ABSTRACT
During the pregnancy and postpartum period, a woman’s brain is undergoing one of the most dramatic changes it will experience. Researchers have learned that during motherhood and when a person has experienced a traumatic event or chronic stress, there can be structural changes to the brain (van der Kolk, 2015). All of these changes to the brain, coupled with sleep deprivation, the stress of being a new parent, and many emotions experienced, can impact attention and concentration spans. It can be quite common for new parents to feel easily distracted, have difficulty remembering and retaining new information, and feel easily overwhelmed and anxious. Chapter 10 normalizes the changes in readers’ concentration spans and addresses the importance of the mind/body connection. Readers are taught how to tune into their bodies and learn to soothe themselves in easy ways. Many types of mindfulness, meditation and relaxation techniques are reviewed that a new parent can employ immediately. Several types of breathing techniques, mindfulness exercises, and relaxation activities are introduced to the new parent. The concept of “microbreaks” helps them easily interweave these new self-soothing skills into their day.
