Mindfulness approaches to childbirth and parenting.
Annie Hughes, Mark G. Williams, Nancy Bardacke, Larissa G Duncan, Sona Dimidjian, Sherryl H Goodman
British journal of midwifery October 1, 2009 DOI: 10.12968/bjom.2009.17.10.44470 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that mindfulness meditation may help parents manage pain during pregnancy and labour, reduce perinatal depression risk, and increase attentional availability for the infant, with potential benefits for both high-risk groups and universal application. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly being used as a way of managing pain, reducing stress and anxiety and, in the form of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), as a way of reducing the risk of recurrence in depression (NICE, 2004). This article considers its potential for parents preparing for childbirth focusing on three areas: managing pain during pregnancy and labour; reducing risk of perinatal depression; and increasing 'availability' of attention for the infant. The encouraging evidence to date suggests the possibility that mindfulness has an important contribution to make, both for reducing vulnerability in high-risk groups and as a universal intervention.