My wife is about to give birth (Lord-willing) to our first child (a son: Oliver Abraham).

My question is for women who have given birth and who hold to RPW.

I know every woman is different, but how soon after you gave birth were you able to attend public worship and bring your child, etc?

How soon after was your child baptized?

I'm trying to understand what to expect, and my wife has thoughts but she has never given birth either, sooooo.

Any help from the ladies?

My wife suggested that more women might actually respond to this if I put it in the Family Forum. Is this possible?

__________________
Rev. Andrew J. Barnes
Husband of Dena
Father of Oliver
Master of Bruce
Pastor of Tchula Presbyterian Church

What can I say, I like blogs!

Done

__________________
Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
My Blog: Gairney Bridge
My Facebook/My Avatar

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

Thanks, I was going to respond, because I just saw your name at first, "Have you given birth MarrowMan?"

I don't follow a strict RPW, I don't know if those of us who don't to respond or not..

__________________
Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

You may...

What in the world does the RPW have to do with the question, may I ask? I do not see that it has anything to do with the question. You get that boy circumcised on the 8th day and get him baptized on the first possible Lord's Day thereafter. All this as you and your wife determine the time to return to church as it relates to her health and that of the babies. Yes, babies are very resilient to anything going around especially if the wife is nursing, so it is not an issue of will the child catch something.

__________________
Michael J. Butterfield, M.Div. RTS Jackson, MS
Presently living in Pickens, MS
Attend Pickens and Tchula, MS PCA Churches

No man can know sin without knowing the law: and herein appears to me one of the prevailing defects of modern preaching: I mean the neglect of holding up this perfect mirror, in which the sinner shall see reflected his own moral image. (John Angell James)

Aren't you banned from the PB?

She isn't concerned about if the child will catch something. She is wondering more about her personal body.

I (obviously) do not have children, but I helped my cousin during the birth of her child and stuck around to help out for the initial period afterward. The decision for your wife and the baby to go to church is probably best discussed with their doctor. Each woman and child is different and depending on the medical history and how labor went, the answer is probably going to be different. My cousin's child, for example, was under-weight and had health issues, so her doctor recommended that she not be taken outside the home unless absolutely necessary for a few months. With a healthier child, it would probably be a bit less time. But really, I would consult their doctor.

__________________
Kathleen M
nondenominational
Montana

I understand the concern for your wife's health. I do not think my wife and new baby ever missed more than two Sabbaths. That being said it is a woman-to-woman issue. A thing like your wife’s threshold for pain is to be considered, what kind of delivery was it? Was it a surgical delivery? How extensive was the episiotomy (if even needed)? How strong is your wife constitutionally? All these things and probably more need to be considered. However, in the regular course of events it seems the sooner the better. There is no law or custom, however.

Every woman, every birth, and every baby is different. I was only out of worship for a week or so after my babies, and I was thrilled to bring them in to be baptized as soon as possible. The latter was determined by when our pastor agreed to the date and wanting to get our entire immediate family together (tough when the oldest is off at college when the youngest were born).

A difficult labor, a child that needs additional care after birth (even at home), the very real emotional swings that can affect some women, may make re-entry into congregational life difficult. Be patient!

__________________
JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

RPW --> keeping the sabbath day holy (was my intention with that).

My wife I would not want forsaking the Lord's day, not assemblying together with the saints.

My first baby was a C-section that went extremely well (though I still hope one isn't necessary for your wife...) and my son was born on a Friday and I went to church not that Lord's Day but the next. So it was a week and two days. My next was also a C-Section and I healed again very quickly and well. But I was more overwhelmed emotionally and I think I made it to church about two weeks later. Maybe even three.

One difference was with our son, we were in between moves and staying with my in-laws who were very helpful and it was summer and my husband's job was very low key, whereas with our daughter, we had moved and had family coming and going to help out, but not stable, we had a 17 month old son, and my husband's job was a little more demanding, so I was less relaxed.

She will know then how she feels and my advice would be for you to not put pressure on her, but to kindly seek out how she's really feeling. In typical situations, C-Sections are actually more difficult to recover from, but even natural birth leaves/may leave women with some issues that might make sitting on the hard pews for a lengthy time rather difficult.

We did not tackle Sunday School as a family for quite awhile with both children (maybe two months).

Our son, first born, was baptized at about five weeks. Our daughter was about two months because we were waiting until my in-laws had a trip planned to visit.

__________________
Shalom,
jessi
PCA
Steelers fan exiled to Virginia


“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
Martin Luther

If I remember right, I think my wife was out for 2 weeks with both our babies. And she did it all natural.

And you can still keep the Sabbath holy if you must miss public worship. Just read Scripture and Christian books, pray, listen to sermons, discuss the sermon you preached, etc. If she's not feeling up to going for a couple weeks, it's ok, let not your conscience be troubled. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

__________________
Patrick
MDiv, RTS Jackson
Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Lisbon, NY

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.
"Let us not please ourselves that we have deep understandings, but let us shew our understandings by our practice." Richard Sibbes

Romans922;

As others have said, it really does depend on the woman, and the birth.

Each of my childbirth's were different, with my oldest there were minor complications, and I didn't make it back to church for about three weeks, but I still watched one of the local pastors on TV at home..and I also did my own bible reading at home during that time.

With my second there were no complications, I missed one Sunday of Worship, and the elderly women were all surprised I went they all thought I should be home resting, even though they were happy I was there, and offered to help care of my daughter.

With my son, he was born on a Friday, I was more emotionally and physically drained after he was born, that I missed about two Sunday's with him as well.

At the time I didn't go to a church that did infant baptism's, but they had infant dedications (with out the water), and all of them were dedicated within a month after they were born.

Andrew, don't sweat it. If your wife is not up to public services for a week or two that is fine. Having a baby is more important than pulling an ox out of a ditch.

__________________
We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

I've ranged anywhere from attending within 2-3days and waiting a couple of weeks. I REALLY recommend that she wait it out at least a week.

__________________
JC - PCA - PA...homesick for SC
A we n' de Ya, ho; I mak sikker; Deus juvat

Indicabo tibi o homo quid sit bonum, et quid Dominus requirat a te: Utique facere iudicium, et diligere, misericordiam, et sollicitum ambulare cum Deo tuo. Michaeas 6:8

"Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact. There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home" Bon Jovi

First child: the doc "told" us to keep him in for 6 weeks. But, back then they still used leeches to bleed people.

Second child: born on Monday, missed one Sunday.

Third child: born on Sunday, singing in the choir (hey, we're Baptists not EP Presbyterians) the next Sunday.

Fourth child: born on Thursday, walked the mall on Saturday, in church on Sunday.

Fifth child: in church the next Sunday.

Of course, I come from strong Germanic stock. I could never understand why a person had to stay in the hospital for the rest of the day. Don't you know the house needs cleaning? [Just kidding, ladies. NOT true at all. Don't borrow your husbands' guns to shoot me!]

__________________
Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I was born on a Sunday afternoon. My father was back in the pulpit the next Lord's day.