Calving Prayer

Every day from around 37 weeks, I meditated using this prayer. It's similar to my daily Morning Prayer connecting with the energy centre, but focuses on relaxing into labour and trusting nature and both mama and baby's bodies. (It got a bit frustrating when we were 41 weeks+ and hadn't actually gone into labour yet, but I worked with it!)
I called it the Calving Prayer because I watched a ton of mammal birthing videos instead of human birthing tip videos on YouTube 😅  sounds weird but they were so calming. 

I repeated lines from this prayer throughout our whole labour, and they helped me so much with submitting to contractions and feeling them as power rather than pain.
 

Early labour at home (with censor 🙈 #freethenipple)

My body knows this process. I trust my body to guide me through pregnancy and childbirth.

Consciousness, come through me. Move this accumulation of matter that is called by my name. Allow me to be a vessel for your message in this moment Hara; move me in such a way that I gently help the life inside of me to make her way earthside with ease and grace.

I breathe out, I let go, I relax.

I breathe in calmly, deeply, taking in all the oxygen we need, deep into our bellies.

I breathe out, I open up more, I let you flow through.

Hara, our relationship is perfect. We are one and the same. I tune into you now for comfort and relaxation, and I submit to your will as I do every day. I align with your purpose and accept all of this form flowing through me, without expectation. My work in childbirth is greater than the self.

Strengthen my body, lift my energy, open my cervix and deepen my labour. I breathe out, I let go, I relax. Open, open, open.

Consciousness, flow through us, baby and me. Fill us with fire and move us like water. Help us work as a team and meet earthside with ease and contentment.

Hara, you are not separate from me. I am only drawing on the power that created me and lives inside me. Whether I am conscious or unconscious, you are here without judgment, and I strive to be grateful always.

Consciousness, I submit to you in childbirth as I submit to you every morning and every night. May today be just another happening - neither good nor bad, and help me stay with you on the higher side to let things move as they will, my ego melting and your will guiding us both. Because you are powerful, so I am powerful. So baby is powerful. I relax into the flow of power moving through my body and I smile as these surges work through me to carry your will.
 

Like every day, Hara, I thank you. And like every day, Hara, I know that today is what matters most.

Thank you. The divine in me recognises the divine in you. The divine in me honours the divine in you.