Why do we need Yoga for Birth Workshops?

I believe this statement.

I really do!

So why, if our bodies know what they are doing, do I offer birth preparation workshops??!!

There are a number of reasons..

1. A lot of women are afraid of birth and need convincing that they can do it.

You can do it! Have no fear. Knowledge is power. This course will help you to create your own special bubble to give birth in, protected from fear, calm and connected to your baby.

2. There are a lot of stories and images about medicalised birth in the media. We watch women on ‘One born every minute’ and we are fooled into thinking this is the way it has to be.

This is not the way it has to be! Every birth is different. We are lucky to have medical advances to help us if nature goes astray, but birth is a natural physiological process and there is a lot you can do to facilitate this. Don’t watch or read or listen to anything that makes you feel worried or stressed or anxious or scared. Just say no thanks or turn it off! Seek out positive stories or just visualise your own! (what do you want it to be? Beautiful, joyful, happy, calm, connected, quick, painfree???)

3. Some women need educating about birth and this understanding help to convince them that they can do it.

Knowledge is power.Learn about the normal birthing process in advance of the birth so that you know what to expect. ‘The good birth companion’ by Nicole Croft (about £10 on Amazon) is a really good book to help with this.

4. Your body knows what to do, but your mind and your brain might trip you up!

If you feel anxious or worried it can slow down the natural birth process. In order to allow the natural birth process to happen, we need to go with the flow and allow the hormones to direct the physiological process of birth. Yoga can help you to switch off your brain and focus on relaxing. The more you practice, the easier this is to do.

5. Labour and birth is controlled by hormones and it is a delicate balance.

Your environment might influence the process - noise or bright lights can create a fight or flight response, releasing adrenalin, which slows everything down. So we learn about creating your safe place to give birth.

6. Even if we believe we can do it, sometimes we need to learn what to do!

On this course you will experience the movements to do and practice them over and over. You will learn the breaths to do and practice them over and over. You will practice finding a single point of focus over and over. You will hopefully achieve deep relaxation and enjoy the feeling of zoning out.

“Using yoga during pregnancy, labour and birth is not just about doing some

stretching and breathing.

It is about being at the centre of your pregnancy and birth experience.

It is about being involved.

You can help your body birth your baby by being calmly present.

It is not just something that is happening to you.

It can be enjoyed, not just endured!”

Norah Nelson