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Abstract

Fear and anxiety dominate much of the global birth culture, whereby approximately 80% of pregnant women report worrying with regard to the natural risks of childbirth (Rublein & Muschalla, 2022). This leads to increased rates of antenatal stress and postpartum depression. These psychosocial responses present risk factors for adverse developmental and health outcomes for the fetus, newborn, mother, and family (Shakarami et al., 2021). In the Western context, the overwhelming response is to increasingly medicalized childbirth, which, while offering life-saving support, may also pose its own set of adverse risks for mother and infant. Therefore, alterative and complementary approaches that address the root of pregnancy-related stress may reduce the incidence of stress-related complications.

A complementary, multi-dimensional approach to maternal wellbeing that is inclusive of not just physical and psychological wellness, but also incorporates spiritual well-being may enhance the likelihood of a healthy, safe and meaningful pregnancy, delivery, and early postpartum period. Yoga offers such an approach. While modern use of yoga tools and techniques often overlook the spiritual aspect of the practice, namely liberation from maladaptive thought patterns and conditions, the traditional roots of yoga are fundamentally philosophically and spiritually grounded thus offer pregnant women a path towards liberation from pregnancy-related fear and anxiety.

This paper serves to address the gap between yoga philosophy and yoga practices in the field of prenatal yoga by offering a philosophically grounded approach for prenatal yoga courses. This approach is thematic and progressive over three parts with the aims to improve maternal health and spiritually prepare women for labor and childbirth. The first part is to address the underlying birth culture and corresponding ideologies about childbirth; the second part is to surrender and release any superseding narrative; and the final section is for embodiment, empowerment and manifestation of a unique and intimate birthing experience. The purpose of this program is to support the emergence of a birthing culture in the contemporary West that privileges spirituality as an integral part of the lived birthing experience.

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