Mindful with Your Baby: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effects of a Mindful Parenting Group Training for Mothers and Their Babies in a Mental Health Context

Eva S Potharst,Margo Rigterink,Marja Rexwinkel,Evin Aktar,Susan M Bögels

doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0699-9

Eva S Potharst, Margo Rigterink + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0699-9

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Abstract

Many mothers experience difficulties after the birth of a baby. Mindful parenting may have benefits for mothers and babies, because it can help mothers regulate stress, and be more attentive towards themselves and their babies, which may have positive effects on their responsivity. This study examined the effectiveness of Mindful with your baby, an 8-week mindful parenting group training for mothers with their babies. The presence of the babies provides on-the-spot practicing opportunities and facilitates generalization of what is learned. Forty-four mothers with their babies (0–18 months), who were referred to a mental health clinic because of elevated stress or mental health problems of the mother, infant (regulation) problems, or mother-infant interaction problems, participated in 10 groups, each comprising of three to six mother-baby dyads. Questionnaires were administered at pretest, posttest, 8-week follow-up, and 1-year follow-up. Dropout rate was 7%. At posttest, 8-week follow-up, and 1-year follow-up, a significant improvement was seen in mindfulness, self-compassion, mindful parenting, (medium to large effects), as well as in well-being, psychopathology, parental confidence, responsivity, and hostility (small to large effects). Parental stress and parental affection only improved at the first and second follow-ups, respectively (small to medium effects), and maternal attention and rejection did not change. The infants improved in their positive affectivity (medium effect) but not in other aspects of their temperament. Mindful with your baby is a promising intervention for mothers with babies who are referred to mental health care because of elevated stress or mental health problems, infant (regulation) problems, or mother-infant interaction problems.

Highlights

Giving birth to a new baby is a transformational process that brings changes in every aspect of a woman’s life
When a new mother perceives that the demands she faces exceed available coping resources, she will experience stress (Lazarus and Folkman 1986), and chronic stress can result in mental health
The goal of the current study is to evaluate the effects of a mindful parenting group training, Mindful with your baby, for mothers and babies who were referred to a mental health clinic because of elevated stress or mental health problems of the mother, problems of the baby, or mother-infant interaction problems

Summary

Introduction

Giving birth to a new baby is a transformational process that brings changes in every aspect of a woman’s life. Learning mothering encompasses an endless list of abilities, including regulating the baby’s (emotional) states, and the mother’s own emotional reactions to the demands of the baby. Mindfulness (2017) 8:1236–1250 problems (Lupien et al 2009) These difficulties have a higher occurrence in the presence of risk factors, such as a preterm birth (Nelson 2003), attachment insecurity of the mother (Feeney 2003), or lack of social support (Crnic et al 1986). Difficult infant temperament can be a risk factor for mental health problems in mothers, even in the first month of a baby’s life (Britton 2011)

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