Why Practice Pregnancy Yoga?
Pregnancy yoga offers a way to stay connected with your body as it changes, while making time for movement, breathing and relaxation.
Practices are adapted to the needs of pregnancy and can be enjoyed whether you are new to yoga or have practised for years.
Rather than focusing on achieving particular postures, pregnancy yoga encourages you to develop awareness, explore comfortable movement and discover practices that you can return to throughout pregnancy and birth.
The Benefits for Mum and Baby
- Supporting physical comfort and mobility: Adapted yoga movements help you maintain mobility, explore comfortable positions and ease some of the physical tension that can accompany pregnancy.
- Relaxation and stress management: Breathing practices, meditation and guided relaxation offer an opportunity to slow down, settle the mind and find moments of calm during a time of significant change.
- Strength, stability and body awareness: Appropriate movement helps you become more familiar with your changing body, develop awareness of posture and explore ways of moving with greater comfort and confidence.
- Preparing for birth: Breathing, relaxation and movement practices can provide useful tools to draw upon during labour. Exploring different positions and learning to work with your breath may also help you feel more familiar with your options during birth.
- Connecting with your baby: Time spent breathing, resting and bringing awareness to your growing baby can become a meaningful part of your pregnancy. These practices offer an opportunity to pause and develop a sense of connection.
- Rest and renewal: Yoga Nidra and restorative yoga provide dedicated time for deep relaxation. These practices offer a welcome pause from the demands of everyday life and an opportunity to replenish your energy.
What to Expect in Our Sessions
Each session combines a selection of practices designed to support you throughout pregnancy.
Adapted Yoga Movement (Asana): Accessible yoga postures and flowing sequences, adapted for pregnancy, to explore mobility, strength, balance and physical comfort.
Breathing Practices (Pranayama): Simple breathing techniques to develop awareness of the breath, encourage relaxation and explore ways of working with the breath during labour.
Pelvic Awareness: Practices exploring awareness, relaxation and appropriate engagement of the pelvic floor, helping you become more familiar with this important area of the body.
Meditation and Connection: Time to turn your attention inward, cultivate awareness and connect with your baby.
Yoga Nidra and Deep Relaxation: Guided relaxation practices offering an opportunity to rest deeply and settle body and mind.
Restorative Yoga
The final session of each six-week course is dedicated to restorative yoga, using supportive props and comfortable positions to allow you to rest and receive the practice.
What Other Mothers Say...
"Thank you so much Claire! I absolutely loved pregnancy yoga and it definitely helped with a pretty much textbook labour. I found just that weekly session helped relieve stress and rejuvenated me for the week ahead... Claire was so friendly and informative, I felt really confident approaching her for advice."
— Pippa
"I attended Claire's pregnancy yoga class from being 19 weeks pregnant, having never done any form of yoga in the past. Everyone in the class was welcoming and friendly and I really enjoyed all aspects - especially the relaxation sessions at the end! After attending a few sessions I felt more relaxed and confident about pregnancy and labour. Claire is extremely knowledgeable."
— C. Birkett
Do I Need Previous Yoga Experience?
Not at all. Pregnancy yoga is suitable for beginners as well as women who already have an established yoga practice.
All movements and practices are adapted for pregnancy, with options to suit individual needs and comfort.
If you have pregnancy complications, medical concerns or have been advised to restrict physical activity, please discuss your suitability with your midwife or healthcare professional before attending.