Mindful Manas and Papas are the need of the hour

Why do we need Mindful Parents and their preparation starts during pregnancy. As a Midwife I can’t emphasise enough to look after the mind of couples who are planning pregnancy and continue this for parents of young children if we want to build a society that is happier and calm.

Preventative HealthCare encompass all anticipatory measures taken for disease prevention. In the lifespan of human we notice the dynamic process of health, disease and disability and we need equally dynamic preventative healthcare to address all these areas.

Primal Prevention- This comes from epigenetic research which indicates to foetal environments as a determinant for health as an adult. So when the foetus is in uterus . That is the reason Health promotion is an integral part of Antenatal education. Prenatal Yoga has already taken a centre stage in Pregnant women’s life now its time to move further in helping them to befriend their mind.

Primal prevention consists in future parents taking all the measures that will help them keep out of societal stress [and the subtle violence it generates during their child’s primal period]

This type of health promotion par excellence will provide the babies with optimum environment to build a calm personality, resilience, physical & mental health. [www.appt-health.co.uk]

• It’s common for women to experience mental ill health for the first time in pregnancy.
• If you have had severe mental ill health in past or have it now, you are more likely to suffer with mental health issues during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth.
• This Programme can help but if you are planning pregnancy with history of mental health we strongly advice you to discuss with your G.P and also avail Pre- conception Counselling.
• Mindfulness Training during pregnancy can reduce postnatal depression and the fear of labour.
• According to a recent study by Larissa et al. on Benefits of preparing for childbirth with Mindfulness training it was found that it helped reduce fear of labour and participants of the first group who received Mindfulness training in a randomised controlled trial used less pain relief, and had lower risk of P.N.D
• Women’s bodies during labour produce Oxytocin hormone or love hormone which helps bodies to produce effective contractions where as fear can stop it.
• Pregnant women don’t seem to have many options for their childbirth preparation specially tools that can go long way in their parenting journey.
• When we apply principles of Mindfulness in educating women during pregnancy it can improve their experience of pregnancy, giving birth and their adjustment in postnatal period.
• About 18 percent of women are depressed during pregnancy & 21 percent have serious anxiety.
• Cultivating moment to moment awareness of thoughts helps pregnant women to manage their stress and baby thrives in such environment.

Practicing Mindfulness during pregnancy and daily meditation is the only solution to keep the mind calm during and after birth.

1. If you need to book your free consultation please contact at www.shubhconnections.com

Aparna Shukla

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