In Europe, one mother in five suffers from post-partum depression.^[1] Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the first year after childbirth. During pregnancy, the figures are just as alarming: one pregnant woman in six suffers from severe anxiety. ^[2]

The psychological fragility associated with the perinatal period is a fact of both individual and collective life. The short-term consequences of failing to deal with such fragility have repercussions for society as a whole. First of all, for women: maternal isolation, loss of confidence at work, the weight of the mental burden are undeniable factors in the growth of gender inequalities. And for babies: stress and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the first 1,000 days of life can lead to physical, neurological and emotional development disorders.^[3] In the end, it is all citizens who pay the price, both financially (increased public health expenditure, work stoppages, even long-term disability, and psychiatric care) and in human terms (social justice, psychological disorders, etc.).

In short, it’s high time to make the mental health and young mothers an urgent public health priority.

So where to start?

• Through holistic, high-quality, local support.
• We listen, with gentleness, empathy and non-judgment.
• We create spaces for expression, relaxation, rest and letting go.
• We repeat, “You’re not alone.
• We value, celebrate and congratulate.
• We cultivate a spirit of wonder to take a step back from our daily lives, and find joy in this metamorphosis that is so destabilizing but so beautiful.

Although perinatal professionals are doing their best to take action in this direction, they face many obstacles: lack of time, institutional pressure, limited training in listening and mental health, as well as economic and legal constraints.

In response to these challenges, an original approach is emerging, involving physical, emotional and relational support: perinatal dance.

Yes, dancing pregnant and dancing with your baby in the post-partum period can relieve physical aches and pains, reduce fatigue, strengthen your endurance and muscles, adopt good posture, improve blood circulation and breathing, and prepare or re-educate your perineum.^[4]

Beyond its physical benefits, dance offers numerous psychological advantages. If it takes place in an appropriate, caring and secure setting – under the supervision of trained professionals – it enables the mother to express her emotions, to use gestures and symbols to express her experiences. In this way, the mother can legitimize her feelings, welcome them and live them better. When experienced as part of an art-therapeutic approach, perinatal dance becomes an artistic practice that stimulates creativity, vitality and self-awareness.

Last but not least, dancing creates a bond. A bond with oneself, one’s femininity, one’s abilities, one’s new identity as a mother. A bond to her baby, through rocking, movement and the sharing of positive emotions (“You’re not born a mother, you become one!”^[5]). Bonding with other women who understand and support us through the power of sisterhood. And since connection is life, dancing makes you more alive!

Dancing before or after giving birth opens up a unique and effective perspective for cultivating well-being, taking care of, and sometimes even healing.

The testimonials are unequivocal: “I used to feel tense and stressed, and thanks to the movements on offer, I feel more fluid and calm. Above all, I have joy, lots of joy! And when Mom goes, everything goes! ^[6]

Neurobiologist Lucy Vincent in her book Make your brain dance (2018), scientifically explains the many effects of dance on emotional and psychological balance. According to her studies, dance is much more than a physical activity: it is a rich, complex practice that acts on the brain, well-being , emotions and mental health.^[7] She concludes her book with this assertion: “If you started dancing, just a little, you’d change society.”

Since I’ve been running group workshops in perinatal dance therapy, I’ve come to realize that this isn’t just a wellness interlude in a demanding daily routine. It’s a way of approaching motherhood differently: feelings of guilt, anxiety and isolation are replaced by courage, awareness and (perhaps most importantly for all mothers) renewed self-confidence.

Do you work in the perinatal, early childhood, parental support or women’s emancipation sectors? Share this article with your network and let’s spread the word about the benefits of perinatal dance.

Are you pregnant, a new mother, or do you know someone you know? Come and try a workshop, every week in Brussels! Registration required: https: //tally.so/r/wAXjPB

Flora Demaegdt

Art-dance therapist (women, moms, teens)

+32471723017

flora@dansetherapie.co

My suggestions: https://urlr.me/GZFcrz

^[1] “Baby blues and postpartum depression,” 1000 premiers jours, official website, published September 24, 2024, accessed [date de ta consultation], https://www.1000-premiers-jours.fr/fr/le-baby-blues-et-la-depression-post-partum

^[2] Juliette S., “Anxiety during pregnancy: sequelae for the fetal brain,” Anxiété.fr, March 17, 2020, accessed [date de ta consultation], https://www.anxiete.fr/anxiete-grossesse-cerveau-foetus/.

^[3] Catherine Verney and Tania Vitalis, “Les stresses pendant les 1 000 premiers jours de la vie quand tout commence,” Médecine/Sciences 39, no. 10 (2023): 744-753, https://doi.org/10.1051/medsci/2023124

^[4] “La méthode MamDanse®,” Danse Prénatale, MamDanse, https://danse-prenatale.com/methode-mamdanse/.

^[5] Françoise Dolto

^[6] “Fabuleuses au foyer”, Hélène Bonhomme, https://fabuleusesaufoyer.com

^[7] Lucy Vincent, Make your brain dance (Paris: Éditions Odile Jacob, 2018).

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