by STEVE GRANT A GROUND-BREAKING study by a UWA doctor aims to prove that yoga and meditation can significantly reduce the trauma of childbirth and cases of post-natal depression.Jean Byrne, from UWA’s School of Social and Cultural Studies, said if the eight-week trial she’s running at the Loftus Centre in Leederville from July proves her theory right, it will take meditation and yoga out of the realms of “alternative medicine” and into the mainstream. Dr Byrne says the technique she intends to use has already been adopted by other branches of medicine and is based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, an emeritus professor at the University of Massachusetts. He incorporated elements of Zen Buddhism into his western teachings to develop “mindfulness meditation” which has been used to help people cope with stress, pain and illness. “For a lot of women in Western Australia there is a huge fear about birthing,” Dr Byrne said, adding that an inability to communicate with the state’s healthcare professionals was fueling their fears. “They’re being let down,” she said. During the course pregnant mums and their partners would learn skills to help them communicate with midwives and doctors, which would empower them and make them more involved in their birth.“”Maternal dissatisfaction stems from a sense that for these women labour happens to them, rather than with them.” Dr Byrne said that stress during pregnancy affected the baby’s in utero growth, and studies had linked it to behaviour problems in children seven to 10 years later. What was surprising was that the father’s stress during pregnancy was also having an impact.“There’s also a lot of practical skills that we teach, such as movement and positions for comfort in labour,” she said. Dr Byrne hopes that empowering women during their pregnancy will reduce the prevalence of ceasarian births, which she says are being carried out in WA at twice the rate recommended by the United Nations. She also hopes the courser will cut post-natal depression, which currently affects about 10-20 per cent of mums. “Studies show that much of what women hear from friends and family hinders, rather than improves their experience of pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting,” she said. Anyone interested in participating in the program, which has ethical approval from UWA and starts on July 3 should contact call 0413 244 217 or email jean@yogaspace.com.au. View high resolution

by STEVE GRANT


A GROUND-BREAKING study by a UWA doctor aims to prove that yoga and meditation can significantly reduce the trauma of childbirth and cases of post-natal depression.
Jean Byrne, from UWA’s School of Social and Cultural Studies, said if the eight-week trial she’s running at the Loftus Centre in Leederville from July proves her theory right, it will take meditation and yoga out of the realms of “alternative medicine” and into the mainstream.


Dr Byrne says the technique she intends to use has already been adopted by other branches of medicine and is based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, an emeritus professor at the University of Massachusetts. He incorporated elements of Zen Buddhism into his western teachings to develop “mindfulness meditation” which has been used to help people cope with stress, pain and illness.


“For a lot of women in Western Australia there is a huge fear about birthing,” Dr Byrne said, adding that an inability to communicate with the state’s healthcare professionals was fueling their fears.


“They’re being let down,” she said.


During the course pregnant mums and their partners would learn skills to help them communicate with midwives and doctors, which would empower them and make them more involved in their birth.
“”Maternal dissatisfaction stems from a sense that for these women labour happens to them, rather than with them.”


Dr Byrne said that stress during pregnancy affected the baby’s in utero growth, and studies had linked it to behaviour problems in children seven to 10 years later. What was surprising was that the father’s stress during pregnancy was also having an impact.
“There’s also a lot of practical skills that we teach, such as movement and positions for comfort in labour,” she said.


Dr Byrne hopes that empowering women during their pregnancy will reduce the prevalence of ceasarian births, which she says are being carried out in WA at twice the rate recommended by the United Nations.

She also hopes the courser will cut post-natal depression, which currently affects about 10-20 per cent of mums.

“Studies show that much of what women hear from friends and family hinders, rather than improves their experience of pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting,” she said.

Anyone interested in participating in the program, which has ethical approval from UWA and starts on July 3 should contact call 0413 244 217 or email jean@yogaspace.com.au.