What Is Christian Childbirth?

I'm reading a new book from my midwife called The Christian Childbirth Handbook. She hasn't read it yet, so I'll be doing kind of a review for her. I'll make sure to post one here as well, but I am really impressed so far with how they've handled the reality of being a Christian and how it relates to birth.

Because our country's history and culture is so saturated in Christianity, I think that most people have a sort of general picture about it, whether or not they would call themselves Christians. I think that because it's so familiar, in many ways it's easily misunderstood, even by people who go to church. I think often Christianity is seen as a religion that centers around Jesus and church and basically trying to live a moral life like the Bible talks about. Christians look a certain way, dress a certain way, vote a certain way, and live in certain neighborhoods. That picture misses the point. Here's what Jennifer Vanderlaan says in the first chapter:

Being a Christian is not a mandate on your outward appearance, but a manifesto about your heart. There is great freedom in Christ, freedom that stems from the fact that you cannot earn your way into heaven. Freedom that grows when you realize that God does not need the little you have to offer him. Freedom that, when applied by the hear loving God and seeking to do his will, blossoms into a life which demonstrates God's glory to the world around you. (p3)

Ultimately, she states that being a Christian doesn't mean that you look a certain way, live a particular way or in a particular place. Because being a Christian is about the heart and moves outward through the actions, there is a lot of room for freedom and diversity. It doesn't start with trying to be moral--it starts by realizing there's no way we could ever be moral enough, and that Jesus both lived that perfect life we can't, and died to take the punishment we deserve for all our failings.

Vanderlaan then ties this to childbirth: in the same way that Christianity starts in the heart and moves outward in ways that may vary some from person to person, Christian childbirth starts in the heart and allows room for freedom. She states that "Christian childbirth does not require a strictly defined birth place, a preset number of people in attendance or the environment in which a woman gives birth...Christian childbirth exists when a woman chooses to live out her faith in Christ in labor, and that cannot be identified simply by the actions you see taking places." (p4)

Well said! I have barely gotten into the book, but I feel challenged in my faith and to look at the decisions I'm making in terms of preparing for birth, taking care of myself and baby during pregnancy, and just in my life. We'll see how the rest of the book is, but I am thankful for this clear articulation of the relation between birth and faith!