Active Birth Workshop

Approach birth with confidence and skilled support

Yoga teacher specialising in Childbirth Educator, Pre and Post Natal Yoga Teacher

Julia Willoughby

Julia Willoughby is passionate about supporting women and their partners through this special time of their lives and helping them to feel confident and positive about their journey.  She has been working with pregnant women for three decades and teaching yoga for more than 20 years. She is trained in Childbirth Education, general yoga and pre and post natal yoga and is a senior teacher for the International Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA) Post Graduate Certificate in Pre & Post Natal Yoga.  More About Julia 

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the Course

    • Introduction to the Workshop
  • 2

    Session 1 - How important is it for you to have a normal, physiological birth?

    • What is a normal physiological birth?

    • Why Active Birth supports you and your baby - video and text

    • Active Birth Positions - video
  • 3

    Session 2 - Will your choice of birth place support your views and preferences?

    • Choosing your place of birth

    • Understanding the Role of Birth Hormones
  • 4

    Session 3 - What are your beliefs, thoughts and feelings about birth?

    • The Body/Mind Connection

    • Examining your fears and the effect of Fear/Tension/Pain in labour

    • Which other factors may hinder the flow of hormones and progress of labour and/or increase pain?

    • Visualisation for Labour and Birth

    • Affirmations for Labour and Birth
  • 5

    Session 4 - Are you both skilled and well informed about ways to manage the intensity of labour?

    • Research on Labour Pain and our attitudes

    • A summary of Birth Skills

    • How to practise Birth Skills - with videos

    • Benefits and tips for Labour Massage

    • Introduction - Guidelines and Acupressure points

    • Reference sheet for Acupressure

    • Foot and Back Massage

    • Hip Squeeze and Massage in all fours

    • Comfort Holds and light touch massage of the sacrum

    • Mindfulness for Labour, birth and beyond
  • 6

    Session 5 - Are you informed and prepared for the choices you may need to make during labour?

    • Making an Informed Choice

    • Do we do a Birth Plan or Birth Preferences (or neither)?

    • Medical Induction

    • Epidural

    • Gas and Air

    • Sterile Water Injections

    • Pethidine

    • Caesarean

    • Continuous Electronic Fetal Monitoring

    • Natural Methods of Induction

    • Birth Preferences list
  • 7

    The stages of labour

    • Early labour - Signs of labour approaching and what to do

    • The Active Stage of Labour

    • Transition

    • The second stage of labour - the birth of your baby

    • The Birthing Breath/Balloon breath for easing your baby into the world

    • Golden Thread Breath

    • Third Stage of labour - your placenta releases
  • 8

    A final word

    • Prepare well and trust in birth
  • 9

    Yoga Practices

    • Yoga for the last trimester - session 1

    • Yoga for the last trimester - session 2

    • Yoga on a Fitball - guidelines and video

    • Introduction to Yoga Together

    • Partner yoga standing

    • Partner Yoga Sitting
  • 10

    Good Resources

    • Empowering and Positive Birth Books

    • Excellent Podcasts and videos