The foundational framework here is called the Teachable Moment — a term from behavioral health that describes life events which create unusually high openness to change. Researchers define an effective teachable moment as something that:

• Increases personal perception of risk (something is at stake beyond just yourself)

• Provokes a strong emotional response

• Causes a meaningful redefinition of self-concept or social role

Both the preconception period and pregnancy check every one of those boxes, which is why…

First of all, protecting them from what? What does it even mean to protect a mother at these various stages of experience? How a woman perceives her childbirth experience holds lasting powerful impact on a biological, psychological, and spiritual level. So let’s move one step past…