Research in midwifery and education is important to provide relevant evidence for practice. The Maternity and Midwifery forum supports sharing appropriate research projects and calls for participants. This week we have two studies: Dr Carolina Estevao, Mental health researcher at King’s College, London needs help with her pregnancy yoga study for ethnic minority women and Sam Porter, midwifery student at the University of Southampton is looking for help with her study on students’ experience during Covid-19 with their practice supervisors.
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PRENAYOGA: a pregnancy yoga study in South London for ethnic minorities
Pregnancy yoga: benefits for mental and physical health and effects on bonding
Pregnancy yoga is a type of movement practice that is specifically designed for pregnant women. It focuses on breathing techniques, gentle stretches, and relaxation to improve physical health, mental well-being, and emotional bonding with the unborn baby. Many studies (e.g. Hui-Lin et al 2022 and Akarsu & Rathfisch 2018 ) have shown that pregnancy yoga can have numerous benefits for mental health, especially for women from ethnic minority backgrounds who may face additional stressors during pregnancy.
One of the main benefits of pregnancy yoga is that it helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels in expectant mothers. Research has shown that practising yoga during pregnancy can help to reduce stress and anxiety levels by promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension. By reducing stress levels, pregnancy yoga can help to promote better mental health and emotional well-being for both the mother and the baby.
Another benefit of pregnancy yoga is that it can improve physical health by promoting better posture, flexibility, and strength. During pregnancy, the body undergoes numerous changes as it adapts to the growing baby, leading to a range of physical discomforts such as back pain, joint pain, and muscle tension. However, pregnancy yoga can help to alleviate these discomforts by promoting better posture and alignment, improving flexibility and range of motion, and strengthening the muscles that support the spine and pelvis.
In addition to improving physical health, pregnancy yoga can also help to promote emotional bonding between the mother and the baby. This is achieved through relaxation techniques, visualisation exercises, and breathing techniques designed to help the mother connect with her unborn baby on a deeper level. By promoting a sense of connection and intimacy with the baby, pregnancy yoga can help strengthen the emotional bond between the mother and the baby, which is important for the mother’s mental health and the baby’s development.
For women from ethnic minority backgrounds, pregnancy yoga can also provide a sense of community and social support. Many yoga classes are offered in a group setting, allowing women to connect with other expectant mothers and share their experiences. This can be particularly important for women from ethnic minority backgrounds who may feel isolated or marginalised during pregnancy.
The PRENAYOGA study – join a King’s College London yoga study
We are currently seeking participants for a research study exploring the feasibility of yoga-based interventions for pregnant women from an ethnic minority group. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, at week 20 of gestation or over at the first session, have a basic understanding of English, and be able to travel to the sessions.
Participants will attend bi-weekly yoga sessions for eight weeks and complete questionnaires and interviews to evaluate the feasibility of the intervention.
By participating in this study, you will contribute to the understanding of the effectiveness of yoga-based interventions for pregnant women from an ethnic minority group. You will also receive free bi-weekly yoga sessions and have the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other participants. The results of this study may help improve access to mental health interventions for ethnic minority women and contribute to the development of more effective interventions for bonding between parents and babies.
The yoga sessions will start on the 12th of April 2023 and run every Wednesday 7.15-8.15pm and Saturday 1-2pm at Lost in Yoga (Arch 265 Urlwin St, London SE5 0NG). Check your eligibility via https://forms.office.com/e/6f1wCY5q33 until the 20th of April, 2023.
PRENAYOGA contact details
Dr Carolina Estevao
sign up via: https://forms.office.com/e/6f1wCY5q33
Student study: Association between the COVID-19 pandemic and student midwives’ relationships with their placement supervisors.
Sam Perry midwifery student at the University of Southampton in England invites student midwives to participate in a study to explore if there is an association between the COVID-19 pandemic and relationships with their placement supervisors.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted practitioners in maternity care and changed the way some midwifery students have experienced clinical placement. These changes have been both challenging and rewarding for student midwives. However, what is not yet known is if the pandemic has had an impact on the way student midwives build relationships with their supervisors while in clinical placement. Supervisor relationships impact the ethos in which student midwives become their own practitioners, subsequently impacting that quality of care that potentially hundreds of service users receive.
The aim of this research is to explore associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and student midwives’ relationships with their placement supervisors. This will be achieved by exploring student midwives’ relationships with the practitioners who supervised them while on clinical placement both pre- and post-March 2020. The findings will enable recommendations to be made, that will improve future student midwife experiences with supervisors while on placement during periods of pandemic learning.
This research will be completed by June 2023 and expects to discover enough evidence to form recommendations for clinical practice in pandemics to the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), other governing bodies and Universities in England providing midwifery training.
The objectives of this research are to:
1: Investigate the possible association the COVID-19 pandemic may have with student midwives’ relationships with practitioners they have been supervised by on placement
2: Analyse data obtained from student midwives using questionnaires to determine relationships with their supervisors/mentors pre- and post-March 2020.
3: Formulate recommendations for Universities in England and relevant clinical placement areas to improve future student midwife experiences with supervisors while on placement during periods of pandemic learning.
Contact details for the survey are below and here.
Sam Perry
University of Southampton
April 2023