From Fear to Faith: Trusting God in Birth When You’re Scared

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” – Psalm 56:3

Mama, can I be honest?

Even as a labor nurse, I’ve had moments where fear whispered lies—what if something goes wrong? What if I can’t do this? What if my prayers aren’t enough?

If you’ve felt those thoughts too, you’re not alone.

Birth is sacred, but that doesn’t mean it’s not vulnerable. It’s normal to feel nervous—your body is about to do something powerful and unpredictable. But here’s the truth that anchors us:

God is not absent from the delivery room.
He’s not waiting on the other side of your labor to meet your baby.
He’s with you—in the contractions, in the breathwork, in the decisions, in the unknown.

When fear rises, we don’t have to silence it with toxic positivity or pretend we’re not scared. Instead, we shift our eyes:

We look at Jesus.
We ground our hearts in Scripture.
We prepare our minds and bodies with truth.

Here are three ways to trust God when you're afraid of birth:

1. Acknowledge the Fear—Then Surrender It

Say it out loud in prayer: “God, I’m scared. I don’t know how this is going to go. But I know You do.” There’s power in confession—and even more in surrender.

2. Fill Your Mind with Truth, Not Just Facts

It’s good to know the stages of labor. But your peace won’t come from head knowledge alone. Scripture is your greatest preparation tool. Verses like Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 139 remind us that God is not only sovereign—He is intimately near. I want to encourage you to write them out in your journal tonight to reflect over and pray through.

3. Partner With God in Your Preparation

You’re not “just trusting God” and showing up unprepared. You’re doing the heart work and the head work. Take the class. Make the birth plan. Learn your coping tools. And then, hold it all loosely—knowing He holds you.

You can trust God with your birth—because He’s the One who designed it.
He is not overwhelmed by what-ifs. He’s not caught off guard by the path your labor will take. You can walk into the unknown with confidence—because the One who knows everything is going with you.

Want more Christ-centered birth prep?
Join my online course Faith > Fear Birth™, where we combine biblical truth with evidence-based education to help you birth with peace and power.