"I think about the huge amounts of money that women will spend on their wedding day, but the day you give birth is much more powerful and influential in your life than the day you get married and that's really worth thinking through and thinking outside the square, thinking through what do you want and really going for it." - Sarah J. Buckley, Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering

"A lot of people pay $30,000 to $50,000 on a blooming wedding that will last for a few hours, and 50% of marriages don't even go the distance. Yet a birth, which is a one-off, or for most of us, we are only going to have two or three births maximum these days, and for the baby the only birth it's going to have. Not to invest fully into that is ridiculous. But people do need to have it presented in that way, because they certainly don't think about it. But with a level of financial support around you, it's much easier these days too. Why not (take on that additional duty of care)? The returns are priceless." - Rachana Shivam, International College of Spiritual Midwifery

Two separate experts in the childbirthing arena, yet two similar quotes. It's time women understood the power and spiritual experience they will go through to nurture and deliver their baby and that money shouldn't get in the way of that monumental event.

Families don't blink an eyelid when it comes to spending money for major birthday celebrations, religious ceremonies or weddings, with hundreds or even thousands spent on food and beverages, party decorations, presents, outfits, hairdos and body.

But when it comes time to the momentous event for a woman - being pregnant and birthing her child - fortunes are often spent on materialistic possessions rather than preparing the mother and baby for labour.

To reduce the intake of medicated pain relief and/or the risk of having a c-section, money needs to be spent on the mother. Good nutrition, seeing masseurs or natural therapists, attending additional birth classes and most importantly hiring an independent midwife or doula are all things a pregnant woman can implement to increase the chances of having a natural birth. Some of these you can organise without having to spend big, but in other cases and depending on what country you live in, other items may need a little cash input.

Now if you're well off and can afford a luxurious birthday party or wedding and still invest in yourself and your baby whilst pregnant, then that's awesome. For others, who can't afford to do both, then really consider what's more important to you. If you intend on having children, then I would suggest looking at a smaller budget for your wedding day and then spending money on the preparation of your pregnancy and birth. It really is worth every cent, moreso than your birthday or wedding celebration.

Imagine… you've spent a lot of money on your wedding day and had a great time celebrating with family and friends. Come your pregnancy and birth, you haven't spent anything on preparation, and you soon find yourself in labour facing medicated pain relief, interventions, and a possible unpleasant experience including a c-section. In contrast, you have managed to eat well, taken on some yoga classes, hired a private midwife at 32 weeks, attended a four- week birthing class and then facing your labour. That outcome will look very different from the first scenario. Like Sarah and Rachana say, the rewards are beyond anything you can imagine.

Babies will be born regardless and a mother will never really know the outcome of her labour until it happens. Some mothers birth naturally without any preparation; and other mothers face interventions and c-sections with all the preparation in the world. But whatever your labouring journey, wouldn't you rather face the birth knowing you had done everything in your power to create and celebrate the best birth possible? You will have a sense of empowerment and inner completeness knowing you had done all that you could to assist your baby into the world. Spending that little extra cash so you have that additional support will bring fulfilment long into your mothering journey.