I am running pregnancy yoga classes on Thursdays at 18:15-19:30h both in-person and online. The cost is £20 per class. Contact me to book a space.
These classes are meant make your pregnancy more enjoyable and to prepare you for the most amazing physical and emotional experience of a lifetime - giving birth.
You will learn how to develop the awareness of the breath and use it during labour; be correctly aligned, thus reducing the lower back discomfort; how to cultivate a strong, yet gentle yoga practice that will help you recover more quickly after giving birth; and much more.
We will also cover the following:
Strengthening and relaxing of the pelvic floor;
Breathing and visualisation techniques;
Birthing positions and their importance;
Pain relief for bad backs, pelvis, neck, swollen ankles, etc.;
Various methods of pain relief during labour;
Beginnings of breastfeeding;
And much more...
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: When can I start with pregnancy yoga?
A: You can start attending classes after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy until the birth.
Q: I have opted for an elective C-section. Is pregnancy yoga still beneficial?
A: Doing pregnancy yoga is beneficial for all pregnant women as it will make their pregnancy more enjoyable and it will mentally and physically prepare them for whichever method of birth they end up having.
Q: Do I need to bring my own mat to the class?
A: All the props you need (mat, bolster, blocks, straps) are provided. All you need is comfortable clothing, such as a T-shirt and leggings.
About Petra:
A mother of three, Petra has been teaching pregnancy and post-natal yoga classes in London since 2003. She is a qualified birthlight teacher and continues to study with the birthlight founder, Dr. Francoise Freedman. Petra's teaching and guidance through pregnancy has helped many women have an easier labour. In her classes, Petra uses a gentle and holistic approach to make the mother empowered, reassured and confident about labour.
Testimonials:
Please read the extracts from the birth stories I have received from few of my students:
"I managed to go through it all using only a tens machine and a lot of gas and air, ended needing a couple of stitches and that is all. I think all the yoga helped enormously, did golden thread breathing through every contraction, and also used the thinking of something that you are grateful for in more stressful moments!! I also found appreciating the time in between contractions really valuable." Simone
"Thanks a lot with all your prep! The golden thread breathing and bumble bee really helped me through it! Also the rocking standing up with my partner. " Lucy
"All my yoga breathing helped so much especially the golden thread and bumble bee. It really helped focusing on the breath and by doing so the contractions seemed shorter and the pain manageable, i didn't focus on the breath for 2 contractions in the car and they hurt so much and my mind became unfocused. Leaning on the wall and swaying helped a lot and Ben holding my lower back and pressing down was good. It was so helpful he knew what I'd learnt at yoga as he was able to support me with my breathing and remind me to focus on it as well as suggest different positions. Thanks so much for all your help and advice I would definitely recommend pregnancy yoga to anyone; it gave me confidence and skills to know that I could do it! The birth preparation course was super helpful for Ben who was brilliant!" Zoe
"Thank you so much for the pregnancy yoga classes. It was without question the most practical preparation for labour that I could have had. In particular the one minute off and one minute on of breathing we did at the end of classes really helped to get through each contraction and to remember there was always an end in sight. I asked John to help with a few of the positions to help with the pain and then told him "no" most of the time- poor John. But I was able to keep mobile throughout, mostly standing over an exercise ball on the bed as you suggested and delivering on all 4s on the bed (not lying down!)." Nicky