from
the book. . .
Mindful Motherhood is an educational program developed specifically for pregnant women and new moms. It teaches a set of practices and ways of being based upon the principles of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a practice of being aware of your experience, from moment to moment, allowing it to be just as it is without evaluation or judgment. Over time, mindful awareness of your experiences as a mom, whether they are internal (mental, physical, or emotional) or external (situations with your baby or others), allows you to more and more often approach each experience with curiosity and compassion, for yourself and for others.
Mindful awareness recognizes that each experience is temporary, and with
practice, you can learn to ride the waves of everyday life, allowing each
one to arise, peak, and pass away, as all experiences do. Mindful awareness
can help you notice and derive greater enjoyment from the simple, subtle
pleasures of life as a mom – the way the light shines on your little one’s
fuzzy head, or the grasp of his hand on your finger - no matter what else
may be going on.
The Mindful Motherhood training uses several approaches to integrating mindful
awareness into everyday life as a mom, teaching practices like mindful awareness
of breathing, mindful awareness of the body, and mindful movement in the
form of the Mindful Motherhood yoga series. In addition to these practices,
Mindful Motherhood translates theories of mother-infant bonding, child development
and the science of well-being, particularly as they relate to mindfulness,
into easily accessible concepts that you can integrate into your everyday
life during pregnancy and early motherhood.
Mindful Motherhood shows how the fundamental principles of mindfulness such
as acceptance, nonjudging, beginner’s mind, and present-moment focus can
be applied to the experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood.
And most of all, the Mindful Motherhood training is about finding realistic
ways that mindful awareness can be gently and compassionately woven throughout
the fabric of each day, since the last thing most moms need is something
else to put on their to-do list!
Mindful Motherhood is a way of approaching the ups and downs of pregnancy,
childbirth, and early motherhood with open eyes and an open heart. While
it may sound simple, for most mothers it’s not easy. It involves learning
new skills and seeing the world in a new way.
With practice over time you are more and more often able to meet what is happening as it is and to make a choice about how to respond that is based on the actual situation and your values, rather than reacting unconsciously or habitually. Each time you do this, you very literally transmit that capacity to your child. Your baby senses that he is safe, that you are solid, and that his own overwhelming experiences are not overwhelming you. Your capacity to remain present and connected lays the groundwork for your baby developing a strong and secure sense of self.
