PREGNANCY YOGA
Why pregnancy yoga?
The yoga is gentle form of exercise creating a sense of relaxation during pregnancy that helps to strengthen and prepare your body for birth. Classes are also a great opportunity to meet other pregnant women, relax and have fun.
The classes work best when you start early in your pregnancy and carry on until birth. You will learn practical techniques to help your body release and relax in preparation for labour, e.g. how to use a birth ball and birthing pool; the importance of breathing for relaxation, focus and natural pain relief; and how to use water as a form of pain relief. You will also explore appropriate and effective yoga positions to aid labour, e.g. using gravity.
We include dance and movement in the sessions and each class finishes with a visualisation and relaxation, building in hypnobirthing skills and using Himalayan Bowls to create a calm end to the sessions.
Classes provide a time dedicated to relaxation in the midst of what can be a stressful situation. They also create a space to share experiences of pregnancy and birth, which can help the individual as well as the whole group. I facilitate discussions about changes/discomforts that occur during the pregnancy and issues around pregnancy, labour and birth.
Arlene has been a Active Birth/YogaBirth Teacher for thirty years. She has supported women as a doula and birth educator. She brings a practical holistic approach to birth.
Who are these classes for?
These sessions are for pregnant women only, who are 12-14 weeks into their pregnancy. There is a maximum of 12 spaces per class so that attention can devoted to each women.
Arlene always checks with you at the beginning of the class to see how you are but it is your responsibility to keep me informed of current medical issues.
Payment in advance is required to secure your booking, either via the booking site or bank transfer (please label any transfers clearly). 48 hours' notice is required for cancellations. Cancellations after this time will not be refunded.
What you need for both in person and online classes:
Prepare your space with a mat, blankets, cushions and a bottle of water. Make sure the space is warm but not too hot. You may want to increase the temperature when we come to the relaxation at the end.
This is a woman only safe space. You are encouraged to attend weekly through to the end of your pregnancy.
4 week and continuous package, so you get the continuity of care you deserve.
Wednesdays 6.30pm-7.45pm
Online unitl October. tbc
The weekly pregnancy yoga class with Arlene helped me so much to mentally and physically prepare for birth. When my birth plan changed course due to complications, I pulled on all I had learned in Arlene's classes and breathed my way through with calm and strength all the way to the finishing line.
Joletta
Arlene thank you SO much for teaching me the breathing techniques and the different labouring positions, but in particular for giving me the confidence to make my own decisions. I really feel this helped me to make choices tha were right for ME – not the hospital – and to trust my instincts.
Susie & Oliver
I wanted to say thank you for the classes. Not only was the movement and breathing a relaxation hugely helpful to learn, also for the mental empowerment that women's bodies are made to do it and to trust them. Your doula story to manage and enjoy as much of the labour as I could at home and also influenced me to choose a birthing centre and water pool.