Pregnancy Pilgrimage

Grandmother-ing, Mother-ing, and Godmother-ing are among my favorite callings/journeys EVER.  Being pregnant and giving birth? Not so much.

Today's book recommendation FERTILE GROUND, A Pilgrimage through Pregnancy by Laura S. Jansson will calm any negative or fearful perceptions you may have about pregnancy and childbirth. But it's not a typical "What to Expect When You're Expecting" handbook.  Thank goodness.

Fertile Ground explores the theology and mystery of pregnancy and birth, along with practical, thoughtful discussion on subjects such as ultrasounds, the umbilical cord, naming your child, having a birth plan, childbirth fears, nursing, and becoming a parent.

IF I HAD READ THIS BOOK when my first pregnancy pilgrimage began 35 years ago, my attitude and whole experience would have been different!  My heart, mind, and body would have been so much better prepared not only for that 9-month journey, but also the birth itself.

  

As Laura Jansson notes in her chapter "Self-Denial": 

Parenthood is a voyage into the deep sea of self-offering, and pregnancy is God's way of easing us in at the edge.

If you are on the voyage of pregnancy and parenthood, or know someone who is, I hope you will get this book!  It's new from Ancient Faith Publishing. (I'll be passing my copy on to my daughter, who is expecting her fourth child in December!!!!)

*Note - There are several Orthodox "Prayers of a Woman with Child" at the beginning of the book, as well as a gentle, but frank and personal discussion about miscarriage at the end, titled "Losing a Baby". 

Book summary: Pregnancy is not just a trek from one medical appointment to another but a journey of the heart. Here at last is a guidebook through its sacred terrain. For each week, Orthodox doula Laura Jansson provides a new reflection on a theme specific to the ground covered at that stage. From one milestone to the next, she helps us unearth the spiritual treasures buried within the physical experiences of childbearing. These are gifts of love from a merciful God who reaches out to us, making a perilous expedition into a path of salvation. 

About the Author: Laura S. Jansson is an Orthodox Christian doula, childbirth educator, and mother living and writing at the intersection of birth and faith. She earned her Masters degree in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Oxford, UK, and has also resided in the USA, Serbia, Germany, and Fiji. Since 2005 she has guided scores of expectant mothers on the path to parenthood, witnessing with wonder as bellies and souls grow along the way.