WHEN MOMMA AIN’T HAPPY, AIN’T NOBODY HAPPY…
Practicing HeartMath® tools can be beneficial throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.
Human fetuses react to maternal stress during pregnancy [1][2]. High levels of stress during pregnancy have not only been shown to have adverse effects on pregnancy outcome but can also rob you of much of the joy of your pregnancy.
You’re entitled to that joy, and practicing the HeartMath tools during pregnancy can have twice the utility: potential benefit for both you and your baby.
These tools have been shown to reduce levels of cortisol (also known as the stress hormone) [3], and lower levels of cortisol during pregnancy have been associated with a lot of benefits, including reducing the risk for early delivery and low birth weight babies [4].
Beyond the influence of stress on you and your baby during pregnancy, recent research suggests that a mom’s stress level during pregnancy impacts how her baby behaves after birth [5]. This research shows that moms who experience less stress during pregnancy are more likely to have happier babies (less crying, fussing, and negative facial expressions) than babies born to mothers who had higher levels of stress hormones. High levels of prenatal stress and anxiety have also been associated with increased risk of allergies, asthma [6], and anxiety disorders [7] in children later in life. Even if you can’t control those stress-inducing circumstances around you during pregnancy, you can reduce their impact on your body and your baby.
Call us at Thrive Health & Wellness to find out how.
Thrive Health & Wellness is proud to partner with Moxie Moms.
Contact us today to schedule a free telephone consultation. Sessions are available a la carte or as part of our Prenatal Wellness and Childbearing Year packages. Depending on your insurance policy, your goals, and your treatment plan, your sessions may be eligible for health insurance reimbursement.
1. DiPietro JA et al. (2003) Fetal response to induced maternal stress. Early Human Development 74(2):125-38.
2. Mulder EJH et al. (2002). Prenatal maternal stress: effects on pregnancy and the (unborn) child. Early Human Development 70: 3 –14.
3. McCraty R et al. (1998). The Impact of a New Emotional Self-Management Program on Stress, Emotions, Heart Rate Variability, DHEA, and Cortisol. Integrative Physiological and Behavioural Science 33(2):151-170.
4. Field T et al. (2006). Prenatal cortisol, prematurity, and low birthweight. Infant Behavior & Development 29: 268–275.
5. De Weerth, C et al. (2003). Prenatal maternal cortisol levels and infant behavior during the first 5 months. Early Human Development, 74(2)
6. American Thoracic Society (2008). Mother\’s Prenatal Stress Predisposes Their Babies To Asthma And Allergy, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/05/080518122143.htm
7. Van den Bergh BRH, Marcoen A. (2004). High Antenatal Maternal Anxiety Is Related to ADHD Symptoms, Externalizing Problems, and Anxiety in 8- and 9-Year-Olds. Child Development 75(4): 1085-1097.
