pregnancy and the soul

hey all, im 17 weeks pregnant with my first baby and have had a very medical pregnancy so far due to problems, but im really feeling a lack of spiritual guidence or support. midwives and books are all very well to tell you how big your baby is or how to deal with morning sickness but when it comes to the huge experience for the soul that having a baby is theres so little information or support. i'd like to hear some of your views on things like babies spiritual development in the womb, do women give a bit of there souls to their babies? what changes inside a mother to be, how does her state affect the baby, what can you do to help and encourace an unborn child's soul? how does the experience connect you with the rest of creation, does it chance it at all, you get my drift, i hope, lol. its such a strange issue to me being in the middle of it that i find it hard to get my thoughts clear sometimes, meditation helps but im in need of some new leads to follow, and would like to hear others experiences.

 

The way you put it, this sounds like a religious question. Maybe there's a church near you with a women's group where someone might understand your feelings?

 

Enigma, if you ask a hundred different women what pregnancy and birth were like for them, you'll get a hundred different stories.

That is because it affects us all differently, not just different women, but different pregnancies and births are as different as the new little person's fingerprints.

Instead of looking outside of yourself for the answers, look within, deep in your womb, where your baby is growing and developing and becoming his own person. Communicate with your baby, just listen, because right now your baby is so much a part of you, as interconnected as the veins and vessels that carry him nutrition and oxygen through your placenta and his umbilical cord.

Pregnancy and birth are one of those miracles that don't really need an explanation, it is to be marveled and wondered at, and be amazed at the fact that it just IS.

It is such a humbling, and yet powerful feeling, knowing that you are the divine vessel that conceives a new life, nourishes and protects it, and your body is the force that brings it into the world.

What are your personal spiritual beliefs? Some Native Americans believe the mother must reach to the sky at the moment of birth to invite her baby's soul down from the heavens to enter the baby's body. Hindu's believe the soul has existed for a long time, in different bodies, and enters the womb sometime betwen conception and birth. Christians believe the soul is created at conception.
When I gave birth, I felt very connected to all the owmen in the world who were giving birth at that same moment. I felt that, and then it felt like I was connected to ALL women who had EVER given birth throughout time. Sometimes, when attending s birth, I can feel the Universe shift just a little bit, to make room for the new baby. It's amazing.

 

Hi enigma_rising

by being who you are ... be connected ... be the beauty and wonder yourself while you are changing ... and see the child you carry encourages you right the same way, asking for nothing more and nothing less. In this you both are neither liable nor dependent, but just equal.

And this won't stop when you feel all you're facing is dirty diapers ... and not when all they want from you is the car key, somewhat later ... i think you have the answers you need all in time, or is it chances to listen deeper inside yourself and develop who you are and again change, on and on ...

Hope you don't mind my rambling ... wishing you well and enjoy this special time!

 

Oh what beautiful words, Brighid and Moving_cloud! What sweet, sweet souls you are!

I would just add that when I meditated and looked deep into my womb I could feel my baby, and I knew what was going on with them. I knew them, and I coannected with them, deeply. Spend some time just breathing, and thinking about your baby, you'll learn all you want to know!

 

I'd love to stroke where my baby was lying in my stomach and talk softly or sing to him. Later on in pregnancy the baby will stick out depending on how he or she is resting. The babies usually loved it and kicked or calmed down. Doing that gave me such a excited euphoric feeling. My first child I was very connected to and knew his personality like the back of my hand. I knew he'd be a boy, I got a feeling for his likes and dislikes. My second unforetunetly wasn't the same. Now that he is out though we are very connected and I love him very much. I couldn't tell a thing about him, I was so upset thinking there was something wrong with me but I just think now it is all up to the baby. The second one I thought was a girl and he wasn't! Just goes to show how every pregnancy is different.

 

oh yea, I wanted to add. Since this is your first do alot of pampering! You won't have that again for a very long time and you need to relax for the upcoming big event. This helps you connect to the baby too.

 

For me pregnancy and birth have always been very strong times of spiritual growth. It is an excellent time to look inward and outward to something bigger than yourself.


I think a mother always gives something of herself to her baby as it is growing within. Purpose yourself to think about what you want to pass on to your child.

A good book to read is Birthing From Within. I recommend it highly. Also check out Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. If nothing else you will be inspired by the stories of birthing on the Farm commune in the 70's.

 

Oh, MT, I was just comming back here to recommend those books too!! lol!

I LOVED Spiritual Midwifery! Well, I still do! Reading those stories about hippie mamas giving birth really, really helped! I felt connected to birthing mamas, and babies everywhere! It was awesome!

 

It depends what religion you are. If you're Christian, then no, you do not give part of your soul to your child. Your child is already known by God in every aspect and it is already a sinner, doomed because it is not worthy of being reconciled with God.

 

sadeyedlady, not that I want to get into a religious debate, because I really don't, especially not here, but I'd have to dis agree with you here. I'd say it's up to interpretation whether or not one would be giving one's Christian soul to one's child. I know some who would say YES! I don't think that it is specified in the Bible. I would say that the "born sinner" thing is also up to interpretation, again, not actually specified. I hope the Jesus freak bashing vibe I'm feeling from you is just misunderstood on my part.

Spread the love around.

 

I'm not bashing Christianity. I was raised Christian and absolutely respect the religion.

Adhere to whatever "interpretation" you choose. The interpretation I believe in does not indicate that a woman gives part of her soul to her child. A person's soul is an individual thing, not shared with anyone else. In addition, all "fall short of god's Glory" and we are definitely born unworthy.

Saying "it's up to interpretation" says nothing. That is a worthless platitude because any historical document can be interpreted in many ways.

 

I think this is one of those things which can only be understood by those who have done this and been there. Not all womyn who have simply bred understand this, but those who have children conscisiously usually do, but I think it is nigh impossible for someone who has never experienced the wanted pregnancy and birth and raising of a child to comprehend this.

It has nothing to do with Christinanity and everyting to do with what you are feeling about the being growing inside your body.

 

My interpretation of the development of a 'soul' during childbirth are the close feelings a mother experiences when she is carrying her baby. The anticipation, the hopes and dreams the mother has for her developing child are strong and root themselves in the instinctual drive a mother has to nurture and care for her child.

The connection will be interpreted differently depending on the mother's philosophical views, but the attatchment is strong for all women.

Paz,
Josie

 

That's bullshit. If she's Christian, it doesn't matter if she feels she's giving part of her soul to her child. If God says she isn't, then she isn't.
​

 

I totally agree with you, Maggie Sugar! It has nothing to do with religious beliefs, it is all feeling.

sadeyedlady, why so harsh? What I meant by "up to interpretation" is that I believe the Bible is written metophorically, therefore everyone will interpret it differently.

peace.

 

Where's the metaphor in "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God?" Where's the metaphor in "No one comes to the father but through the son?" No metaphors there. It's pretty standard Christian theory that you don't give parts of your soul away. That's all I'm saying. She may not even be Christian, in which case she can believe whatever she wants.

 

Sadeye, Christianity is FAR from the only beleif system which uses the concept of a soul. Why are you so stuck on a purely Christian definition of one? Most of us who are mothers (whether we are Christian or not) are NOT talking of a purely Christian interpretation of soul, but more of a personal one. Many of us have experienced the soul of our children, and it is something which CANNOT be defined to one who has never experienced it.

 

wow, im glad so many people have given their opinion on my questions, just for the record, i would have called myself christian untill a while ago, id been baptised as an adult and all sorts but i dont feel the conviction i used too, there seems to me to be more to life than christianity prescribes, i can see the good in the religion but im looking for more than it has given me, ive tried to express my spirituality through it but its too constraining for me, jesus had great ideas about how to love and respect people but i just dont believe that people are born inherently sinful and dammed, seems to me to be a major design fault if they are. If there is a judge waiting for us when we die i just cant believe that the baby inside me would be judged the same way an adult would should it die now.

pregnancy is such a huge challenge physically, it seems to me it would affect a womans soul just as strongly, as the saying goes, what doesnt kill us makes us stronger so seems a bit daft to neglect to learn from it.

thanks for all your comments ladies. xx