Birthing consciousness and the flow experience during physiological childbirth.

Summary

Women who experience physiological childbirth report significantly higher levels of flow states, akin to peak experiences. In a survey of 766 Israeli women, those who gave birth without medical interventions experienced enhanced feelings of control and concentration, confirming the concept of "birthing consciousness." All nine dimensions of flow were present during these births, highlighting the transformative nature of the experience. Promoting understanding of these subjective experiences could lead to improved clinical practices and better health outcomes for mothers and newborns alike.

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that birth without medical intervention conveys significant physical and psychological benefits to the mother and her newborn baby. However, there is a need to include women's subjective experience of physiological birth to understand and promote it. The theoretical concept of "birthing consciousness" hypothesizes that women during natural childbirth sometimes experience a specific altered state of consciousness, which is a positive peak experience that resembles "flow" in many aspects. To investigate the underexplored connection between the physiological mode of childbirth and altered states of consciousness during childbirth. Israeli women with childbirth experience were recruited through social media (Facebook groups with a focus on childbirth and motherhood). Participants (n = 766) completed an online survey: the Flow State Scale (FSS) and a demographic questionnaire. Differences were found between modes of birth as to flow state, as women who experienced physiological childbirth (i.e., with no epidural anesthesia or instrumental interventions) had a higher flow state during birth. This link empirically confirms the phenomenon of birthing consciousness. All nine dimensions of the mental state of flow apply to childbirth: challenge-skill balance, action-awareness merging, clear goals, unambiguous feedback, concentration on the task, sense of control, loss of self-consciousness, transformation of time, and autotelic experience. Understanding a women's subjective experience during physiological birth can enhance clinical understanding of physiological birth thus promoting positive physiological birth experiences - which has crucial health benefits. We propose that more studies need to be done to promote experiencing flow during physiological birth.

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