Mindfulness And Pregnancy: Why Is It Beneficial For Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a transformative stage in a woman’s life in multiple ways. As her body adapts to the different changes that this stage entails, a wide variety of physical and emotional changes also arise. In this process, mindfulness can be an effective tool to connect with one’s own body, as well as to improve emotional well-being.

If you want to know the benefits of mindfulness during pregnancy keep reading this article to find out.

What is mindfulness?

Many times when we think about mindfulness we associate it with the meditation, to yoga, to certain Eastern philosophies or currents of thought, to something very complicated or that does not suit us. Although these practices are often combined in mindfulness, the truth is that it is much simpler than all of this.

We use the word of English origin mindfulness to talk about the practice of full attention in our daily lives. It is about paying attention to what is happening in the present moment, in the here and now. To do this, we deliberately focus our attention on the events that occur at each moment without getting carried away by judgments, expectations or preconceived ideas (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). It can be by paying attention to our breathing, sensations in our body, daily actions (brushing our teeth, cooking, walking…), our emotions, etc. We can experiment with almost anything, always from a kind, self-compassionate attitude and without judging ourselves.

There are many exercises to practice mindfulness from practices more focused on our own body such as body scanning, conscious breathing, as well as others focused on sensations, emotions or actions (mindful eating conscious movement, based on the senses, gratitude, etc.).

What are the benefits of mindfulness?

He mindfulness has evolved considerably in recent decades and many scientific studies have been published on its benefits (Siegel, 2012). Among its many advantages is the management of emotions. It can help us consciously experience and manage our emotions, behaviors and thoughts when we feel overwhelmed, stressed, overwhelmed, sad, etc. It allows us to modify our attitude towards difficult situations, facing them instead of avoiding them. It gives us tools to build a calmer mental space.

Another notable benefit is allowing us to disconnect “autopilot”, helping us to enjoy everyday life, the people around us, the experiences we live, the objects we own, etc. Better “tuning in” with ourselves and with others through the practice of mindfulness improves the feeling of well-being, fosters our empathy and self-compassion.

He mindfulness It helps us take care of ourselves, being more aware of ourselves. All these repercussions have a translation into emotional, mental and physical well-being.

Particular benefits of mindfulness in pregnancy

The practice of mindfulness in pregnancy It’s very interesting. This period is a very personal experience, each woman experiences it in a different way and each pregnancy is different from others, even for the same person. This is usually a wonderful but also demanding stage, since it is full of great changes, doubts and emotional ups and downs. Some of the benefits of practicing mindfulness at this stage are:

1. Prepare for the birth of the baby: Practice mindfulness in pregnancy It can help us to go through the experience of pregnancy and birth of the baby in a fully conscious way, accepting what happens as it is (Warriner and Pallis, 2023).
2. Connect with our body: In recent years, many studies have emerged on the use of mindfulness during pregnancy It has been related to a greater connection with one’s own body, with the experience of pregnancy. In this sense, through the practice of mindfulness, we can be more aware of physical sensations, helping us establish a deeper and more compassionate relationship with our body. In conclusion, mindfulness promotes one’s own well-being and the strengthening of the relationship with the partner and the baby.
3. Strengthen the mother-baby bond: In relation to what was mentioned above, practicing mindfulness during pregnancy allows us to connect with our baby in a conscious and loving way. Through mindfulness, we can be aware of the baby’s movements, changes in her posture, etc. which helps strengthen the mother-baby bond.
4. Reduce stress: Acceptance of our emotions and a self-compassionate and kind outlook in the practice of mindfulness also helps reduce stress, worries and anguish related to pregnancy, and improves symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy. These benefits also extend to the postpartum and baby-rearing period.

There are special exercises and practices for practice mindfulness during pregnancy and focused on the experiences that occur during pregnancy, childbirth and parenting (e.g., mindful birthing).

How to practice mindfulness?

The mindfulness attitude requires active practice. To learn to ride a bicycle, you have to get on the bike and practice. Mindfulness is the same: we need to practice every day to experience its benefits.

It is of little use to start with long practices of 50 minutes or 1 hour, if we have not yet trained our attention or have the habit formed. Most likely we will get frustrated and give up. Before running, you have to walk. For this reason, we recommend starting with daily practices of 5-10 minutes that we can lengthen as we gain experience. It is advisable to set aside a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness. Over time we will experience how this attitude of mindfulness generalizes to the rest of our day.

There are several Smartphone applications that offer mindfulness practices through different exercises (breathing, visualization techniques, etc.). However, the ideal is to go to a center with professionals specialized in mindfulness They will be able to accompany us, resolve any concerns, guide us in the generalization of what we practice in our daily lives and propose some of the many exercises that we can practice.