We
are Redeemed from Sickness in
Pregnancy
Praise God we have been
redeemed from any form of sickness, disease, pain,
complication or discomfort including those in
pregnancy. God sent Jesus to reverse the curse and
to set us free from all the effects of sin and the
curse of the law of sin and death. (see
Gal.
3:13-14,29). In addition to
this, Isaiah
53:4-5 tells us that Jesus
took ALL our sicknesses on the cross and by His
stripes we are healed!
What
Type of Pregnancy do you Want?
You don’t have to have
the diseases of the world and suffer in pregnancy
or even childbirth for that matter. It
doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to have
morning sickness, moodiness, or miscarriage. Renew
your mind with God’s truth to change your thinking
to what God says about this. It is then up to
you to lay hold of what the Lord has already
provided for you by faith because it is not going
to manifest in its own.
For details on how to
specifically prepare in prayer for your pregnancy
go to the
Prayer Page
Note:
If you
would like to learn more about what God’s Word says
for your conception, pregnancy, birth and postnatal
period then grab a copy of our book
God’s Plan for Pregnancy and/or the
Pocket Companion! They not only
have information on what God’s Word says on all the
areas of ‘childbearing’ but also detailed
information on ‘how
to’ apply it to your life!
They will show you how to; build your faith, pray
effectively, overcome fear and they even have
suggested prayer points for each stage of
childbearing, along with blank pages for your own
personalised prayer points and prayers that we have
written out as a guide for you to follow. Go to
the
Products and Resources Page on how to purchase your
copy!
Hormones
For a woman, most of
our well being depends on hormones. Hormones are
chemical messengers that dictate how our body
behaves. Hormones control every function of our
reproductive system and their levels constantly
change throughout pregnancy, labor, and the
postnatal period. Once pregnant, your placenta and
unborn baby constantly produce hormones and the
physical and emotional changes are the result of
this. Some of the emotional changes that hormones
can cause are: depression, anxiety, irritability,
crying spells, exhaustion, behavioral changes and
the inability to concentrate and so forth. Both my
estrogen and progesterone levels were off balance
during my pregnancy and after the birth of my first
child, Kaitlin (I had blood tests that diagnosed
this). I had mood swings and was extremely
sensitive. What would have been a 'mole hill' in my
life, became like a giant mountain. This change in
behavior almost damaged relationships with close
friends and family. Even though some of my concerns
were valid, my irrational behavior was out of line.
I would constantly worry about things that were
said to me and I would dwell on what could happen
in the future. I had to meditate and confess
Scriptures on the renewal of my mind for me to be
at peace and to regain control of my
emotions.
Hormones, like any
other part of your body, have to bow down to the
name of Jesus. Command them to function properly at
every stage from conception, the maintenance of the
pregnancy to childbirth and then to return to
normal after the birth, decreasing the risk of
problems in the postnatal period such as postnatal
depression. Listed below are some of the most
commonly known hormones and their function
throughout childbearing. This is a basic outline
only and you will need to refer to childbirth books
for more detail.
ESTROGEN (Made in the ovaries).
This hormone helps with regulating the menstrual
cycle, ovulation, implantation of the fertilized
egg, childbirth and lactation. It helps with the
development of the muscle in the uterus and the
endometrial lining. Estrogen levels rise during
pregnancy and drop dramatically after the birth.
This is responsible for what is commonly known as
the 'third day or baby blues'.
PROGESTERONE (Made in the ovaries).
This hormone maintains the pregnancy by decreasing
uterine contractions (relaxant). The progesterone
level rises in early pregnancy and is responsible
for the 'discomforts' in pregnancy, such as edema
(swelling), nausea, constipation, headaches,
heartburn, reduced blood pressure, mood swings and
so forth. Progesterone levels also drop
dramatically after the birth.
HCG - Human chronic
gonadotrophin This hormone 'tells' your body you're
pregnant. It also helps to implant the embryo in
the uterine lining. HCG levels drop at 12 weeks
because the placenta takes over production of
progesterone at this time. HCG is also linked to
morning sickness.
RELAXIN (Is secreted by the
placenta). This hormone relaxes ligaments, the
spine, pelvis, muscles and tissues in preparation
for the birth. It also allows the uterus to expand.
Relaxin can cause aches and pains in the
joints.
ADRENALINE (produced in the
adrenal gland and is commonly known as the "Fight
or Flight" response). This hormone reacts to stress
of various kinds. It alters our heart rate,
breathing and activity of the uterus towards the
end of labor. Stress increases the levels of
adrenaline and too much can inhibit the labor.
Adrenaline can also cross the placenta and agitate
your baby.
ENDORPHINS (Produced in the brain
and released during exercise, hard work or labor).
This hormone can give us a 'natural high'. They are
natural tranquilizers and painkillers.. Endorphin
levels rise during pregnancy and peak during
childbirth.
OXYTOCIN This hormone stimulates
the uterus to contract. In an induced birth, a
synthetic hormone (Syntocin) is used to help
trigger the contractions. Oxytocin also helps with
expelling the placenta and assists with breast
feeding.
PROSTAGLANDIN (This is a chemical,
and is made by the lining of the womb just before
labor). This helps the uterus to contract. It also
'ripens' the cervix, preparing it to dilate.
Prostaglandin has also been found in male
sperm.
PROLACTIN (Essential for
ovulation and breast feeding). The release of this
hormone stimulates milk production.
All throughout the Bible, God tells us that
children are a gift and a reward from Him. Never
does it say that children are something we are to
fear or dread. With this in mind it is easy then to
understand that pregnancy is simply God’s designed
way for us to bring the blessing of children into
our world! It is meant to be a blessing!
However, we live in a fallen world where there can
be many complications that rob us from the joy of
being pregnant and carrying a little life on the
inside of us. For this reason many women needlessly
accept the discomforts of pregnancy such as morning
sickness, nausea, mood swings or blood pressure
problems because they assume it’s all part of the
deal. This couldn’t be further from the
truth! The complete work that Jesus did on
the cross was not in vain. It was for you to
be free from all
forms of
sickness, pain and disease, including those that
manifest in pregnancy. So make a decision to
not put up with any of form of sickness or disease
any longer.