Does preparation really help? Of course it does!

Hot on the heels of the research earlier this week comes another linked to preparation and postnatal depression. Several studies have already identified the link between preparation and reduced risk of postnatal depression in both the father and the mother and we know from our work that mums who feel more prepared, empowered and confident about the birth, and who have bonded well with their baby prenatally, are less likely to experience postnatal depression.

This new study published in The Journal of Perinatal Education finds first-time mothers want more information about how a newborn will impact their lives. Thirty-five percent did not feel prepared for the physical experience following birth and 20% did not feel prepared for the emotional experience.

The study includes 151 first-time mothers attending community child health centers in Brisbane, Australia. Focus groups were conducted with eight mothers 7-9 months following entry to the service. Nearly half commented on some aspect of maternal health such as fatigue, postnatal depression and the work of caring for a new baby.

The situation in the UK may not be much different, prental check ups do little to prepare you for the birth or for parenthood. Some classes such as the National Childbirth Trust are great for knowledge and parenting skills but do not cover the tackle the emotional aspects as deeply. Even the NHS parentcraft classes don't really do what they say on the tin. They are often packed, we have reports of up to 20 couples in a class, or parents have difficulty getting a place. Sometimes people just need some time to reflect and be able to air their concerns or to ask questions.

This is what one dad had to say about our one day mindful mamma class

“I would just like to commend you on designing and running such a really fantastic course! It really has empowered both of us,to the point where most of our fears about birth have disappeared already. We have always wanted to go down the natural birth route, but felt that there was not enough support & advice out there about how to do it drug and pain free. Your course, although short, covered pretty much all aspects that I felt were missing from our antenatal classes & many more. Vic now feels a lot more confidant, and I actually feel like I have a proper role in the whole event, other that driving her to the hospital & sitting on the rocking chair!"

"The Australian study demonstrates that new mothers are eager for high-quality, accurate information of what to expect of life with a newborn," says the study's lead author, Margaret Barnes, RN, MA, PhD.

Mindful Mamma classes can empower women to have positive birth experiences and with additional services we can support confidence with parenthood, breastfeeding, handling tiredness and so on.

Mums recognise the cry of naturally born babies.

At Mindful Mamma we already know that mums who delivered naturally are responsive to their babies, and that babies born vaginally are known bond quicker and feed better. But this study, which has been widely reported, left us thinking there are perhaps more environmental factors which influence how a mother responds to their baby's cry and the emotional bond they feel with their baby. We find that women who have prepared well, are able to make informed choices and who feel empowered by their births respond well to their baby whatever their birth and feel that they had a positive birthing experience.

Lack of response to the baby is often linked to post natal depression and guilt that the mother hasn't been able to give her baby a "perfect birth". In the study by Dr. James Swain, Child Study Centre, Yale University it isn't clear how the women were chosen, what sort of birth preparation they had, nor the circumstances under which they had a caesarean. So it really isn't the full picture.

The study published yesterday has found that mothers who delivered vaginally compared to caesarean section delivery (CSD) were significantly more responsive to the cry of their own baby, identified through MRI brain scans two to four weeks after delivery.

The results of the study published today in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, suggest that vaginal delivery (VD) mothers are more sensitive to hearing their own baby-cry in the regions of the brain that are believed to regulate emotions, motivation and habitual behaviours.

A caesarean is a surgical procedure, in which delivery occurs via incisions in the abdominal and uterine wall. It is considered necessary under some conditions to protect the health or survival of infant or mother, but it is controversially linked with postpartum depression. In the US the occurrence of CSD has increased steeply from 4.5% of all deliveries in 1965 to a recent high in 2006 of 29.1%. In the UK the figure is slightly lower at around 23% - this varies from hospital to hospital.

The critical capacity of adults to develop the thoughts and behaviours needed for parents to care successfully for their newborn infants is supported by specific brain circuits and a range of hormones. The experience of childbirth by VD compared with CSD uniquely involves the release of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary, uterine contractions and vagino-cervical stimulation. Oxytocin is a key mediator of maternal behaviour in animals. You produce additional amounts of Oxytocin during the birth and after the birth the rush of love is linked to a rush of Oxytocin.

"We wondered which brain areas would be less active in parents who delivered by caesarean section, given that this mode of delivery has been associated with decreased maternal behaviours in animal models, and a trend for increased postpartum depression in humans," said lead author Dr. James Swain, Child Study Centre, Yale University. "Our results support the theory that variations in delivery conditions such as with caesarean section, which alters the neurohormonal experiences of childbirth, might decrease the responsiveness of the human maternal brain in the early postpartum."

The researchers also looked into the brain areas affected by delivery conditions and found relationships between brain activity and measures of mood suggesting that some of the same brain regions may help regulate postpartum mood. So this may have an impact on postnatal depression.

At Mindful Mamma we teach you to trust and have confidence in your birthing body, so the risk of caesarean is significantly reduced if you have prepared well for birth emotionally and practically. HypnoBirthing mums have an average of 9% of caesareans compared with a national average of 23%. Those mums who have delivered by caesarean have demonstrated a positive response to their baby knowing that they had the best birth possible and even the preparation they undertook, kept them connected with their baby who had the psychological and neurological benefit of reduced levels of cortisol in the womb while mum took time to relax during her pregnancy.