Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting – Fear (MBCP-Fear) by Katarzyna Irena Veringa was evaluated by IPA and endorsed without condition. MBCP-Fear meets the criteria established by IPA ensuring the quality and integrity of the programme.
Recognition is granted for the period of 2023-2026.

Recognition MBCP-Fear as an MBP
The Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting – Fear is an adaption of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP; Bardacke, 2012) to pregnant women with high fear of childbirth. The original curriculum of MBCP was adapted (e.g., the content of labour pain education, yoga), and the MBCP meditations and attitude of teacher were adapted to the fear situation. This adaptation enabled the save application of MBCP in population with psychological vulnerability with a profound symptom – fear of childbirth.

“It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with Irena on her extremely important research related to the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (Fear) program. What a creative and important adaptation of a program originally designed to teach life-skills to all expectant parents. I am so pleased that the trainees from this program will be able to share the profound benefits of mindfulness practice with the population of women who are vulnerable to the fear of childbirth!”- Nancy Bardacke

In 2014 the scientific research on the effects of MBCP on high levels of fear of childbirth was started. In 2023 the research project On fear of childbirth and mindfulness has resulted in a dissertation. The dissertation was awarded with the Berti Huidekoper Price for the best dissertation in the midwifery field in The Netherlands, in years 2021-2022. We found that MBCP-Fear was effective in reduction of fear and catastrophic beliefs related to childbirth, as well as, in reduction in medical childbirths and increase in mindful awareness and natural births. The increase in mindful awareness showed a causal relationship with natural childbirths in pregnant women with high fear of childbirth. And in this way the power of mindfulness meditations. Thereby, MBCP-Fear seems to be cost effective as compared to the care as usual. The MBCP-Fear programme was highly valued by the participants.

Since the data collection for the research project was stopped the MBCP-Fear teacher training for the practitioners in maternity care was opened. The programme is thaught since 2019 in The Netherlands. In 2024 we consider teaching in English.
We are thankful to Nancy Bardacke for the developing MBCP. It can be stated that MBCP is the best translation of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction to a specific population and their specific needs.

The eamba’s acknowledgement of MBCP-Fear honours the work of Nancy Bradacke, our research group among others prof. Susan Bögels and – foremost – the many pregnant couples over the last years.

MBCP-Fear’s prime intention is to reduce fear, anxiety and stress in the perinatal period (pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum), and in this way to contribute to wellbeing of pregnant women and new mothers as well as, to well-being of baby’s, thus new generations, and families. MBCP-Fear is secular and welcomes pregnant couples of all kinds of origin and compound. This programme is easily to follow and to fall in love with it.

Through the procedure of the MBP recognition process we deepened on the understanding of the curriculum. The helpful attitude of the members of IPA, the International Panel for the Acknowledgement of Mindfulness-Based Programs, and their wisdom felt as encouragement in promoting of mindfulness into new areas of human life and suffering. MBCP- Fear appeared to be a valid “weft” in the solid “wrap” of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program of Jon Kabat – Zinn.

“The Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) program offers a practical and systematic way to be in expended relationship to yourself and your own experience, using pregnancy and birth and what follows from them as the raw material and the curriculum for this adventure, that is, the mystery of our lives unfolding and of new life developing and emerging out of us.”- Jon Kabat-Zinn.

To me, I am sure also to Nancy Bardacke, the EAMBA’s official recognition feels as a warm support in our pioneering work in the field of introducing the wisdom of mindfulness into the perinatal care worldwide.

Katarzyna Irena Veringa, November 2023
Trainersopleiding mindfulness geboortezorg (mindingeboorte.nl)