Operating Forest Prenatal Education Classes for Pregnant Women Over 16 Weeks and Their Spouses Living in Geumcheon-gu
Couples Participate Together in Forest Walks, Meditation, and Eco-friendly Prenatal Product Making Under Expert Guidance
Geumcheon-gu announced that it will operate the "Picnic in the Forest with the Fetus" program for pregnant women over 16 weeks of pregnancy and their spouses in Geumcheon-gu until June.
The program was prepared to relieve stress and anxiety caused by the physical and psychological changes of pregnant women and to promote emotional bonding with the fetus to support a healthy childbirth.
The forest is a nature-friendly space beneficial for prenatal education as it emits substances good for mental and physical health such as phytoncides, terpenes, and negative ions.
The district operates the program at the prenatal education center established in Hoamsan Healing Forest, which is easily accessible, to help the mental and physical stability of pregnant women and fetuses and support a healthy pregnancy life.
The program runs 18 times in total, with 6 sessions on weekdays and 12 sessions on weekends, each lasting 2 hours. Only pregnant women can participate on weekdays, while couples can participate together on weekends.
A professional teaching staff composed of forest prenatal education instructors, forest interpreters, and forest healing instructors conduct sessions on themes such as forest scents, forest meditation, forest colors, forest crafts, forest sounds, and forest prenatal talks. Participants can take a walk in the forest and experience making eco-friendly prenatal education items using natural materials.
Any pregnant woman over 16 weeks of pregnancy and her spouse residing in Geumcheon-gu can participate. Detailed information such as the education schedule can be found on the Geumcheon-gu Public Health Center website under "News," and online applications can be made through the "Seoul Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center." Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis, and the program is completely free of charge.
The district plans to operate a total of 12 sessions from September 21 to October 26 in the second half of the year, and detailed schedules will be announced later on the Geumcheon-gu Public Health Center website.
Last year, a total of 30 sessions were held, with 260 pregnant women and their spouses participating in activities such as making baby food bowls, forest yoga, picnicking in the forest, and making name necklaces for the fetus.
Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "We have prepared prenatal education programs that allow experiencing nature and feeling it with all five senses by utilizing the healing power of the forest," and added, "I hope that the emotional and physical bonding between mother and fetus in nature will lead to a healthy childbirth."
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