News flash

Updated class information! Mummy & Baby classes and Dru classes all starting in April – click on the tabs to find out more…

Pregnancy yoga position of the day by Kate @ Yoga Me

Stand against a wall with knees soft (not bent, just relaxed) and arms at shoulder height with hands connecting to the wall. Allow a wide enough stance to move your pelvis/hips freely. Try the following moves in this position:
1. scoop the pelvis under and towards the wall, acting like a little shovel
2. swing the hips from side to side as if creating a ‘smile’
3. rotate the hips in a circle/figure of eight
4. shimmy down towards the floor!
Great for: mobility and flexibility; foetal positioning; pelvis health
(it’s called pregnancy pole dancing by the way, haha!!)

Pregnancy position of the day!

Today, try this pregnacy yoga move…
On all fours, check your pelvis is ‘neutral’ (not tilting backwards or forwards). Move your body round in a big circle; 4 times one way then reverse. Once you have done this, try a pelvis scoop – move your pelvis down then forwards, like a little scoop. Try this 6-8 times. What are the benefits? Both moves allow your baby to move out of the pelvis ‘cage’ which is good for you and baby and both keep your pelvis mobile. After a day in the office, definitely try some all fours stuff, as it counteracts aches in the lower back and pelvis/hip area as a consequence of postural issues when your sitting and standing. Remember to check out tomorrow’s position of the day!

New research proves mental well-being through yoga

Most ‘yogis’ will already be quite sure of this, but it never hurts to have research back things up! According to a pilot study in the April journal of Developmental & Behavioural Pediatrics published today, yoga classes have positive psychological effects for high-school students. Since mental health disorders commonly develop in the teenage years, “Yoga may serve a preventive role in adolescent mental health,” according to the new study, led by Jessica Noggle, PhD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. “Fifty-one 11th- and 12th-grade students registered for physical education (PE) at a Massachusetts high school were randomly assigned to yoga or regular PE classes. Students completed a battery of psychosocial tests before and after the ten-week yoga program – teens taking yoga classes had better scores on several of the psychological tests. Specifically, while students in regular PE classes tended to have increased scores for mood problems and anxiety, those taking yoga classes stayed the same or showed improvement. Negative emotions also worsened in students taking regular PE, while improving in those taking yoga.”
So perhaps yoga during pregnancy will set those family patterns and routines in place which will serve your family’s well-being long into the future. Nice to think something so enjoyable for you could empower your child in years to come.

New Class!

If Friday evenings aren’t for you then you may be interested to know I am starting a Saturday class soon which will run from 10.00 to 11.30am at Newport Back & Body Care Clinic. Let me know if you’re interested!

New beginnings

The new class at Newport is now in full swing but there are a couple of places left for any ladies who are 14+ weeks into their pregnancy. Yoga is about ‘being’ – being aware of the mind/body/emotion connection which helps us embrace the changes that occur during pregnancy and beyond. Taking this time to appreciate the present helps us cope with the mental and physical challenges brought about by everyday stresses and pressures. Take this time for yourself – it is this precious time that forms the building blocks of your life as a mum, and illuminates the connection between you and your little one. Get in touch to find out more.

Circles and spirals….

In modern society we spend the majority of the time in cars, on sofas and on office chairs, which all create discomfort for a pregnant body and discourage optimum position for the foetus. Pregnancy yoga helps free the baby from the cage of the pelvis, working on all fours and tilting forwards, and scooping, swaying and circling the body in ways which mimic the primal movements witnessed during birth. Come along to my new course on Friday 2nd December at Newport Back & Body Care Clinic to try it out for yourself and realise the benefits. Drop me a line to find out more!

Great taster!

The taster pregnancy yoga session on Saturday was very positive. Lovely ladies and a great new venue for the classes. Get in touch to find out more. New course starts Friday 2nd December. From January onwards, classes will be on Saturday mornings 10.00-11.30am – get your weekend off to a great start!

Free Pregnancy Yoga Taster

I am hosting a free pregnancy yoga taster at Newport Back & Body Care Clinic in Newport, Shropshire, on Saturday 19th November 11am-12pm. Drop me a line if you would like to come along!

This is your amazing birth

All too often people can’t wait to tell you all about their horrific labour story – how it went on for days, the pain they felt, and how it was the worst experience in the world. When you’re pregnant it is easy to spend the majority of those 40 or more weeks dreading labour, when it would be nicer, and more beneficial to you and your baby to ‘smell the flowers’ along the journey as opposed to dreading and fearing the end. Pregnancy yoga is all about putting you back in control of your body, your birth and your baby, and in preparing you mentally, emotionally and physically for the transition to motherhood. You will see labour as simply the amazing journey of your little one into the world and you will be ready to try lots of positions to make that journey a bit easier for both of you. Remember you were made perfectly for this birth, and your baby knows exactly what to do! Trust in your body and your baby – you and your little one make the perfect team.