1st Edition
Mindfulness in the Birth Sphere Practice for Pre-conception to the Critical 1000 Days and Beyond
Mindfulness in the Birth Sphere draws together and critically appraises a raft of emerging research around mindfulness in healthcare, looking especially at its relevance to pregnancy and childbirth.
Divided into three parts, this reflective book:
· Investigates the phenomena of mindfulness through discussions of neuroscience, an indigenous worldview and research methods.
· Develops the concept of mindfulness for use in practice with women/and babies across the continuum of childbirth. It includes chapters on birth environments, intrapartum care, mental health, fertility, breastfeeding and parenting among others.
· Explores mindfulness as a tool for birth practitioners and educators, promoting self-care, resilience and compassion.
Each chapter discusses specific research, evidence and experiences of mindfulness, including practical advice and an example of a mindfulness practice.
This is an essential read for all those interested in mindfulness in connection to pregnancy and childbirth, including midwives, doulas, doctors and birth activists, whether involved in practice, research or education.
Chapter 1-Introduction: Let Judgements Roll By, Sit Comfortably, and Notice the Breath
Lorna Davies and Susan Crowther
Chapter 2-The Mindful Practitoner
Craig Hassed and Richard Chambers
Chapter 3 -Mindfulness and Compassionate Midwifery in Childbirth Trauma
Diane Ménage and Jenny Patterson
Chapter 4 -Mindfulness and the Birth Sphere: A Māori Perspective
Miriama Ketu-McKenzie
Chapter 5-Mindful Inquiry in the Current Crises of Lifeworlds and Deathworlds
Valerie Malhotra Bentz
Chapter 6-Fertility and Mindfulness
Janetti Marotta
Chapter 7 -Mindfulness in Childbirth Preparation: Accentuating the Psycho-Spiritual-Physiological Connections
Susan Crowther and Christine Mellor
Chapter 8- Disrupting the Status Quo to Create the Mindful Birth Space – Spaces that ‘Sing’!
Doreen Balabanoff and Maralyn Foureur
Chapter 9-Bringing Presence to the Intrapartum Experience
Mo Tabib and Tracy Humphrey
Chapter 10-Paradigm of Pain in the Birthsphere
Liz Newnham, Laura Whitburn and Lester Jones
Chapter 11- Breastfeeding: The Ultimate Mindful Practice?
Ira Kantrowitz-Gordon and Anna Byrom
Chapter 12-The value of mindfulness in the NICU
Maggie Meeks and Dan McKay
Chapter 13-Being Mindful about Mindfulness and Perinatal Mental Health- Evidence, Critique and New Directions
AIgli Raouna and Angus Macbeth
Chapter 14-Mindful Responding in a Crisis
Tracy Donegan
Chapter 15-Embracing Mindfulness in Midwifery Education
Lorna Davies, Melanie Welfare and Kathleen Maki
Chapter 16-Nurturing Humanity in Midwifery: Compassionate, Mindful Leadership
Sheena Byrom
Chapter 17-The Final Gong: Being a Mindful Practitioner
Susan Crowther and Lorna Davies
Biography
Lorna Davies is a midwife, a mother and a grandmother, and is currently employed as an Associate Professor at Otago Polytechnic/Te Pukenga in Dunedin. Her PhD explored midwives' understanding of and attitudes towards the broad concept of sustainability within the context of midwifery practice. Her main research interest areas are sustainability in midwifery and healthcare, self-sustainability, inter-professional education and midwifery workforce issues.
Susan Crowther is currently a Professor of Midwifery at AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand. Her research interests are concerned with psycho-social, cultural and spiritual health around childbirth, rural maternity services and sustainable practice as well as a keen interest in meditative practices to enhance well-being and connection. Susan is on the review and editorial boards of a number of peer-reviewed journals and a member of the ICM research standing committee.
"In a maternity climate marked by escalating intervention rates and a concerning surge in staff burnout, this book stands as a much-needed ally to all of us. Its insights into mindfulness practices not only offer a powerful antidote to these challenges but also embody a helpful support system."
- Hannah Tizard
Educational and Organisational Development Lead Midwife, All4Maternity
