Yoga for Birth

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You might be sailing through this time of your life or be experiencing some aches and pains, feel confident about giving birth or scared from watching dramatic TV births or friends telling you their challenging birth stories.

For sure pregnancy can be uncomfortable and birth is usually very hard work BUT there are ways to prepare that will help you to navigate this special time more easily AND help you to tap into that innate birthing wisdom that you have inside you.

Over the years I’ve worked with over a thousand women in my prenatal yoga classes and seen them experience relief from back pain, stress, fatigue and other common ailments as well as going on to have a fulfilling and empowering birth experiences.

“I feel better prepared mentally and it has really helped with my sciatica and back pain”

Practicing yoga regularly during pregnancy improves your mood, increases your strength both physically and mentally, helps you to understand and work with your amazing body and to develop trust and faith in the birth process. I’m passionate about sharing yoga birthing skills that can significantly help you to embrace labour and feel more confident.

“I feel more empowered to take on labour/birthing with what I have learnt. There are definitely many useful tips I have brought home with me that made me more prepared.”

You can experience all the benefits of a prenatal class in the comfort of your own home with the on-line programme. 

Join our growing tribe of women who say yes to taking responsibility for themselves, their babies and their births.

“I absolutely love the online course. It is so great to be able to practice at home and seeing the familiar postures and sequences. Your voice is so calm and your explanations are great. My daughter often joins in and is very excited to see the other pregnant women!“  - Carolin  (Read Carolin and other Birth Stories here)

About the Course:

The following areas are included:

• Active Birth - understand how you can increase the space in your pelvis to promote a more comfortable and efficient labour.  Labour positions and skills are shown in a video
• A variety of safe yoga practices specifically adapted to a pregnant body - 6 x 30 minute videos are included
• Yoga breathing practices to use during pregnancy, labour and birth - audios with examples
• Mindfulness - the key to staying present, accepting things just as they are, managing strong physical sensations with more ease, calming the "busy mind" and reducing stress and fear - 6 short mindfulness practices are in the course
• Yoga Birthing Skills - a variety of different breathing practices for pregnancy and labour, learning how to interrupt pain signals in many different ways - movement, touch, mental focus, affirmations, visualisations, using spiky balls and much more.  Extra videos provide different positions and ways to manage discomfort for a minute (the average length of a contraction) 
• Different appropriate guided visualisations to set the mind up for the possibility of an easeful labour

By practising yoga you are priming both your body and mind for giving birth more naturally and learning ways to cope with the intensity and unknown aspects more effectively. Many of these skills are invaluable for mothering too!

"Julia instills a love of yoga in her students with her skill, passion and compassion. Her teachings helped me throughout pregnancy and at birth. Yoga has changed my life for the better and I have Julia to thank for that." - Brooke

"We had such an amazing birth! I was able to get through with ease and my son was born with no pain relief.
Your classes were a great way to relax and get in tune with my body leading up to the birth. Thank you!" - Liz

More details on what’s Included

This course includes seven sections with different themes providing you with a variety of labour skills to approach labour with knowledge, courage, wisdom and confidence.  Modifications are given for pelvic girdle pain and other common discomforts.

1. Breath and Flow - A gentle introduction with warm ups, flowing movements, basic yoga breathing, standing and sitting well and core muscle toning.  For those in late pregnancy some of this class can be done sitting on a chair or a birth ball.  Labour Skill  - Breathing with contractions
2. Freedom and Movement - Active Birth preparation, belly dance moves, standing postures, including balances. Labour Skill - Moving and positioning well to help reduce pain and move labour along
3. Mindfulness and Focus - Yoga on the floor - cat, lunges, dog/half dog, basic breath variations.  Labour Skill - staying present and taking one contraction at a time
4. Wisdom and Knowledge - Yoga against the wall, standing and sitting postures. Labour Skill - connecting to your intuition and being well informed
5. Trust and Surrender - A  practice suitable for the evening, back and hip stretches, shoulder releases.
6. Strength and Flexibility -  A stronger practice with more standing postures, modified sun salutation, adding intention to your practice

7. Courage and Transformation - Active Birth positions for labour

"Despite my labour not going to 'plan' I felt as in control as I could be at all times and did not panic. Thanks so much for your yoga classes, I feel my birth experience would have been very different if it wasn't for them." - Emma

I hope you can join me on this great course and be part of a movement of women transforming the face of birth through knowledge, courage and empowerment

Warmly

Julia Willoughby

Childbirth Educator, Pre and Post Natal Yoga Teacher, Prenatal Yoga Teacher Trainer

Read more about me here

Yoga for Birth and Beyond
www.yogaforbirthandbeyond.com.au

Acknowledgements

The yoga presented here is a blend of wonderful Dru Yoga and traditional Hatha Yoga. 

I would like to warmly thank students who were filmed - Brooke, Petra, Sarah, Jac, Katelijne, Mignon, Cybelle and Narelle women for their time and dedication to this project! As well as  Patricia Brown, Director of Dru Yoga Australia, my special first prenatal yoga teacher and mentor.