Pregnancy Yoga

Ann’s approach to pregnancy yoga is centred around the breath and gentle movement to build strength, yet there is also a strong focus on softness and movements that help the baby move into the optimum position for labour (baby’s spine to mothers belly). It’s all about grounding and connecting the woman with this incredible process that is taking place in her body. Centred around the yogic concepts of Sthira and Sukha, strength and softness. Her classes are about balancing both of these necessary characteristics, preparing the body for an empowering and positive birth experience.

Pregnancy yoga prepares the body to be strong, supporting the growing  baby, and  supporting the mother for labour. Yet with strength, we also need to learn to yield, soften and open, so we can embrace the labour. During the class we practise sounds, focus on lengthening the exhale (an important tool to relax the body and stimulate the neural connection between mouth and vagina) and learn to ride the birthing process.  The repetition and the work that happens within the classes embeds these tools deeply, both physically and mentally so that they inhabit the body and brain. Nourishing and developing your toolbox, so when labour arises, these tools are second nature.  There is also time to be quiet, to rest and nest, preparing and nurturing the body for the labour journey.

A labouring woman needs to engage with the limbic brain, the part of the brain that makes the supportive hormones that keep labour progressing.  If we become too cerebral and don’t listen/inhabit the body, this may slow labour down.  This can happen when we transfer to hospital, the brain goes into fight or flight, and produces the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This slows down labour so we can travel to hospital but you can easily get back into your safe zone once settled.

It is important to question preconceptions around labour, hence the idea of practising these sounds and movements in class, with the support of the other women who will also be experiencing childbirth. These tools diminish the conditioning of fear around birth, and instead enhance a woman’s endurance, stamina and ability to birth in her own way.

Noise, sound and breath aid this process. We use mantra/words/statements - again filling up our support toolbox.  The class embodies being present in the body, and connecting with the breath - a special time to become grounded, physically and mentally. The class may follow this sequence of seating, kneeling, noises, standing, then quiet and pelvic floor exercises before relaxation, breathwork and visualisation.

You are also welcome to join us for tea after the class, an opportunity to build community and share common experiences.

These classes are recommended from 12 weeks and onwards.