31 Mar Effects of Mindfulness with Prenatal Stress

Prenatal mindfulness is a very important to your health and to the health of your baby.

All mothers face stress and negative thoughts or feelings during pregnancy- this is natural. You are worried about the child you are going to bring into this world, and carrying them inside of you is an uncomfortable yet, miraculous journey. However, stress and a negative mood during your pregnancy are going to increase chances of poor childbirth consequences and mood problems even after pregnancy.

This risk even extends to mother-infant attachments and child development.

So, how do we solve the problems of prenatal stress?

A study was once conducted to see if mindfulness makes a difference. In this study, an eight-week mindfulness-based intervention, focused on reducing stress and elevating mood in pregnant mothers and early postpartum. They then conducted a small randomized trial (n=31) comparing women who received the intervention during the last half of their pregnancy to a wait-list control group. Measures of perceived stress, positive and negative affect, depressed and anxious mood, and affect regulation were collected prior to, immediately following, and three months after the intervention (postpartum). Mothers who received the intervention showed significantly reduced anxiety (effect size, 0.89; p<0.05) and negative affect (effect size, 0.83; p<0.05) during the third trimester in comparison to those who did not receive the intervention.

In conclusion, a brief and all natural (non-pharmaceutical ) answer to this investigation helps to place mindfulness as a front runner for its benefits to pregnant mothers.

Referances have been taken from “Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention during pregnancy on prenatal stress and mood: Results of a pilot study”.

Nehita Abraham

Nehita is a mindfulness expert who writes extensively on lifestyle management, wellness and ways to lead a healthier and a happier life. She is a part of Aware’s expert team on meditation. She is also an avid artist who spends most her time dribbling amazing stories through art.