As fitness professionals, our primary goal is to help clients achieve optimal health and well-being. When working with expectant mothers, it’s essential to consider not only physical exercise but also the profound impact meditation and mindfulness can have on pregnancy, labor, and delivery. This article presents the scientific evidence supporting meditation and mindfulness techniques that are proven to benefit these crucial stages of motherhood. By teaching meditation, you can make a significant difference in the lives of your clients and their babies, as epigenetically, it is often the single most important practice they can adopt.
#1 Nurturing a Healthy Pregnancy: A 2017 systematic review of 14 previous studies, in the scientific journal Mindfulness, found that mindfulness-based interventions can be beneficial for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as “during the perinatal period.” A 2020 study in Brain and Behavior said more profoundly, “The result of this study showed that mindfulness reduces anxiety of pregnant mothers, and it is suggested that mindfulness programs be educated for healthcare providers and pregnant mothers to reduce maternal anxiety and improve pregnancy outcomes and delivery.”
#2 Enhancing maternal-fetal attachment: The affectionate feelings that specifically a mother feels for her newborn relates to the level of care and commitment, and sets the tone for nurturing behaviors, infant security, and proper development. This “natural” instinct is not present for various reasons, including generational pass down from her own mother’s health or socially avoidant behaviors. Studies clearly show that mindfulness techniques improve maternal-fetal attachment, even showing that just 2 weeks of mindfulness-based practice (in conjunction with listening to their baby’s heartbeat) can make significant improvement.
#3 Coping with labor pain: Meditation and mindfulness can be powerful tools for managing labor pain, which is why it is so commonly taught in childbirth preparation classes. A 2012 systematic review assessing all pain-relieving options for women in labor, identified that meditation indeed has a relaxing effect that provides an effective focus away from pain and tension. In fact, a 2017 study in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth stated that some laboring women “may use mindfulness coping in lieu of systemic opioid pain medication.”
#4 Health of the child: Research reported to Science Daily in 2022 was summarized as “Infants whose mothers participated in a mindfulness-based program during pregnancy had healthier stress responses at 6 months old.” Findings like this emphasize the potential of prenatal interventions to improve the well-being of both mothers and their children, as well as the overall health of communities.
#5 Lowering the risk of postpartum depression: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects around one in seven women, and in many cases goes completely undiagnosed and untreated. Unfortunately, especially due to the stigma of its diagnosis, the consequences can be far-reaching and are often felt in the aftermath of its repercussions, as PPD can trigger a cascade of stress that first affects mothers, but then their infants, their families, and ultimately our communities. To put it quite simply, mindfulness training effectively reduces the symptoms of PPD in new moms., One study used just 8 sessions of mindfulness, including simple tasks like remaining aware when eating raisins, body scanning, breathing, stretching, and practicing staying present while sitting and walking.
Especially because of the stigma that prevents families from talking about this, every pregnancy fitness professional should consider coaching some sort of mindfulness meditation into every single prenatal exercise session.
#6 The Epigenetic Impact of Meditation and Mindfulness
Genetics is how we transfer our DNA “instruction map” to our children, but epigenetics is how we transfer the chemistry surrounding the DNA to our children. Which is more important? Well, for sure both are important, but remember that it is the chemistry surrounding the DNA that determines whether or not a gene gets turned on or off. And, epigenetic changes that occur during pregnancy have been shown to persist into childhood.
Epigenetic chemistry can be influenced by lifestyle factors, including stress management and mental well-being. In fact, “Telomeres tend to be shorter with negative thinking. But they may be stabilized or even lengthened by practicing habits that promote stress resiliency.” But now, get this: “Because of direct transmission, both parents’ telomeres – at whatever length they are at the time of conception in the egg and sperm – are passed to the developing baby (a form of epigenetics)…regardless of genetics.”
Ways to promote stress resiliency include meditation, being present, being conscientious, waking joyfully, self-compassion, feeling purpose, adopting a challenge-response (rather than defeatism), and self-discipline. These are all mindfulness techniques.
By teaching meditation and mindfulness techniques to expectant mothers, fitness professionals can influence the epigenetic factors that shape the health and well-being of both mother and child.
Conclusion
The power of your exercise session can go so far beyond physical health. Mindfulness and meditation practices can profoundly impact the well-being of expectant mothers, expectant fathers and their babies. By incorporating these techniques into your fitness programs, you can provide the most comprehensive support for your clients during one of the most transformative times in their lives. To learn more about how to empower women to have their healthiest pregnancy possible, check out our Holistic Fertility & Pregnancy Safe Coach Program!
References
- Dhillon, et al. Mindfulness-Based Interventions During Pregnancy: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693962/
- Zarenejad, et al. The effect of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on maternal anxiety and self‐efficacy: A randomized controlled trial. Brain and Behavior. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7177577/
- Shreffler, et al. Effect of a mindfulness-based pilot intervention on maternal-fetal bonding. International Journal of Women’s Health. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6593693/
- Alhusen, et al. A longitudinal study of maternal attachment and infant developmental outcomes. Archives of Women’s Mental Health. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3796052/
- Golmakani, et al. Investigating the relationship between the dimensions of mindfulness and maternal attachment to the fetus during pregnancy. Journal of Education and Health Promotion. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8719558/
- Shreffler, et al. Effect of a mindfulness-based pilot intervention on maternal-fetal bonding. International Journal of Women’s Health. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6593693/
- Jones, et al. Pain management for women in labour: an overview of systematic reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7132546/
- Duncan, et al. Benefits of preparing for childbirth with mindfulness training: a randomized controlled trial with active comparison. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1186/s12884-017-1319-3?author_access_token=YfW7yP_ILPMn93DfIzfiaG_BpE1tBhCbnbw3BuzI2RPj-72TlYs3QhvsvLlWrrOO3xUg9TDLqirEy-6IpnX8TUSYr5JnOlnbkg2Rhbv-VDTETgwzvvJ6H8-ewzumtDtpE9HCOzgvo2SqGGlbhahoBg==
- Science Daily. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310143732.htm
- Norona-Zhou, et al. The Effects of a Prenatal Mindfulness Intervention on Infant Autonomic and Behavioral Reactivity and Regulation. Psychosomatic Medicine. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Fulltext/2022/06000/The_Effects_of_a_Prenatal_Mindfulness_Intervention.2.aspx
- Mughal, et al. Postpartum Depression. NIH. StatPearls [Internet]. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519070/
- Sheydaei, et al. The effectiveness of mindfulness training on reducing the symptoms of postpartum depression. Electronic Physician. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5586989/
- Li, et al. Effect of mindfulness meditation on depression during pregnancy: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.963133/full
- Sheydaei, et al. The effectiveness of mindfulness training on reducing the symptoms of postpartum depression. Electronic Physician. Retrieved 3/26/23 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5586989/
- Herbstman, et al. Predictors and Consequences of Global DNA Methylation in Cord Blood and at Three Years. PLOS ONE. Retrieved 12/13/22 from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0072824
- Blackburn & Epel. The Telomere Effect: A revolutionary approach to living younger, healthier, longer. Book. Orion Publishing Group Ltd.
- Blackburn & Epel. The Telomere Effect: A revolutionary approach to living younger, healthier, longer. Book. Orion Publishing Group Ltd.