Forest bathing: can spending time in nature support your wellbeing during the perinatal period?
Having worked as an Environmental Educator for the last 15 years, five of which as the Education and Youth Officer at the New Forest National Park Authority, setting up my business ‘My Mindful Self’ and now consolidating my forest bathing training, I know first-hand the benefits nature connection has on wellbeing.
Forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku is an immersive experience in nature through sensory exploration. Originally coined in Japan in the 1980s, ‘the purpose was twofold: to offer an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout and to inspire residents to reconnect with and protect the country’s forests’ (National Geographic, 2019). Forest bathing allows you to step back from the hustle and bustle and become more mindful and present. It is proven to help you feel more relaxed and is beneficial for both mind and body.
As I have been consolidating my forest bathing training whilst currently on my own pregnancy journey, it has continued to highlight the positive and lasting effects nature has on my wellbeing even as the practitioner, rather than the participant. This is particularly pertinent for me during this pregnancy as there has been a lack of wellbeing activities and opportunities such as prenatal yoga nearby.
Part of my forest bathing coursework was to look into a relevant area of research that interested me. Due to the benefits of spending time in nature I’ve personally received whilst pregnant, I decided to investigate perinatal (pregnancy through to the first year of birth) attitudes towards nature and its impact on wellbeing. There is limited research in this field, so to gain a better insight I delivered a forest bathing session to pregnant women and created an online survey specifically for perinatal women and parents of children under four years old – as personally, I have found nature to be a solace when looking after my toddler. I will share my findings below…
I delivered a forest bathing session for three pregnant women who were in their second and third trimesters, all of whom were second-time parents. All activities were invitations only and adaptations were made to ensure participants felt comfortable and at ease. At the end of the session, participants were asked to complete a short survey so I could find out their thoughts. Below are a couple of questions and answers demonstrating the need for more ‘green’ wellbeing options for women in the perinatal period:
How did you feel before the session started?
‘A little rushed and tired but also excited and a little nervous about being comfortable.’
‘Curious and excited about the session. Slightly emotional after a busy morning.’
‘Tired, busy in my thoughts and the mental load.’
How did you feel after the session? Did you feel a difference from before the session?
‘I felt a keenness to do more in nature. Kept thinking about bringing family here.’
‘I feel calmer and more invigorated. I want to incorporate what I’ve learnt into day-to-day life. A small effort from me to get outside with my daughter will make a big difference.’
‘My thoughts are a lot stiller and I can feel my body is less tense.’
I think it was important to find out how they were feeling before they started as, in comparison to the end of the session, it shows how their feelings have changed when spending just an hour and a half in the woods. As mentioned previously, these women are second-time mums so it is not unusual to start the day feeling busy and tired. As you can see from the responses above, all participants felt much more relaxed and calm. I even received messages later in the day saying it kept them calm for the rest of the day. Again, first-hand, I am able to deal with the emotional highs and lows of a toddler more easily after coming back from a forest bathing session!
To complement these findings, the online survey received 20 responses with the majority being in the pregnancy stage (40%). The majority of participants rated ‘strongly agree’ to whether spending time in nature is important to them with the minority stating ‘agree’.
To take a deeper dive into this question, I then asked how they felt spending time inside compared to outside. There was a clear trend that people needed to escape the confines of their indoor space. Statements such as ‘cooped up’ and ‘stressed’ covered the majority of people. Some could manage a short amount of time inside but noticed the need to get outside. Whereas, when looking at the results from how people feel spending time outside, only positive responses were given and the majority mentioned feeling ‘calm’ or ‘relaxed’. This particular statement from a participant really highlights both the mental load of a parent and how self-care will benefit not just the parent, but also the people she is supporting: ‘Sometimes I struggle to motivate myself to go outdoors as there feels like there is so much I have to get done indoors, but once I’m out I feel more relaxed and content. Afterwards, I feel more refreshed and energised, ready to tackle the demands of motherhood.’
NHS England (2024) states that ‘perinatal mental illness affects up to 27% of new and expectant mums and covers a wide range of conditions’. This percentage is completely turned on its head with the results from the small survey showing 75% of participants have been affected either mentally or emotionally during the perinatal period. When asked whether spending time in nature supported their wellbeing, every single participant said ‘yes’. This shows there is a real need to support women’s mental health during the perinatal period.
We know that nature is beneficial for mind, body and soul but there needs to be more research to show how it is particularly beneficial for perinatal women. The use of green prescribing is becoming more well-known so we need to continue to provide green opportunities for wellbeing while ensuring that nature thrives. If we connect to nature, we are more likely to care for it. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to experience forest bathing during pregnancy and hope that others get to experience it too!
Author: New Forest National Park Authority Education and Youth Officer, Amy Moore.
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