Pregnancy, birth and the transition to parenthood is a time of profound transformation for expectant families. It can be a time of great joy, excitement and anticipation. But it can also bring fear, worry and anxiety.
Mindfulness Based Childbirth Education and Parenting (MBCP), is a program to address the need for stress reduction and enhanced stress resilience for childbearing families. In addition to education about the birth process itself, the goal is to provide childbearing families with the empowerment that comes from being with whatever presents itself, whether it is dealing with anxiety during pregnancy, working with the pain of labor, the challenges of parenting or the difficulties of life. The mindfulness practices learned in this class will serve for years to come.
mindfulness based
Childbirth Education and parenting
MBCP is based on the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Mindfulness, as defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn is the “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” Thirty years of research documents the effectiveness of the MBSR program for people with a variety of stress related health conditions.
The highly successful MBSR program was adapted by Nancy Bardacke CNM to meet the needs of expectant families. The Mindful Birthing Program is a 9 week childbirth education program that not only provides information to understand and navigate the birth process but also instruction in mindfulness practices designed to help manage the stress of pregnancy, the uncertainty of the birth process and the challenges of becoming a parent.
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
frenquently asked questions
No, this class is appropriate no matter what kind of birth you experience. The truth is there is no way to predict the future path of your labor. This course will help you work with whatever arises whether you have an uncomplicated vaginal birth, a complicated induction of labor or a cesarean section.
Absolutely. The mindfulness practices you learn will help you work with fear and anxiety before surgery and pain and discomfort after surgery. In addition, it will lead to becoming a parent of a newborn and all the joys and stresses of that transformation regardless of what your birth experience entails. The lens of mindfulness will benefit all parents.
Women take this course with their partners, or another support person, or alone. That’s the wonderful thing about this course: sharing the practice of mindfulness will benefit partners and support folks as well as you.
No. This course will cover subjects covered in other childbirth education classes AND will provide an opportunity to learn and practice mindfulness skills.
Yes. Mindfulness is experiential and you will get the most out of the practices if you actually practice them. Setting aside 30-45 minutes at day to do the various mindfulness practices is strongly recommended.
No. This class is suitable for both beginners and those with previous exposure to mindfulness.
want more information?
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