Praying Through Pregnancy: Scriptures to Hold Onto Each Trimester

Pregnancy has a way of stretching your faith right alongside your body. Some days you feel deeply connected to God and completely in awe of what’s happening, while other days you may feel anxious, exhausted, overwhelmed, or quietly wondering if you’re doing any of this “right.” Prayer during pregnancy may feel and look different than it used to. For me, my prayers were much messier, often shorter than before. Prayer during pregnancy may feel and look different than it used to. For me, my prayers were messier and much shorter than before. I didn’t always have the energy or focus to sit quietly or find the right words. A lot of the time, prayer looked like a sentence whispered while driving to an appointment, lying awake at night with my hand on my belly, or sitting on the edge of the bed trying to steady my breathing. Some days it was less about asking for anything specific and more about admitting I felt overwhelmed or unsure. I had to let go of the idea that prayer needed to sound a certain way and trust that even fragmented, half-formed thoughts still counted. Pregnancy stripped things down, and prayer became simpler, more honest, and more about showing up than saying the right thing.

Scripture can become a steady place to land when your thoughts are racing and your body no longer feels familiar. It isn’t something to master or move through like a checklist, but something you return to when you need to feel anchored again. Pregnancy has a way of bringing new worries alongside deep hope, sometimes in the same breath, and there are moments when finding your own words feels impossible. Having Scripture nearby can help hold the weight of those moments, offering language when yours feels thin and reminding you that you don’t have to carry everything on your own.

Here are some of my favorite Scriptures to hold onto through each trimester, paired with the heart posture many moms find themselves in along the way.

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First Trimester Scriptures

The first trimester is often quiet and heavy at the same time. You may not be showing yet, but everything inside you is changing. There’s excitement, fear, nausea, exhaustion, and sometimes worry layered all together. Many moms are also carrying pregnancy privately during this season, which can feel isolating.

The first trimester is very much a season of trust. Trust when you cannot physically see your belly growing. Trust when your body feels a bit foreign. Trust when joy and anxiety exist side by side.

Scriptures to pray and return to:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”
Psalm 139:13

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4:6

“The Lord will keep you from all harm; he will watch over your life.”
Psalm 121:7

This is a beautiful time to use pregnancy specific prayer cards you can keep by your bed or bathroom mirror, especially if nausea or fatigue makes longer reading feel impossible. Many women also love a pregnancy devotional during this trimester because it gives structure without pressure. These are two of my favorite ones:

Second Trimester Scriptures

For many, the second trimester brings relief and new found energy. Your nausea tends to fade and you may feel movement for the first time helping you connect more to your baby and your pregnancy. This is often when pregnancy feels more real and more hopeful.

At the same time, this is when decisions start to pile up. Birth options. Providers. Tests. Plans. The second trimester invites both gratitude and discernment.

Scriptures to pray and return to:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:14

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you.”
Numbers 6:24–26

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously.”
James 1:5

This can be a great season to use a journaling Bible, where you can write prayers in the margins or reflect on how God is guiding you in your pregnancy. I love the idea of doing this and then gifting your Bible to your child so they know who much you prayed over them as they grew inside of you.

Third Trimester Scriptures

The third trimester is intense in a different way… physically, emotionally, spiritually. You may feel impatient, excited, nervous, sore, or all of the above. Birth feels close now and the unknown may feel loud. This is a season of waiting, one of surrender and releasing control. You may find yourself asking God for peace, praying for strength, wisdom, and to feel His presence in the moments ahead.

Scriptures to pray and return to:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
Isaiah 43:2

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:8

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Joshua 1:9

I loved having this Biblical Affirmation Deck nearby to speak over my pregnancy. You can put it on the nightstand or in your hospital bag. They are short phrases (paired with verses) you can repeat when you need to feel grounded or reminded of God’s goodness and plan for you.

Praying through pregnancy does not mean you will always feel calm or confident. It does not mean fear never shows up. But it does mean that you are choosing to bring God into the very real moments of your pregnancy and your life.

However you pray through this season, know this: God is present in every moment and every trimester. In the quiet beginnings, the growing middle, and the final stretch toward birth. Every trimester asks something different of you, but God is present in all of it and He will sustain you.