I wish I’d learned of these prayers before previous births, but I found these Catholic prayers for labor and childbirth in a book called Mother Love, and I’ll be using them from here on out!
I have made some printable 5×7 cards for myself to have these prayers easily accessible while I’m in labor, as my personal variant on “labor affirmations” and I couldn’t resist adding some cards with some of the Psalms (Douay-Rheims numbering) which speak to me during the anguish of labor. If you’d like to download those for free, please do so here!
As a mama who has had 4 successful unmedicated homebirths and is facing her 5th any day now, these prayers are a solace for the work that I know is coming. They help to ground me and calm me from having anxiety for the pains of labor and childbirth. I have a wildly low pain tolerance but I do what I can to have the most natural birth’s possible, and Catholic prayers for labor and childbirth make that a possibility even for me! I also love that there’s a prayer of thanksgiving for a happy delivery, which I enjoy praying beforehand, perhaps just to convince myself that eventually I’ll be saying that same thanksgiving after the fact!
Prayer for a Happy Delivery
St. Elizabeth, through the great blessing which, at the birth of thy son John, thou didst receive from God, I beseech thee to obtain for me the grace that I may be preserved from all danger, and happily bring my child into the world! Amen.
Venerable Mother, St. Anne, obtain for me, through thy ever-blessed child, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that no accident may befall me, but that my child may come safe and sound into the world. Amen.
O Mary, Mother of my Redeemer, through thy high prerogative and thy only Son, I pray thee to obtain for me the help and blessing of God, that I may happily survive the pains of delivery, and that my child may receive the grace of holy baptism! Amen.
Another Prayer for a Happy Delivery
O Mary, most pure Virgin and Mother of God! I remind thee of that blessed moment when thou didst see for the first time thy newly born Babe and didst fold Him in thy arms. Through this joy to thy maternal heart, obtain for me the grace that I and my child may be protected from all dangers to soul and body. Amen.
O Mary, Mother of my Savior! I remind thee of the unspeakable joy thou didst receive then, after three days of painful seeking, thou didst again find thy Divine Son. Through this thy great joy, obtain for me the grace to bring into the world a healthy and well-formed child. Amen.
Most glorious Virgin Mary! I remind thee of that heavenly joy that flooded thy maternal heart when thy Son, after His resurrection, appeared to thee for the first time. Through this thy exceeding great joy, obtain for me the happiness that, by holy baptism, my child may be admitted to the society of thy Divine Son and that of all the Saints! Amen.
Prayer for One in Childbirth
Hail, O Queen of Heaven, Mother of Mercy, Consolation of life, and Joy of them that love thee! To thee do we cry for this poor sufferer. In thy maternal goodness, take pity on her. Abandon her not in her pains, since she reposes a childlike confidence in thee. Through Thy own blessed delivery and thy Divine Son, stand by her and rejoice her with a happy delivery, that she may gratefully praise thy mercy! In all our troubles and necessities, we fly to thee for help, O Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen.
O good Savior, we implore Thee by Thy most blessed Mother, by her most pure and immaculate virginity, by all the merits that she acquired as Mother and Virgin, help this poor sufferer, relieve her pains, and console her with a happy delivery. Grant her this grace for Thine own honor, O Thou who art eternally gracious and merciful, and who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest for ever and ever! Amen.
Prayer for a Woman in the Pangs of Childbirth
Full of confidence, I have recourse to thee, O holy Virgin and Martyr St. Margaret! I implore thy powerful intercession with Jesus Christ and His Virgin-Mother for all women in the state of pregnancy. Intercede for them, that they may carefully preserve their babies from harm and, by their pious conduct, assiduous prayer, and the offering of good works to God, may obtain many graces for their souls. Have compassion especially on her who is now in labor and needs thy loving assistance. Espouse her cause. Obtain for her alleviation in her pains, comfort in her sufferings, and a living healthy child, for the glory of God and the joy of Holy Church. O most loving and thrice-blessed Martyr, thou who art so rich in merit, present to the Heavenly Father all the acts of virtue thou didst perform in His honor, all the sufferings and tribulations thou didst endure for his love. Unite all to the merits of Jesus Christ, to those of His Blessed Mother, and of all the saints in heaven. Offer them for this poor, suffering mother, O thou who hast lent thy assistance to so many in similar need! Obtain once more the favor of heaven for this mother and her unborn babe. O no, good St. Margaret, Thou will not abandon us! Thou wilt obtain a favorable answer to our request, by thy intercession at the throne of Divine Mercy. We thank thee beforehand for all thy goodness. In return for all the favors thou wilt obtain for thy clients, we offer thee all the praise and love given thee by saints and angels of heaven: but, above all, the love bestowed upon thee by Mary, the Virgin-Mother, and by the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ Himself, as well as all that they will continue to shower upon thee for all eternity. Amen.
Prayer in Thanksgiving for a Happy Delivery
O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I, Thy unworthy servant, with my whole heart praise and thank thee for this, that Thou hast, in Thy goodness and mercy, preserved me in so great danger and rejoiced me with this dear little babe. I magnify Thy infinite love and most gracious providence, and I offer to Thee, for the dear child Thou hast given me, all the pains and sufferings that I have endured. I am firmly resolved to rear it for Thee, to train it in the faithful observance of Thy Commandments. O good God, bless me and my little one! Preserve us from all evils of soul and body. May it ever be Thine, and may we love Thee with all our heart!
I salute thee, holy Guardian-Angel of my child! Thou hast been appointed by the most loving Father in Heaven to be its leader, protector, and guide. I return thee heartfelt thanks for all the good thou hast already done and wilt continue to do on behalf of thy little charge. For the sake of thy own love and blessedness, be to it a watchful protector through life. Keep far from it every temptation of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Cease not to pray for and to guard my child until it shall have reached heaven, there, with thee and all the angelic host, to eternally praise and glorify the Most Holy Trinity. O good Angel, hearken to a mother’s prayer! Attend to my supplications for this poor child, so dear to thee, and do for us both all that thy angelic love can desire or inspire for our temporal and eternal welfare. Amen.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Mother Love
The book I got these from is titled Mother Love and is a mother’s traditional devotional. It is filled with wonderful older prayers for all sorts of situations, and includes the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and devotions for the other sacraments as well. I purchased mine through our church’s book store, but it can also be found on Amazon.