Weekly Pregnancy Classes

Antenatal Classes in Shrewsbury

• Weekly classes for mums to be
• Improve your health and comfort in pregnancy
• Prepare your mind, body, and baby for birth

These classes will give you a range of techniques to help you through pregnancy, labour, and birth. Those techniques are useful for caesarean and postnatally as well.

They combine the best bits of pregnancy yoga, birth hypnosis, and active birth techniques - all in one positive, practical, and relaxing class.

TL;DR - "Pregnancy Flow" is movement, breathing and relaxation for pregnancy and birth

The "Complete" option includes all of the above, plus practical information about labour, birth and maternity care, and many of your questions and concerns addressed. The sessions are a little longer. I'm going to talk you through what is included and how they can help you, so that you can decide if these are the right classes for you.

Read on for more info including:

• Class details
• Cost
• How to book
• FAQs

FAQs include:

• When can I start?
• Who is it suitable for?
• Can my partner attend with me?
• What information do you cover?
• What is included? What will I get out of it?

Class details

• Face to Face
• Venue – Radbrook Community Centre
• When – Wednesday evenings. Each class is 60-90 minutes.
• Booking - Initial booking is a block of eight classes. Renewals are flexible, allowing you to either book until your baby is born, pay month to month, or pay as you go.

Online

• Thursday evenings, 6PM.
• These are booked in blocks of 4. The content is the same as the "Flow" course, but I do make time for questions. They usually take about 1 hour.
• Your booking defaults to the upcoming start date, but if you are close to your EDD and would like to begin sooner, just let me know. Equally, if you are early in your pregnancy and you are a "planner", I'll move the reservation back to your preferred start date.

Cost

Initial booking is for 8 weeks from £79

How to Book

1. Follow this link. Swipe down from the beautiful image, choose "Birth Prep" >> "Weekly Classes"

2. Pick your start date from the drop down menu

3. Important: In the "Notes about your order" section, please let me know how you prefer to be contacted. (If you prefer a phonecall, text or Whatsapp, pop your phone number in that box.) I'll contact you shortly to confirm that your booking has been received, to make sure you are happy with all the details, and check whether you've got any medical concerns I need to be aware of ahead of your course starting.

FAQs

“When can I start?”

You can start any time after 14 weeks – as soon as you feel ready. The average seems to be around 20 weeks for most mums. This is great, because it's a stage when you are likely to have a little more energy. But keep in mind, it’s never too late to start preparing for a positive birth for you and your baby!

It’s never too late to start preparing for a positive birth for you and your baby

I recommend starting sooner rather than later if at all possible, because then you can always find something else more suitable if you feel it’s not for you. Even better, if you enjoy it, you give yourself the chance to gain maximum benefit from the sessions.

"Who is it suitable for?"

This class is for all pregnant women from 14 weeks of pregnancy right up until baby’s birth.

It’s for anyone who wants a positive birth for themselves and their babies.

The class is flexible, and easily adapts to suit different pregnancy related conditions and birth plans. The content is suitable for all shapes and sizes, all levels of fitness and ability – so all mums can feel welcome! Even if you have some medical concerns, I should be able to make some minor adaptations for you so you can stay safe and comfy throughout. Gentle movement is very beneficial in pregnancy – both for you and your unborn baby – so in nearly all cases, your midwife or doctor will be supportive of you attending.

If you’ve never been to a yoga class before – you will be fine, I promise, because these sessions are accessible even for women who are 40 weeks pregnant. Even for women like me – I've never been what you might call a Bendy Wendy! Before I started teaching antenatal classes, I’d never set foot in a class like it, but I have loved it from day one because it’s so relaxing. And because (this is key) we always encourage every mum to stay in her own comfy range of movement.

“Listen to your body” is a theme that runs through every class I teach.

If you have been to yoga before, I am sure you will find the class enjoyable, because many of the movements will feel familiar to you. Each one adapted, not just to be accessible and safe, but also to directly benefit your pregnancy or birth.

This is a class designed, from start to finish, to directly benefit your pregnancy and birth.

"Can my partner attend with me?"

This one is for mums to be only because it is pregnancy focused. Of course you want your partner to be involved, and fully prepared to support you - that's perfectly natural. I've got you covered! I run a birth prep workshop for exactly this purpose.

"I want to learn as much as I can to prepare for labour. What information do you cover?"

The complete course covers a range of coping strategies for birth, including:

• Breathing
• Movement
• Positioning
• "What to expect", so that you have an idea what you might see, hear and feel at each stage. I frame it in a practical, positive way, because I believe frightening pregnant women is not just wrong, but counter productive, and I want you to leave each session feeling confident and informed.
• I can discuss with you lots of common medical offerings - the pros and cons, when and why something might be recommended. (Of course I can't diagnose you or your baby, and I can't recommend or give medical advice, because this is outside my scope and is something that should be covered by your midwife or doctor.)

NB. The "Flow" course does not include information. It is an opportunity for you to get out of your head and let your body lead the way. Just as you will do during labour!

For first time mums, I recommend either choosing the complete course, or pairing the Flow class with the birth prep workshop I mentioned above, so that you and your partner can feel informed and confident about your choices.

"What is included? What will I get out of this class?"

This is a class to help you adapt to your changing body, enjoy pregnancy, and stay mobile. Even when you feel heavy or tired. Take a little time for yourself each week to enjoy relaxation and mindful movement while preparing for a confident birth.

I will help you draw on elements of active birth and pregnancy yoga to positively influence how the rest of your pregnancy and birth unfolds.

From easing pregnancy ailments to preparing for birth, and bonding with your little passenger – we’ve got you covered.

In real terms, here is how the class will benefit you:

• Aligning your body for greater comfort and a smoother birth
• Breathing
• Ease swelling in your hands and feet
• Ease heartburn, constipation
• Help your baby find their best position
• Birth with ease
• Relaxation
• Positively impact your postnatal recovery

I'm going to walk you through each of these benefits and describe how the class will help ou achieve it.

Aligning your body for greater comfort and a smoother birth

We will bring balance to your body to alleviate any aches and pains. Back, neck or pelvis pain, for example, can all be helped by gently easing out any kinks or torsion in your spine or your pelvic or abdominal muscles.

We’ll address imbalances in your body brought on by every day life. Week by week, your womb will become a perfectly supported and equal hammock. This is important, because it helps your baby to find their best position, which can make birth easier!

Breathing

We’ll create space for your lungs to expand so you can breathe easily and deeply – something that is harder to do as your baby grows! This is important because the ability to do this will stand you in good stead on B-Day. It means you will have a simple, powerful tool that helps you to stay calm, and ensures a plentiful supply of oxygenated blood to your womb, baby and placenta.

If you have had a baby before you will know just what I am talking about: when those sensations begin to “pinch a bit” (technical term!) the reflexive reaction is to brace against it – tensing and holding your breath. It can take practice to breathe through, relax with your breath, and be able to draw on this technique as labour intensifies.

Alleviate oedema

(A fancy way of saying puffiness or swelling, for example in your hands and feet.) I’ll help you to improve circulation – this is helpful to ease and prevent any swelling in your hands, feet and ankles.

Ease digestive discomfort

We will also make space and optimise peristalsis of the colon to aid your digestion. This is beneficial to lots of mums-to-be, because it helps address heartburn, indigestion and constipation - also common ailments during pregnancy!

Help your baby find their best position

Once we bring symmetry to your body, and create space for your baby to move, they will usually move into a good position.

Your pelvis is the lock; your baby is the key.

It’s important to be mindful of your posture, and release any tight ligaments so that your baby can make whatever adjustments they need to. This will help you be as comfortable as possible as your pregnancy progresses. It also means that when the time comes, your little passenger can navigate their way down through your body more easily.

Your baby is an active part of the birth process – we want to make it as easy for them as possible

Birth with ease !

That’s what I want for you – to give birth with ease and confidence!

Ride the waves of your labour with ease

This class will help you to be physically ready for the epic task ahead of you, by gently preparing your birthing muscles. You will have a toolkit of moves to help you manage the intensifying sensations, and support your baby to move down and out. All without even thinking about it! That's the goal.

The aim: No force, no resistance – a perfect pathway for a smooth, easy descent

Relaxation

That doesn’t really do it justice, I feel! It is true that these sessions will help you access a deep state of relaxation. That’s not just something “nice” (although I can confirm it is nice!) It’s extremely helpful to have practised this to the point you can access it on your baby’s birthing day.

Staying relaxed is important so that:

• Your muscles can work more easily and keep the pain levels more manageable.
• Crucially, your adrenaline levels will remain low, which means your uterus will work more effectively.
• Being able to stay calm means the right hormones can flow for your labour to progress unhindered.
• Your body can open more easily.
• In the right conditions, your cervix can melt open like butter left out on a hot day
• You’re much more likely to feel good afterwards. This is no small thing after undertaking the pinnacle of human endurance! An easier birth means your recovery is likely to be easier, too. You will be more able to enjoy your baby, which is important for bonding. Having effective techniques to support you through the birth process means you are much more likely to look back on the day of your baby’s birth positively.

Positively impact your postnatal recovery

Supporting your body now will pay dividends later!

We will support your tummy muscles to stop them separating too much or too soon, and to knit back together again after your baby is born.

We work to support your pelvic floor, which is under so much strain during pregnancy and needs some TLC! (As well as tone, and just as importantly, we will work on release – preventing kinks or imbalance that could affect your pelvic health and your baby’s position.)

We’ll also combat lordosis of the spine – because we all need a healthy back, especially when you have small children to lift and carry!

Flow through pregnancy, breeze through birth

Enjoy all the best elements of pregnancy yoga and active birth in one flowing class that allows you to relax into your changing body and pregnancy with ease.

I look forward to welcoming you to your course!

Have I given you enough information? If you are still not sure if these classes are right for you, please get in touch and we can have a chat about what you need – I’d be thrilled to hear from you!

Call, text or WhatsApp: 07450309422

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Best of luck to you and your family!

– Samantha