Abstract
BackgroundApplications of mindfulness during the perinatal period have recently been explored and appear to offer a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression during this period. However, it still remains unclear what practical use women make of mindfulness during the postpartum period and the mechanisms through which it works. The subjective experience of mindfulness practice by mothers is not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to explore how women enrolled in a “Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting programme” experienced mindfulness practice during the postpartum period.MethodsTen pregnant women over 18 years of age with singleton pregnancies, no diagnoses of mental illness and participation in a “Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting programme” were recruited to take part in a postpartum interview. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically based on a phenomenological approach. The transcripts of nine interviews were submitted to a coding process consisting of the identification of words, sentences or paragraphs expressing common ideas. These ideas were classified in codes, each code representing a specific description, function or action (e.g. self-perception, personal organization, formal/informal meditation practice). Progressively, a framework of thematic ideas was extracted from the transcripts, allowing the interviews to be systematically organized and their content analysed in depth.ResultsFive themes emerged from the descriptions of practices of mindfulness during the postpartum period: perception of the present moment, breathing, acceptance, self-compassion and the perception of mindfulness as a shelter.ConclusionMindfulness practices during the postpartum period may contribute to a mother’s psychological wellbeing. The perception of mindfulness as a shelter had not previously been reported. Future research could address whether this role is specific to the postpartum period.
Highlights
Applications of mindfulness during the perinatal period have recently been explored and appear to offer a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression during this period
Three major programmes have been developed during the last decades: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) [7], Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) [8] and Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) [9]
The aim of this study is to explore the experience of mindfulness during the postpartum period, with specific attention to its possible effects on the psychological state and wellbeing of the mother
Summary
Applications of mindfulness during the perinatal period have recently been explored and appear to offer a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression during this period It still remains unclear what practical use women make of mindfulness during the postpartum period and the mechanisms through which it works. The birth of a child represents a sequence of challenging events, requiring adaptive coping responses to maintain emotional wellbeing [1] This is of particular interest as stress and anxiety experienced during this period are likely to affect the mother’s mental health [1,2,3] and impact on the relationship between the mother and her infant [4, 5]. Three major programmes have been developed during the last decades: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) [7], Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) [8] and Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) [9]
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