"Being in the zone" makes a difference: flow, birth experience, birth duration, and postpartum Stress.
Journal of reproductive and infant psychology October 18, 2025 Orli Dahan, Yael Sciaky-Tamir, Shenhav Albo et al.
A flow-like mental state during childbirth, termed 'birthing consciousness' and characterized by hyperfocus, self-efficacy, and calm, is associated with shorter labor and better postpartum mental health. In a prospective cohort of 138 women planning vaginal births at an Israeli medical center, higher flow scores correlated with shorter second and third stages of labor and with lower postpartum stress. Women who rated their birth experience positively reported significantly higher flow than those with a negative experience. Logistic regression indicated that each additional flow point increased the odds of a positive birth experience. The findings suggest that attending to a woman's mental state during labor may improve outcomes.