Positive birthing

“just seeing the strength and harmony that can be had in birth helps me feel less afraid”
Just saw this quote on FB and thought it was beautiful, and so inspiring. It was inspired by the documentary ‘birth story’ which is based on Ina May Gaskin’s work – I’m downloading it as I’m writing. It is great to hear quotes like this which go against the tide of fear.

New class for mummies and babies xx

A new mummy and baby yoga class is starting on Thursday 18th April at Trinity Church in Newport, Shropshire, 2-3.15pm. I am so excited!! It’s a beautiful venue and I’m really pleased to have found it. The class will give mummies time to refresh and relax and have lots of fun with your little one 🙂 Let me know if you want to try it out xx

Birth partner? Find out what you can do…

Every birth preparation workshop I run begins with a ‘what do you really need to know?’ and invariably birth partners struggle with feelings of uselessness, fear around labour and generally not feeling involved or aware. Rest easy! You are the essential gatekeeper. The person who will hold true to the small things that will make mum’s experience feel safer and anchored. You can be the leaning post, the listener, the intuitive one who knows when that sacrum massage is needed, or when mum needs to try a squat, or a pelvic scoop or rolling cat. Want to know more? Next workshop is sat 27th April in Newport, Shropshire. Too far? Ask me for ways around this xxx if you can’t make it just know that all a mum needs is you there and your reassuring touch xxx

Listening to what we need in pregnancy

I’ve just come home from another lovely pregnancy yoga class. What struck me tonight was how well the ladies were able to communicate their needs physically, and emotionally. We realised soon after sharing, that tonight’s class was never going to be about lots of active moves and finding lots of energy, but actually quietening, relaxing and connecting. Just that. Magic xx

Pelvic pain or sciatica? Magic move!!

Just get on all fours, adjust your weight onto one leg and gently slide the other leg out behind you with the front of the foot flat on the floor. Drop the hip so the whole leg goes floppy and then wobble the whole leg vigorously. The release to the spine and pelvis is bliss! Let me know how it goes 🙂

Essential pregnancy, birth and mum relaxation CDs now available

Four highly recommended newly released CDs are now available at http://www.justbeyoga.org The CDs are £10 each including free delivery. The CDs are focused on relaxation in pregnancy, preparation for birth, relaxation for mums and quietening and letting go. A truly inspirational buy.

Quick fix to ‘pregnancy backs’…just 5 minutes!

Feeling discomfort in your mid or lower back, even into the pelvis? Try these moves….
1. Pregnancy encourages locked knees as your weight tilts forwards. This puts enormous strain on the back and pelvis. Visualise your body as a rectangle on springs and walk with a bounce instead!
2. Move into all fours, then swing the pelvis gently from side to side to unlock tension. Then circle the pelvis, scoop it and wobble 🙂
3. Still in all fours, drop your bottom to your ankles, glide just above the ground forwards then arch the back back to your ankles again. This is called ‘rolling cat’ and it is magic.
Let me know how you get on……and remember, limit time in ‘bucket seats’ like cars and sofas….try a gym ball instead?

Keeping birth simple…

A calm and gentle birth experience sounds perfect doesn’t it? Yet it can seem like such a far off dream. If we strip birth back to the basics, a woman’s body is like a cylinder with a valve at the end. In pregnancy yoga I work with mums-to-be on awareness, flexibility and fluidity through the pelvis to empower them in birth to appreciate the difference between taught muscles (essentially a tight valve) and loose, flexible muscles (essentially an intuitive valve). The descent of your baby can be eased with circling, spiralling and wave like movements in the pelvis, and from an upright position especially, the baby will work its way into all those gaps and new spaces provided. Complications arise, I know, but if we start from the idea of a simple physiological process, then perhaps the complications could lessen for some. Remember…..each moment, each contraction, each breath brings your baby closer xxx

Birth….you can do it!

Would you like labour to feel less daunting? Does your birth partner feel confused and unsure how to help? Do they simply feel useless? Then could I invite you to come along to a birth preparation workshop in Newport, Shropshire…next date, April 27th 2013. Just £40 for you and your birth partner, including a goody bag worth £10. Interested? Just leave me a comment!

A sprinkle of magic…. :)

Feeling truly inspired after a birth preparation workshop this morning and working with a couple I have known for a little while and an equally wonderful couple new to me. About 30 minutes in once everything was settled I had a familiar realisation that running sessions like this is most certainly not just a job. I realised that sharing pelvic breathing techniques, working on positions which work with gravity to create space for baby and effective relaxation is a sprinkle of magic. Brilliant!