antenatal yoga

antenatal yoga (14 weeks to 40+ weeks)

with Ingrid Lewis
Wednesdays 18.30–19.45
Starting 24 February 2010

Bringing life into life through your own is the greatest miracle of all. Each mother deserves to be nurtured and cherished during her pregnancy and it is her birth-right to labour and birth in dignity the way her body tells her to. The classes provide a warm and supportive environment to guide you safely through every stage of pregnancy, preparing you for labour and birth. The classes aim to equip you with the knowledge necessary to address common pregnancy ailments and potential physical, mental or emotional obstacles that may hinder a straightforward birth to give you the confidence and strength to BIRTH YOUR WAY.

During the course you will have several workshop type yoga classes (birthing breathing; dealing with fear; comfort measures for labour; pelvic mapping; meet the midwive:q&a). You also receive handouts as we go through the course. You can join at any time during the course given that places are available.

What are the Benefits?
• Helps you to feel fit and strong and well prepared
• It keeps the body toned and supple without straining and is useful to relieve pain in labour and childbirth
• Yogic breathing helps you to connect with the birthing muscles, giving you control & confidence especially if you are a first-time mother
• Your posture is improved to encourage optimal fetal positioning for birth and rapid recovery of muscle tone after birth
• Helps you to discover and know your birthing body
• Gives you the space and time to connect with your unborn child

What the Course Covers
Yoga for mid pregnancy (14 - 30 weeks)
Yoga for late pregnancy (30 - 40+ weeks)
• The anatomy and natural physiology of labour and birth
• Pelvic floor exercises
• Pelvic mapping (discover your unique pelvic shape to know which birthing positions are best for you)
• Useful birth positions
• Yogic breathing & birthing breathing
• Strengthening birthing muscles
• All over strengthening
• Loosening hips and pelvis
• Comfort measures for labour
• Optimal fetal positioning
• Dealing with fear (fear and stress release techniques)
• Deep relaxation (breathing, meditation and creative visualisations)
Note: If you are in employment, you are legally entitled to get paid time off work to attend antenatal and relaxation classes.

When do I Start & Other Information
You can start when you are 14 weeks pregnant and you can continue right up until birth. Classes are available in blocks of 8 (£90) and are valid for 9 weeks (which gives you one week's grace if you need to miss a class). We provisionally book you a place until your due date. If you would like to do a trial class – or you need to buy some individual classes due the cost is £13.

Please email us to book a space, stating your due date. If you have any specific queries that need addressing, please come to the class 10 minutes early and Ingrid will be happy to discuss these with you.

intensive birth preparation

with Ingrid Lewis
2–6pm Sunday 28 March
Cost: £45 per person or £85 per couple inc. nutritious snack/tea and handouts (concessions available for women on income support)
This course will be repeated bi-monthly

This half day workshop is ideally for you and your husband or the person who will be your birthing partner. You can of course also come on your own.

Content
Physical, mental and emotional preparation for labour and birth. This workshop is aimed to equip you with skills to birth in harmony with nature. It will help you to go ‘to the place where birth happens’; where mind stops and body takes over. We identify potential physical, mental and emotional obstacles to a straightforward labour and birth and practise together how to overcome them. Your birthing partners will learn simple ‘positive intervention methods’ to enable them to help reduce pain, aid the descent of the baby and to safeguard your birthing environment.

Getting to know the birthing body & being in charge: includes
1. Pelvic mapping (helps you to get to know your bony pelvis & determine which birthing position is most conducive for your unique pelvic shape)
2. Optimal foetal positioning (according to your unique pelvic shape)
3. Natural anatomy & physiology of birth (helps you to use the physiological stages to aid natural progression of labour)
4. Birthing breathing (breathing techniques to activate cerebellum)
5. Comfort measures and positive intervention methods for pregnancy, labour and birth (includes turning breech, turning OP, creating space in a narrow pelvis etc)

Getting to know the birthing self & being in touch: includes
1. Emotional/mental obstacles to the everyday miracle of a straightforward birth (4 emotional stages during pregnancy)
2. Mental obstacles (fear, worry, anxiety, negative thought samskaras, influenced by others)
3. Different emotional phases & dreaming
4. Releasing emotions using body & visualisation skills etc.
5. Deep Relaxation

Please wear comfortable clothing that you can move in.
This workshop is also available on a 1-1 or women-only basis.
Booking: is essential due to limited number of places. Call 020-7274-3968 or e-mail Ingrid to book.

baby & mum yoga

We plan to restart these classes soon at the Shala. More information to follow.