You are not alone in the waiting.
Maybe you are tired, scared, sick, or you simply don't enjoy being pregnant. That is more common than you think. It does not make you a bad mom or a weak Christian. God is with you in this season, and this season will end.
It's okay not to enjoy pregnancy
Some women glow. Many women just endure. Nausea, pain, poor sleep, fear, and a changing body are real burdens. Feeling sad or numb does not mean you don't love your baby.
Scripture never asks you to pretend. The Psalms are full of honest tears brought straight to God. You can bring yours too.
What God says about this season
God is forming this child.
Your baby is not an accident or an interruption. The same God who knit you together is knitting this child together right now, in His wisdom.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Children are a gift, even when feelings don't match.
God calls this child a heritage and a reward. That stays true on the days you feel only tired. Your feelings are real, but they are not the final word. His Word is.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.”
The pain is real, and it points to a promise.
Since the fall, bringing life into the world has come with pain (Genesis 3:16). But in the same chapter God promised a Child who would crush the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). Every hard pregnancy echoes a world groaning for redemption, and Jesus is that promised Child.
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”
He gently leads those with young.
Your Shepherd is not harsh with tired mothers. He carries the lambs and leads the mothers gently.
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”
His grace is enough for weak days.
You don't have to feel strong. Christ's power shows up in your weakness.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
This is a season.
Pregnancy has an end. Jesus Himself used labor to describe sorrow that turns into joy.
“When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”
Our only comfort
“What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”
Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1
A verse for how you feel today
Tap how you feel. Read it slowly. Read it again tomorrow.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Faith and help go together
Reformed Christians have always believed that God works through ordinary means. Seeing a doctor, taking needed medicine, or talking with a counselor is not a lack of faith. It is receiving God's care through the people and gifts He provides.
“God, in His ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure.”Westminster Confession of Faith 5.3
Tell your doctor or midwife if, for two weeks or more, you:
- Feel sad, empty, or anxious most of the day
- Lose interest in things you used to enjoy
- Feel hopeless, worthless, or very guilty
- Cry much more than usual, or feel angry a lot
- Feel distant from your baby, or doubt you can care for them
- Have trouble sleeping or eating, beyond normal pregnancy or newborn changes
Source: CDC
You can simply say: “I haven't felt like myself, and I want to talk about it.”
Where to get help
Crisis or danger
988
Call or text, 24/7. Spanish available. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
1-833-852-6262
1-833-TLC-MAMA. Call or text, 24/7. Free and confidential, in English and Spanish, for pregnant and new moms.
Postpartum Support International HelpLine
1-800-944-4773
Press 1 for Spanish, 2 for English. Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (English) or text 971-203-7773 (Spanish). A real person calls back. Not a crisis line. They also offer free online support groups, including Spanish groups.
Your doctor or midwife
Ask for a depression screening at your next visit, or call before your appointment if you feel worse. Depression is treatable, and most people get better with treatment.
Your church family
Tell your pastor or a woman you trust. You were never meant to carry this alone (Galatians 6:2).
Warning signs in your body
During pregnancy and for one year after birth, get medical help right away if you have:
What helps while you wait
Tell one person the truth today.
“I'm struggling” is enough to start.
Keep God's Word small.
Put one verse on your phone's lock screen and read it every time you see it.
Pray like the Psalms.
Honest, short, and straight to God. “Lord, I'm tired. Help me” is a real prayer.
Rest without guilt.
Your body is doing hard work. Rest is a gift from God, not laziness.
Eat small meals and drink water.
Keep taking your prenatal vitamins, and ask your doctor about nausea that won't stop.
Step outside.
A short walk and some sunlight can help, if your doctor says it's okay.
Make a plan for after the baby.
Who will bring meals? Who can take a night shift? Who will check on you?
Go to church, even tired.
Sit in the back if you need to. You belong with God's people.
Books for this season
Biblical, Christ-centered books we trust.
Labor with Hope
Gospel Meditations on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood
Gloria Furman with Jesse Scheumann · Crossway, 2026
Twenty-five short meditations that place pregnancy and birth inside the big story of Scripture.
Sufficient Hope
Gospel Meditations and Prayers for Moms
Christina Fox · P&R Publishing
Short readings and prayers that point tired moms to Christ, who is enough.
Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness
Edward T. Welch · New Growth Press
A careful, compassionate guide to depression from one of the most trusted biblical counselors.
Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full
Atesorando a Cristo cuando tus manos están llenas
Gloria Furman
Gospel encouragement for moms in the busy, tiring years with little ones.
Spurgeon's Sorrows
Realistic Hope for Those Who Suffer from Depression
Zack Eswine · Christian Focus
How the great preacher, who battled depression himself, found Christ faithful in the dark.
Postpartum Depression
Hope for a Hard Season
Christine M. Chappell · New Growth Press, 2024
A 24-page minibook by a biblical counselor who walked through it herself. Honest, practical, and full of the gospel.
Encourage a pregnant mom
Pregnant or not, you can carry a sister's burden (Galatians 6:2). Here are simple ways to help:
- Text her a verse and add “no need to reply.”
- Bring a meal or a bag of groceries.
- Drive her to an appointment, or watch her older kids for an hour.
- Listen without fixing. Skip “Just enjoy it!”
- Pray with her out loud. Short is fine.
- After the baby comes, keep checking on her for months, not just days.
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Notes from other women
Note form coming soonNotes from other women will appear here. Be the first to write one.
Every note is read before it is posted, so please don't wait for a reply if you need help today. Call 988 or 1-833-TLC-MAMA.