I offer weekly ongoing classes for pregnant women from 12 weeks onwards (although many women wait until later to start). The class includes yoga positions, breathing, relaxation, massage and pelvic floor exercises.
Selected and adapted yoga postures are used to focus on keeping strong and supple to support weight changes in pregnancy. You do not need any previous experience of yoga. Breathing awareness is combined with the postures as a wonderful way to relax during pregnancy, providing a weekly practice for coping with the pain of labour.
"The class gave me confidence in my ability to give birth."
Some niggling discomforts such as cramp, piles, heartburn and sleeplessness can all be helped by the exercises and more serious conditions such as backache, pelvic dysfunction, or previous injury are accounted for in the exercises. Each class leaves you feeling relaxed but not tired out.
"After the class I felt relaxed yet exercised."
The classes include weekly pelvic floor exercises to encourage a daily routine. This is essential during pregnancy to prevent discomfort after the birth and problems in later life. The class as a whole helps with your general fitness and circulation, enabling you to bounce back after the birth, whatever the birth experience. A short relaxation after the yoga focuses on the baby growing inside you and this is followed by tea and biscuits.
"I am sure I would have had a much slower recovery from the caesarian if I had not built up my general
fitness, muscle strength and flexibility by doing the class."
Each session is organized to include time to talk and listen to the other group members, catching up on weekly changes in the pregnancy and swapping notes about maternity care and ideas for the labour. Many women find this provides weekly support and often leads on to friendship and support for the coming months of motherhood. Women often come back after the birth to talk about their birth experience and this can provide invaluable insight into the birth experience.
"I felt I stayed in touch with myself as a whole person not just a female body carrying a bump."