How To Have A Mindful Pregnancy

This handbag-sized wonder is my new favourite go-to as both a mother and midwife. I only wish I had found it years ago! ‘How To Have A Mindful Pregnancy’ by Sian Warriner and Mark Pallis is packed full with insight, wisdom and daily tips for mindfulness, living in the moment, and connecting with the world around us. It is perfect for pregnant women, midwives and anybody with a busy lifestyle who wants to learn practical skills.

‘Mindfulness’ is a term we hear more and more of these days, whether it's in reference to colouring books, mobile phone apps, or pictures of mountain ranges at the tube station. This book provides a wonderfully succinct and eloquent description of mindfulness, clearly explaining why is it applicable to everyday life.

‘It is perfect for pregnant women, midwives and anybody with a busy lifestyle who wants to learn practical skills’

The book consists of 30 simple mindfulness exercises that can be used anytime, anywhere. It is laid out as a concise practical 53-page guide which is lightweight and easy to read. It's now a permanent fixture in my handbag. Simple tips include using fetal movements as a reminder for mindfulness and connecting with the developing pregnancy, and using nine breaths (one for each month of pregnancy) whilst reflecting on the growing baby with each month. Another involves lighting a candle and watching the flame dance whilst you calmly breathe to remind you that pushes can be gentle and powerful. These exercises could be used by pregnant women themselves or used by midwives to support women in pregnancy and labour, or even postnatally. Many of the exercises use principles that are intrinsic to midwifery practice, that we almost do subconsciously, such as encouraging women to relax through guided breathing and the therapeutic use of touch. Midwives can use this book to develop these skills further, adding mindfulness to their everyday practice.