title: Mindfulness approaches to childbirth and parenting.
abstract: Mindfulness meditation is increasingly being used as a way of managing pain, reducing stress and anxiety and, in the form of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), as a way of reducing the risk of recurrence in depression (NICE, 2004). This article considers its potential for parents preparing for childbirth focusing on three areas: managing pain during pregnancy and labour; reducing risk of perinatal depression; and increasing 'availability' of attention for the infant. The encouraging evidence to date suggests the possibility that mindfulness has an important contribution to make, both for reducing vulnerability in high-risk groups and as a universal intervention.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bardacke
authors.forename: Larissa G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Sona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimidjian
authors.forename: Sherryl H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Goodman