is frightened of the labor. Quiet her fear, and give her people she trusts in the room with her. The Lord “doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Let her know it when her time comes. Amen.
For the midwives and doctors
Lord, bless the midwives, nurses and doctors who will care for my daughter and her baby. Give them skill, steady hands and time to listen to her. Let them notice what needs noticing, and make them kind as well as careful. Amen.
For her husband or partner
Father, my daughter and her husband are about to become parents. Keep them close to each other through the tiredness and the worry, and make them a team. Give him patience and good sense, and let him be a strength to her in the delivery room. Amen.
When she lives far away
God, I cannot be with my daughter as her time comes near. Be where I cannot be. Send her friends and neighbors who will help, keep her safe on the day, and let the news reach me soon. Amen.
During labor
Lord, my daughter is in labor now. Give her strength for every contraction and courage for every hour. Guide the hands of those who are delivering the baby, and bring mother and child through safely. Jesus said that when a woman is delivered of her child, “she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world” (John 16:21). Give her that joy today. Amen.
For a daughter-in-law
God, my son’s wife is carrying our grandchild. Bless her, keep her and the baby safe, and help me to love her as a daughter. Give us the love that Ruth and Naomi had for each other. Amen.
In the Book of Ruth, when Naomi’s widowed daughter-in-law Ruth gave birth to a son, the women of the town told Naomi that the child was born of “thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons” (Ruth 4:15).
For the grandmother-to-be
Lord, help me to give my daughter help she wants and advice only when she asks for it. Keep me from adding my worries to hers. Make me a grandmother who prays more than she talks. Amen.
If something goes wrong
We pray alongside the care her midwife or doctor gives, and never in place of it. The NHS in the United Kingdom tells pregnant women to call their midwife or maternity unit immediately if the baby is moving less than usual, and not to wait until the next day, even in the middle of the night.
When there is bad news
Lord, something is wrong with my daughter’s pregnancy, and we are waiting to hear more. Stay with her through the tests and the conversations with the doctors. Give her people who explain things plainly. Hold her, and the baby, and hold me. Amen.
If she loses the baby
God, my daughter’s baby has died, and she is heartbroken. I have no words that will help her, so give me the sense to sit with her and say little. You are “nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18). Be near to her now, and to her husband, and receive this little one. Amen.
There are more prayers for this loss among the prayers for miscarriage.
Prayers after the birth
A mother’s thanks when the baby is born
Thank you, Lord, for my grandchild, and for bringing my daughter safely through. Give her rest and healing in the days ahead, and patience in the long nights. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD” (Psalm 127:3). Amen.
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer has a thanksgiving for a woman after childbirth, which can be said for her in church or at home:
O Almighty God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve, through the great pain and peril of child-birth, this woman, thy servant, who desireth now to offer her praises and thanksgivings unto thee. Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may faithfully live according to thy will in this life, and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Thanksgivings, “The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth,” p. 51
The same book adds a short prayer for the baby:
Grant, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, that the child of this thy servant may daily increase in wisdom and stature, and grow in thy love and service, until he come to thy eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1928), The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, p. 307
In the Orthodox Church, the priest says prayers on the first day after a birth. Isabel Hapgood’s English Service Book of 1906 gives the first of them, with N. standing for the mother’s name:
O Master, Lord Almighty, who healest every infirmity and every weakness: Heal thou also this thy servant, N., who this day hath given birth to a child, and raise her up from the bed whereon she lieth. For, according to the words of the Prophet David, in sin are we conceived, and we are all vile in thy sight. Preserve her and this child which she hath borne. Cover her with the shadow of thy wings, from the day that now is even unto her last end; through the prayers of the all-pure Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen.
Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church (1906), “Prayers on the First Day after a Woman hath Given Birth to a Child,” p. 267
Which prayers do Orthodox mothers say for a pregnant daughter?
In the Russian Orthodox Church, prayers for a pregnant woman are often addressed to the Mother of God. The prayer book on Azbyka.ru, a Russian Orthodox site, gathers prayers for pregnancy said before icons of the Mother of God, among them the icons called “Helper in Childbirth” (Pomoshchnitsa v rodakh), “Healer” and “Quick to Hear,” and the Feodorovskaya icon. When a mother asked there in 2025 which prayer to say for her pregnant daughter and the baby, a priest answered that she could use these prayers and put “the servant of God” and her daughter’s name in place of “me” and “us.”
Is there a saint to pray to for a pregnant daughter?
Catholic and Orthodox Christians ask the saints to pray for them; most Protestants pray to God alone. Many Catholics ask the prayers of Saint Gerard Majella, an Italian Redemptorist lay brother who died on 16 October 1755, now his feast day, and was canonized in 1904. The Church has not officially named him a patron, but Catholics widely call him the protector of expectant mothers. The devotion goes back to a story that he gave his handkerchief to a young woman, who years later asked for it when she was in danger in childbirth and then delivered a healthy child. There are Catholic prayers to Saint Gerard for pregnancy.
A prayer for a daughter who hopes to conceive
Lord, my daughter longs for a child, and every month that passes is hard for her. You heard Hannah, who “prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore” (1 Samuel 1:10) and later said, “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition” (1 Samuel 1:27). Hear my daughter too, and whatever the answer, keep her marriage strong and her heart open to you. Amen.
More prayers are gathered under prayers for conception and fertility.
Prayer for Protection and Health
However old our children are, we still want to keep them from harm. When a daughter is carrying a child of her own, we can put the two of them into God’s care. This prayer asks him to shield them and keep them healthy all through her pregnancy.
Heavenly Father, I come before You today with a heart full of love for my daughter. I place her and the tiny life growing within her into Your mighty hands. I ask that You would be their guardian and protector, covering them with Your grace and shielding them from all harm, illness, and complication.
Please build a hedge of safety around them, Lord. Watch over them as they sleep and as they go about their day. Grant my daughter a strong and healthy body, able to nurture this baby perfectly. I pray for every cell, every nerve, and every bone in both of their bodies to be filled with Your life-giving strength and vitality.
Calm her spirit and let her feel Your constant presence, knowing that You are in control. Let this pregnancy be a testament to Your goodness and faithfulness. Keep them both safe in the shelter of Your wings, thriving under Your watchful and loving care. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we trust God to protect them, we are resting on a promise he has made, and Psalm 91:4 gives it to us: “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.”
Prayer for Peace Over Anxiety
A pregnancy brings plenty of worry, much of it about things nobody can know yet. This prayer asks God to take that anxiety from your daughter and give her his peace in its place, so that she can enjoy these months.
Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. I lift my daughter to You and ask that You would pour out Your calming spirit upon her. When thoughts of worry or fear try to take hold of her heart, I pray that You would gently push them aside and fill that space with Your unshakeable peace.
Protect her mind from the “what-ifs” and anxieties that can steal the joy of this season. Help her to trust in Your perfect plan for her and her baby. Remind her that You have everything under control and that she does not need to carry this burden alone. Let her heart be steady, her breathing be easy, and her spirit be light.
May she feel a deep serenity that can only come from You. Let her rest securely in the knowledge that You are with her, guiding her, and holding her future. Ease every tension in her body and soul, replacing it with the quiet confidence of Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The peace God gives is more than we can understand or manage on our own, and Philippians 4:7 promises it to us: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Prayer for the Baby’s Healthy Development
Every parent hopes for a healthy child, and this prayer is for the baby growing in the womb. It asks God to watch over the baby’s growth and to knit the child together well.
Creator God, You are the Master Designer. I stand in awe of the miracle You are weaving within my daughter’s womb. I pray for this precious baby, Lord. I ask that You would guide the development of every part of their tiny body.
From the beating of their heart to the formation of their fingers and toes, may everything grow according to Your perfect and divine blueprint. I pray for a healthy brain, strong lungs, and a body that functions exactly as You intend. Protect this little one from any developmental issues or health concerns.
You are forming a unique and special person with a purpose only they can fulfill. Nurture this child, Lord, and let them grow strong and healthy day by day. We entrust this intricate and wonderful process entirely to You, the author of life itself. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God is at work in every life he makes, and the psalmist thanks him for it in Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.”
Prayer for Strength and Endurance
Nine months is a long time to carry a child, and it takes strength of body and of heart. This prayer asks God for the endurance your daughter will need to carry her baby with grace and to meet whatever comes.
Almighty God, I pray for a special measure of strength for my daughter today. The journey of pregnancy can be draining, and I ask that You would be her source of endless energy and endurance. When she feels weary, lift her up. When her body aches, bring her comfort.
Renew her strength each morning, Lord. Fill her with physical vitality to carry this child, and emotional resilience to handle the ups and downs of these nine months. Help her to find rest when she needs it and to feel Your power flowing through her when she feels weak.
May she not grow weary in doing this good and beautiful work of nurturing a life. Let her feel capable, supported, and empowered by You. Be her rock and her fortress, the strength that never fails, carrying her all the way to the finish line. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we feel we have no strength left, God promises to be our strength, and Isaiah 40:31 gives us the words to hold on to: “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.”
Prayer for Wisdom in Her Decisions
An expectant mother has decisions to make all the way through, from what she eats to how she plans the birth. This prayer asks God to give your daughter wisdom and a clear mind, so that she chooses what is best for her and her baby.
God of all Wisdom, I ask that you would guide my daughter as she navigates the many decisions of her pregnancy. Grant her clarity of mind and a spirit of discernment. Help her to sort through advice, opinions, and information with confidence, guided by your truth.
When she must choose a doctor, make plans for her delivery, or decide on what is best for her health, I pray that You would make the right path clear to her. Quiet the noise of the world so she can hear Your gentle whisper of guidance in her heart.
Let her not be overwhelmed by the choices before her, but instead feel a calm assurance that she is making wise, informed, and loving decisions for her family. May every choice she makes honor You and contribute to the well-being of her and her child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Nobody expects us to have every answer, and God gives wisdom freely to anyone who asks him, as James 1:5 promises: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”
Prayer for Deepening Her Faith
Carrying a child can draw a woman nearer to God, because she feels his work of creation in her own body. This prayer asks that your daughter’s faith grow deeper and become more her own in these months.
Lord, I pray that this season of pregnancy would be a time of deep spiritual growth for my daughter. As she witnesses the miracle of life unfolding within her, I pray that her heart would be drawn closer to You, the Giver of that life.
Let this journey strengthen her trust in Your goodness and Your promises. When she feels overwhelmed, may she turn to You first. When she feels joyful, may her first response be to thank You. Build her faith on the solid rock of Your love and faithfulness, a foundation that will support her throughout motherhood.
May this experience create a bond with You that is deeper and more real than ever before. Let her see Your hand in every detail, feeling Your presence with her constantly. Use this time to show her the depth of Your love for her and for her child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Trusting God lies at the heart of our faith, and he promises to guide us when we do. In these months she can lean on Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
Prayer for a Strong Bond with Her Baby
A mother’s bond with her child begins long before the birth. This prayer asks God to nurture it and to fill your daughter’s heart with love for the baby she has not yet met.
Loving Father, I pray for the sacred bond forming between my daughter and her baby. I ask that You would fill her heart with a fierce, tender, and unconditional love for the child growing inside her. Help her to connect with her baby even now.
As she feels those first kicks and movements, let it be a joyful reminder of the person You are creating. Nurture her motherly instincts and a deep sense of connection that will only grow stronger with each passing day. Remove any fears or doubts that might hinder this bond from forming.
Let their hearts be knit together in love, creating a foundation of security and affection that will last a lifetime. May she already feel the unique and special love that a mother has for her child, a beautiful reflection of the way You love each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Every love we have comes from God, the source of all love. A mother’s love for her child reflects what 1 John 4:19 tells us: “We love because he first loved us.” She can let that verse shape the mother she becomes.
Prayer for Her Partner and Their Relationship
A baby changes a couple’s life together for the rest of their lives. This prayer asks that your daughter and her partner stay united and patient, and hold each other up, as they get ready to become a family.
Heavenly Father, I lift up my daughter and her partner to You. As they prepare to welcome a child, I pray that You would strengthen their bond and unite their hearts. Grant them extra measures of patience, grace, and understanding for one another.
Help them to be a strong, supportive team, communicating with love and encouragement. Protect their relationship from the stresses and strains that this new season can bring. Let them lean on each other and on You, growing closer together as they anticipate becoming parents.
May their home be filled with peace, laughter, and a shared sense of purpose. Teach them to love each other more deeply and to serve one another selflessly as they step into this new journey of family life, bound together by Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A couple’s unity has to be looked after with humility and love, and Ephesians 4:2-3 shows how: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.”
Prayer for a Safe and Smooth Delivery
The day of delivery can be frightening to think about. This prayer brings the labor and the birth before God, and asks him for safety, courage and a smooth delivery for mother and baby.
Lord God, I bring the day of my daughter’s labor and delivery before You. I ask that You would go before her and make the way smooth and safe. Please grant her a spirit of courage and calm, casting out all fear and replacing it with trust in You.
I pray for a delivery that is free from complications for both her and the baby. May her body work efficiently and powerfully, just as You designed it to. Give her the strength and stamina she needs for every contraction and every push. Let her feel Your presence as her ultimate comfort and coach.
Be with her in that room, Lord. Guide the hands of the medical team, and bring this precious baby into the world safely and gently. May the end of this journey be a moment of overwhelming joy and relief, a testament to Your good and perfect care. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we feel weakest, God’s promise to be with us gives us courage. On that day she can hold on to Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Prayer for the Medical Team
God cares for your daughter and grandchild through the doctors, midwives and nurses who look after them in pregnancy and at the birth. This prayer asks him to bless and guide them.
Gracious God, I want to pray for the medical team that you have placed in my daughter’s life. I ask for Your blessings upon her doctors, midwives, and nurses. Grant them wisdom and keen insight for every check-up, test, and decision they must make.
On the day of delivery, I pray that you would guide their hands with skill and precision. Give them clear minds, steady nerves, and compassionate hearts. May they be attentive, kind, and excellent in all that they do, acting as instruments of Your healing and care.
We are so grateful for their expertise and dedication. Bless them and their families for the important work they do. May they be a source of comfort and confidence for my daughter, providing the best possible care for her and the baby. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we give our plans to God, we give him the people he has sent to help us as well. Proverbs 16:3 is a good verse to pray over them: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Prayer for Joy in the Journey
With all the aches and worries, the joy of expecting a child is easy to lose sight of. This prayer asks that your daughter find delight, wonder and gratitude in the small moments of these months.
Lord of all Joy, I pray that You would fill my daughter’s heart with a deep and abiding joy during her pregnancy. Help her to look past the morning sickness, the aches, and the worries, and to see the profound beauty of what is happening.
Let her cherish the gift of carrying this life. Open her eyes to the wonder of it all—the fluttering kicks, the growing belly, the sound of a tiny heartbeat. May she find reasons to smile and laugh every single day, celebrating this miracle.
Protect her from feeling overwhelmed and allow her to embrace this season with a spirit of gratitude and joyful anticipation. Let the happiness of this time be a source of strength for her and a beautiful, warm welcome for the baby she carries. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The joy the Lord gives is strength enough to carry us through whatever comes, as Nehemiah 8:10 says: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Prayer for Her Future as a Mother
When the pregnancy ends, your daughter’s life as a mother begins, and it lasts the rest of her life. This prayer looks ahead to it and asks God to give her everything she needs to be a loving, patient and godly mother.
Father God, as this chapter of pregnancy closes, a new one of motherhood begins. I pray for my daughter’s future in this beautiful and challenging role. I ask that You would equip her with all the tools she needs to be a wonderful mother.
Fill her with unending patience, a heart of grace, and a spirit of gentle guidance. Give her a mother’s wisdom to know what to do in difficult moments. When she feels inadequate or exhausted, remind her that Your strength is made perfect in her weakness and that she is the perfect mother for this child.
May she raise her child in a home filled with love, security, and faith. Help her to be a reflection of Your unconditional love, raising a child who knows they are deeply cherished by both their family and their Creator. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Being a mother can feel like too much, but God has not given us a spirit of fear, and 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us what he gives instead: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
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