Congratulations—you just found out you're going to have a baby! This is an exciting and scary time for all couples. It's not scary as in bad, just apprehension of the unknown, especially if it's your first one. For those who have gone through this once or twice before, it's a piece of cake.
Most of the time, all the attention revolves around moms. Are they excited? How do they feel physically? Do they have questions (First-time moms)? What about dads? Dads can be just as excited and apprehensive as moms. There are all kinds of outstanding books that men can read about being a great dad. However, one of the most important things they can do is pray all throughout the pregnancy. For their wives, their children, and themselves. Here are some great prayers to help you as you start and continue the journey of parenthood.
1. A Prayer of Thanks
1. A Prayer of Thanks
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Dear Lord, thank you for this amazing opportunity to be a dad. I'm honored that you have chosen me and given me the responsibility at such a time as this to take care of a life you've created. Please help our child grow properly and for this pregnancy to go smoothly. I can't wait to meet our son or daughter. In your name I pray. Amen.
2. Prayer for the First Trimester
2. Prayer for the First Trimester
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Dear Lord, please keep your hand on my wife during this first trimester. I know there are many changes that her body will go through that can be painful or unpleasant. I pray that if she has morning sickness that it will be mild and not debilitating. If she has mood swings from pregnancy hormones, please help both of us cope and me to be understanding and attentive.
Also, help me be calm about changes and not be concerned about every little thing. This is an unfamiliar experience for both of us and there is a lot to learn. Help us go with the flow and trust you. Also, please place the right individuals in my path, both male and female, to walk with me through this process and answer my questions and concerns. Amen.
3. Prayer for the Second Trimester
3. Prayer for the Second Trimester
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Dear Lord, please be with us in the second trimester. Even though I know some changes to my wife's body will go away, there are new ones coming. Please help her with symptoms like nasal congestion, swollen ankles and feet, sensitive gums, varicose veins, leg cramps, dizziness, lower abdomen achiness, and weight gain. Help our baby to keep developing. Also, please help me continue to be conscientious and understanding of all these changes. Amen.
4. Prayer for the Third Trimester
4. Prayer for the Third Trimester
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Dear Lord, we are now in the third trimester and I'm getting more excited and apprehensive by the day. I trust you with all of this as I have all throughout this pregnancy, but I still worry about the labor and delivery. How will she do as it gets closer to time? Will everything be okay? Will there be any problems? Help me lay these concerns at your feet and continue to trust you. In your name I pray. Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Motortion
5. Prayer for My Wife
5. Prayer for My Wife
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Dear Lord, I pray for my wife as she goes through this pregnancy journey. I know she is excited but also nervous about what's coming. Please give her your peace and comfort through each trimester, assuring her you are with her every step of the way. Help her tolerate all the changes to her body, both the pleasant and unpleasant. Let her relax, knowing that you are holding her and our baby in your hands. In your name, I pray. Amen.
6. Prayer for My Child
6. Prayer for My Child
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Dear Lord, I pray for my child. Thank you for blessing us with this miracle that we haven't even met yet. Please help them grow and develop as they should and gain the proper amount of weight. If there are going to be any issues, let the doctors be honest, give us options for treatment, and let us know what to expect. I also ask that you will give our child the strength to fight to live if any problems arise. Help us trust you in everything regarding them now and all throughout their life.
7. Prayer for Me
7. Prayer for Me
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Dear Lord, I pray you will help me throughout this journey of pregnancy. Let me understand the things I'm reading in pregnancy books. Help me not to freak out and worry over every little thing in the beginning. I love my wife and our child so much. I want nothing to happen to either of them. Give me wisdom and guidance if I'm concerned about a symptom or something going on rather than going off the deep end.
I ask that you will be with me during delivery and help me keep calm and focused. I've heard so many stories about men passing out, and I don't want that to be me. If something unforeseen happens, please help me stay calm and remain level-headed as the doctors and nurses explain what's going on and make the best decisions they can. In your name I pray. Amen.
8. Prayer for the Delivery
8. Prayer for the Delivery
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Dear Lord, I pray for the delivery of our child. Help us know when to wait and when to go to the hospital. I also pray that we will make it in time without issue. Please help my wife to stay calm and give her the strength she needs to get through childbirth. Help me coach her in a loving and understanding way, even if she loses her cool. I pray our child will be in the correct position and ready to make his or her entrance into the world, but if not, that the doctors and nurses will move fast. Let this delivery go smoothly so that we can move on to a happy life with our child.
9. Prayer for the Days Following
9. Prayer for the Days Following
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Dear Lord, I thank you for looking after us during labor and delivery and that everything went well. I pray things will continue to go well and there will be no hiccups or issues.
Help me be attentive to my wife's needs and remember things she may need me to bring to the hospital or pick up. Thank you for surrounding us with wonderful family and friends to help us celebrate this bundle of joy in the days ahead. Let them be a blessing to me and my wife as we learn to navigate this new road as parents together.
10. Prayer for Being a Great Dad
10. Prayer for Being a Great Dad
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A Prayer for Those with Great Dads: Dear Lord, thank you for my dad. I'm so thankful a man of integrity, honesty, and faith in you raised me. He has taught me everything I know, including about you. We've had so many wonderful memories together and I know he will have more with our child. I strive to be as good a dad to my child as he was to me. Help me continue to learn from you and him how to be the best father I can be.
A Prayer for Those with Not So Great Dads: Dear Lord, I didn't have a wonderful dad. He did (x,y,z) to me and was never a father to me. I'm thankful that you are my heavenly father, and I ask that you will put noble fathers in my life to help mentor me and help me be the greatest dad I can be to my child.
Please don't let me make the same mistakes and do the same damage as my father did. Give me your wisdom and guidance on this fresh path. I pray that all those iniquities will fall away and not pass on so I can build a happy, healthy relationship with my child. I also pray that you will bless my relationship with their mother because I know that is one of the best examples of love that I can show them.
A Prayer for Those with No Dads: Dear Lord, you know I didn't have a dad growing up, so this is a fresh experience for me. I ask that you will bring strong, Godly men into my life to help teach me what being a dad is. I want to learn all the aspects of being a good father and what that entails. When I make mistakes, help me correct them so that I can build a solid bond with my child. As I read the Bible, bring to my attention what is important in being a parent. Guide me with crystal clear wisdom and excellent mentors in my life. Amen.
Being a first-time father can be an exciting and nerve-wracking time. Try to relax and enjoy the journey. Reading books, asking questions, having wonderful mentors, and talking to God are some of the best ways to prepare and gain confidence for the journey ahead. With your friends, family, and God in your life, you will soon learn how to be the best dad you can be.
Originally published January 29, 2025.