“Being in the zone” makes a difference: flow, birth experience, birth duration, and postpartum Stress
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Aims and Background The subjective childbirth experience is crucial for a woman’s well-being. This study examines the relationship between ‘birthing consciousness’ – a flow-like state of hyperfocus, self-efficacy, and calm – and birth outcomes, including subjective experience, labour duration, and postpartum mental health.Methods Data were collected prospectively from a cohort of birthing women (January-September 2023) at Ziv Medical Center, Israel. Women planning a vaginal birth (N = 138) completed surveys at three time points: Antenatal: During antenatal care at 34–41 weeks’ gestation; Postpartum: 72 hours postpartum, assessing flow state using the Flow State Scale (FSS); Postpartum: 8 weeks postpartum, assessing mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Pregnancy and birth details, including demographic variables and birth stage durations, were obtained from electronic medical records.Results Higher flow was associated with shorter labour ;(Stage 2: r = −0.316, p = .002, n = 98; Stage 3: r = −0.302, p = .002, n = 98) and lower postpartum stress ;(r = −0.451, p < .001, n = 93). Women reporting a positive birth experience had higher flow than those reporting a negative experience (Welch’s t = 4.00, p < .001; Cohen’s d = 1.25; n = 83). In logistic regression, higher flow increased the odds of a positive birth experience (OR = 1.02 per point, 95% CI [1.00–1.05], p = .043).Conclusions Experiencing flow can enhance the childbirth experience and shorten birth’s critical stages. These findings highlight the significance of attending to a woman’s mental state during labour to optimise her health outcomes.
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415323762