Becoming a parent is stressful, and it can be especially so for those who already have higher levels of anxiety and worry, but researchers at Penn State have found that the type of birthing class parents take may help them better manage stress.
Mindfulness-based birthing classes helped both child-bearers and their partners manage the stress of parenthood better than traditional community-based birthing classes, according to the team, based in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State.
The study, published in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, highlights the benefits of mindfulness techniques in supporting well-being for child-bearers and their families, the researchers said.
"Having support from a community as well as a set of practices like those from a mindfulness-based class can make a crucial difference in how much the child-bearer and their family enjoy the possibilities for connection and growth without being pulled under by the difficulties and stress of parenting," said Heidemarie Laurent, associate professor of human development and family studies and lead author of the study.
Traditional community-based birthing classes incorporate much of the same educational content on prenatal health, childbirth, pain management techniques for labor, and postpartum health and newborn care. However, the curriculum rarely incorporates explicit mindfulness techniques, Laurent said.
For this study, researchers utilized Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP), a wellness promotion program intended to support the physical and psychological well-being of child-bearers, their children and the family as a whole. It teaches mindfulness practices designed to reduce stress in the context of pregnancy and birth, as well as educates parents to prepare for the demands of having a newborn. Such practices include focused attention and movement meditations, as well as techniques to integrate mindfulness into daily parenting activities, like doing a walking meditation while soothing a crying baby.
