Awake at 3 a.m.: Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy and Early Motherhood

A women's mental health specialist introduces yoga therapy techniques to provide solace, steadiness, and ease during the difficult stages of pregnancy and new motherhood

Pregnancy and new motherhood are often thought of as the most joyful, exciting, and blissful times in your life—but they can also be difficult and overwhelming. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are the number one “complication” of birth. They not only affect the mothers who suffer but also the families who care about and rely on them. While there is robust support and treatment options for other illnesses, moms who suffer emotionally are rarely acknowledged and often handed platitudes like, “Sleep when the baby sleeps,” and, “Just enjoy every minute because it goes by so fast.” This can be a lonely and confusing place to be—suffering profound fear or sadness at a time when your friends and family expect you to be happy, radiant, and beatifically calm.

As a therapist supporting women's mental health and recovery from PMADs since 2003, Suzannah Neufeld is keenly aware of the special needs of women during pregnancy and the first year of motherhood. Synthesizing modern psychotherapeutic research with practical yoga therapy, Neufeld offers a compassionate, acceptance-based approach that meets women (and their partners) wherever they are.

Awake at 3 a.m. contains short, digestible chapters that are perfect for when you are feeling exhausted or overwhelmed. Neufeld skillfully dismantles the myths and internal beliefs that contribute to the suffering of new mothers and tells her own story with honesty and humor. From breathing techniques to mindfulness exercises, the yoga practices here are designed to fit into your life as it is now—no flexibility, mat, special clothes, or 90-minute yoga class required.