Practising mindfulness during pregnancy is an excellent way to prepare. Mindfulness has long been used as a method to make practitioners less susceptible to external and internal stressors, both during and after pregnancy.
Studies have shown that mindfulness can contribute to:
- Reduced stress
- Better management of anxiety
- Increased ability to control emotional behaviours
- Increased ability to identify thoughts and feelings, making it easier to break negative patterns
- Increased self-confidence and self-efficacy, leading to more positive expectations for childbirth
- Reduced fear of childbirth
- Reduced risk of postpartum depression