Menu

Home
About
Hypnobirthing
- About hypnobirthing
- Courses
Pregnancy Yoga
- About pregnancy yoga
- Class timetable
Postnatal Yoga
- About postnatal yoga
- Class timetable
Testimonials
Birth Stories
Contact

Facebook
Instagram

Better Birth Company

Hypnobirthing and pre & postnatal yoga

Contact

Please contact me using the form
or call 07875 159769

Sign up to our newsletter for all things birth, bump and beyond

© Copyright Better Birth Company | Privacy Policy | Joanna Craig Website Design

Following on from my last post, I’ve had a few p

Following on from my last post, I’ve had a few people asking how would they know if they have diastasis recti (abdominal separation). Great question!
🌟
When I first taught yoga all mums were checked by their doctor during their six week postnatal check. But that’s completely changed over the last few years and now hardly anyone is assessed by their doctor. This isn’t because it’s no longer important to know if you have a wider abdominal gap than ‘normal’ - but because doctors are short on time, and that’s one of the things they’ve decided to drop from the six week check.
🌟
The good thing is you can quite easily assess yourself for diastasis recti and then use that info to either book an appointment with a women’s health physio (if the gap is wider than two and a half fingers or fairly deep), or know that you’re in a good place to return to exercise.🌟
Swipe to see a video of what to do and follow the instructions below:
1️⃣ Lie on your back, knees bent, feet hit distance apart.
2️⃣ As you exhale, lift your shoulders off the floor.
3️⃣ Turn your palm to face you and starting at your belly button, move your fingers up along your midline towards your bra strap and back down towards your pubic bone.
4️⃣ Close your eyes and try to connect with your abdominal wall, you want to feel your abdominal muscles either side of your fingers. Notice how many fingers you can fit into the gap and be aware of how deep the gap is, do your fingers sink in?
🌟
A one or two finger gap is normal two to three months after birth. With a larger gap of two and a half to three fingers, or a deep gap, you need to work carefully to bring the abdominals back together safely.
🌟
For more info and to start exercising safely after birth, come along to my Postnatal Yoga classes. During the six week course we work on strengthening the pelvic floor and bringing the abdominals back together safely - whilst building strength, flexibility, and confidence.
🌟
Postnatal Yoga Beaconsfield Thursdays 10am to 11am.
🌟
Let me know if you have any questions?

Worried about diastasis recti? Concerned that your

Worried about diastasis recti? Concerned that your belly will never look or feel the same again? Don’t despair, there are lots of things you can do after birth to bring your abdominals back together in a safe way.
🌟
Seek out an exercise professional who has lots of experience working with people with diastasis recti. Before signing up for a course talk to your teacher and make sure they have suitable training and experience.
🌟
I’ve been teaching pre and postnatal yoga in Beaconsfield for 9 years, in that time I’ve helped numerous mums with varying degrees of abdominal separation.
🌟
My postnatal courses run in 6 week blocks and cost £66. There’s a beginners class for those who have recently given birth or who are just getting back into exercise, and an intermediate class for those who have completed the beginners course. You can do each class as many times as you like - and you can come with or without your baby.
🌟
Plus I teach privately for anyone who would like a class especially tailored to their needs. Message me for further details - donna@betterbirthcompany.co.uk
🌟
How is your belly doing after birth? Have you had or healed a diastasis?

Beaconsfield in-person Postnatal Yoga (mum & baby)

Beaconsfield in-person Postnatal Yoga (mum & baby)classes.
🌟
New 6 week courses start this Thursday.
🌟
There are 2 levels -
Beginners at 11.15am
Intermediates at 9.45am.
🌟
The intermediate class is full but there are 2 spaces in the beginners class.
🌟
Suitable for all mums 6 weeks after a vaginal birth and 12 weeks after a c-section. You don’t need to have any previous yoga experience.
🌟
The great thing about my postnatal yoga classes is you can bring baby and practise alongside them, or you can come alone and have a whole hour for you!
🌟
Get back into exercise safely ✅
Strengthen the abdominals and pelvic floor ✅
Stretch out the back and shoulders ✅
Breathing and relaxation ✅
Get stronger and more flexible ✅
Make lots of mum friends ✅
Go for coffee after class ✅
🌟
If you’d like one of the final 2 places in the beginners class do get in touch today.

The lovely thing about teaching pregnancy yoga in

The lovely thing about teaching pregnancy yoga in Beaconsfield for so long, is that mums return to my classes time and time again.
🌟
Often a mum will do Pregnancy Yoga, Hypnobirthing and Postnatal Yoga with me. So I get to see them throughout their journey – through pregnancy, birth, and being a new mum.
🌟
And then they often come back a second, third and even one lovely mum who’s been back a fourth time – no fifth time mums yet!
🌟
At yesterday evening’s pregnancy yoga class, seven of the mums there had been to my classes before! It’s always so lovely to see people again – and an honour that they choose to come back to my classes. Hopefully that means I’m doing something right!
🌟
If you are pregnant and would like help preparing physically and mentally for birth - for your first, second or whichever number baby you’re at – do get in touch and come and try a class, and see why so many mums return to my classes time and time again.
🌟
You can contact me here or through the website:
www.betterbirthcompany.co.uk

Have you heard about optimal cord clamping but are

Have you heard about optimal cord clamping but are not sure of the benefits? Here’s 6 great reasons for delaying cord clamping from @thefitmidwife 💕
Thanks for allowing me to share.
🌟
Do you know the benefits of optimising cord clamping at birth??

Optimised cord clamping is specific to each baby. It is dependent on their birth circumstances and that of mum too. So this is not an exact number.

But in an ideal world ‘OPTIMAL’ is “waiting for white”. This means we leave the cord as long as it takes for all the blood to empty, it will no longer be pulsing and the cord appears white.

But why do we do this? Well, take a look:

🩸 The placenta and cord is all part of your baby’s circulatory system, early clamping and cutting deprives your baby of nearly a third (30%) of their blood volume and this can be as high has half (50%) in preemies. It’s their blood. They should have it.

🩸By optimising cord clamping we allow baby to receive upwards of a million stem cells. Stem cells are pretty special in that they can turn in to any cell required by the body. Why bank them when baby can have them at birth?

🩸 Early cord clamping is linked to iron deficiency anaemia. It affects over 40% of the worlds children. It impacts their learning and neurological development.

🩸Research tells us if you have a prem or compromised baby then they would hugely benefit from optimising cord clamping (given the reasons here it’s easy to see why).

🩸Early cord clamping reduces your baby’s white blood cells by about 30%. We use white blood cells to fight infection! Very important for a newborn.

🩸There is NO evidence supporting early cord clamping. Which suggests it’s done for practitioner convenience over benefits to mum and baby.

So when thinking about your preference for birth have a think about how many benefits we can give our babies just by asking for delayed cord clamping optimal for you and your baby!

For more info check out @wait4white Or speak to your midwife!

Now you’ve given birth, is your birth ball in th

Now you’ve given birth, is your birth ball in the corner gathering dust (and taking up space)? Here’s some fun ways you can incorporate it into your postnatal exercise routine.
🌟
These exercises are not suitable for anyone who has just given birth. I recommend resting for 6 weeks postpartum, or 12 if you’ve had a C-section, to give your body time to recover. Then come along to my Postnatal Yoga classes and I’ll teach you how to connect your breath and movement, for a strong pelvic floor and core. Once you can do that, these exercises are great to do at home.
🌟
1/ Rest your lower legs on the ball, bend the upper arms for support. Breathe in, and on the exhale lift the pelvic floor muscles (imagine you are sucking a blueberry into your vagina and back passage), whilst lifting the hips. Inhale and slowly lower the hips, releasing the pelvic floor. Repeat 6 to 12 times.
🌟
2/ This exercise requires a lot of back and abdominal strength, only do it if you feel you can keep the hips lifted throughout, without strain on the back. Start with the hips lifted, feet on the ball. Exhale and lift the pelvic floor as you bend the knees and roll the ball towards you, inhale as you straighten the legs, releasing the pelvic floor. Repeat 4 to 8 times.
🌟
3/ This is a great exercise for incorporating upper body strength. Lie with the thighs on the ball, hands on the floor. Inhale, as you exhale lift the pelvic floor, bending the elbows and lowering the chest. Inhale back to starting position whilst releasing the pelvic floor. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
🌟
4/ Sit with the feet hip distance apart, raise the arms. Exhale and lift the pelvic floor, whilst lifting one foot a couple of inches off the ground – try and stay centred through the hips. Inhale and put the foot down, releasing the pelvic floor. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
🌟
5/ Finish with a lovely stretch for the back, shoulders and pelvic floor. Keep the knees apart, let the chest sink and breathe into the back of the ribs.
🌟
If you would like help getting back into exercise after having a baby, DM me or contact me through the website, and come and join my group Postnatal Yoga classes in Beaconsfield.

The immensity of love you feel for your baby can f

The immensity of love you feel for your baby can feel really overwhelming. With so much love comes fear, what if something goes wrong, what if I mess up, what if I’m a rubbish mother.
🌟
Postnatal anxiety is really common - more common than people realise because mums hide it so well. I know I suffered from immense anxiety after the traumatic birth of my first son, but I didn’t tell anyone until years later, when I felt it was sufficiently behind me to be able to talk about it. That said I don’t know if I did hide it that well, I think people probably just thought I was a bit weird 😊
🌟
I came across @anxiousmoms page recently and thought I wish I’d had something like that to check in with when I was a new mum, and feeling so alone in my thoughts. Just knowing that someone else understands what you are going through, knowing that those horrible intrusive thoughts are not yours alone but shared by lots of new mums, can be really useful.
🌟
If you’re a new mum and feeling anxious go follow @anxiousmoms and know that you’re not alone in your feelings. And if you can, try talking to friends and family about how you’re feeling, they might be able to help if you let them in.

Yesterday evening was the last of my online pregna

Yesterday evening was the last of my online pregnancy yoga classes. I’ve been teaching online for over a year now – and what a year it’s been! Who would’ve thought, when we first went into lockdown 14 months ago, that we would be slowly emerging over a year later (apart from a few weeks in between that don’t seem to count!)
🌟
I am so grateful to each and every one of you who came on the online journey with me. I’m a technophobe so it was a steep learning curve, but I’m happy to say it all went smoothly and the feedback for the classes has been fantastic.
🌟
Although I’ve loved being able to connect with so many people virtually over the last year, I am more than ready to get back into class – in fact I can’t wait. I need that connection, to be able to look into peoples eyes and read the expressions on their faces – all sadly missing online.
🌟
If you are pregnant and would like to join a class of other pregnant women, talking about pregnancy and birth, sharing stories and hopes and fears - all whilst strengthening your body and calming your mind - then do come and join my in-person pregnancy yoga classes in Beaconsfield, Bucks.
🌟
There are a few spaces left on the Saturday morning class, so grab them before they go. If you can’t make Saturdays, the Tuesday class is full at the moment but do put your name on the list as we have a number of mums who will be leaving soon to give birth. Also, I have plans for another evening class starting soon, so you can always reserve a place on that class.
🌟
Send me a DM or contact me through my website and I’ll send you all the details:
www.betterbirthcompany.co.uk

Have you thought about a water birth but are not s

Have you thought about a water birth but are not sure if it’s for you? Or are you really keen to birth in water but have been told you can’t because you’re ‘high risk’? Let’s look at some of the facts:
🌟
Spending time in the pool during labour can make your labour much more comfortable – women from my classes regularly use words like ‘blissful’, ‘amazing’ and ‘wonderful’ to describe how they felt on entering the pool. Just stepping into the pool encourages relaxation – and a more relaxed mother means less tension in the muscles and more endorphins flowing (your body’s natural pain relief) – all essential for a quicker, more comfortable birth.
🌟
Pain Relief -
The water pool is one of the best forms of pain relief available – and it comes without adverse side-effects. Studies show women who use the pool have less need of other pain relief options. However, if you do still want to use gas and air to take the edge off your contractions, this option is still open to you whilst in the pool - whether you’re giving birth in a hospital or at home.
🌟
Optimal Foetal Positioning -
Being in the water can help bring baby into, or keep baby in, an optimal position for both.
A successful labour is often down to positioning - and the fact that a woman can move around in the pool with greater ease, and is more likely to remain upright - helps facilitate this.
🌟
Interventions -
Some studies have shown that labouring in water is associated with less interventions, including assisted delivery and caesarean section, and this is absolutely the case for the women who have given birth in water from my classes.
🌟
Considered ‘high risk’?
There are numerous reasons why a woman might be considered ‘high risk’ and told they can’t get in the pool. This is often the case if someone is being induced or having a VBAC. However, a water birth can be suitable, and is a useful form of pain relief, for both groups of women. Talk to your doctor or midwife about this (or any other high risk factors), if giving birth in water is important to you.
🌟
Have you had a water birth, or are you considering using the pool for your birth? How did it work for you?

Look at this little beauty, Lawson, straight after

Look at this little beauty, Lawson, straight after birth 💕- his birth powerfully demonstrates why oxcytocin (the hormone needed for labour) really is the ‘love hormone’.
🌟
Nat’s third birth wasn’t getting going, despite two hours on Syntocinon - the synthetic form of oxcytocin, given to induce labour - but all it took was a 5 minute FaceTime call with her two sons to get labour underway.
🌟
“At 6pm, two hours after the drip had started, nothing was happening - we FaceTimed my two boys at home to say good night, as soon as I saw their faces (after only 5 mins on the phone) my contractions started thick and fast.”
🌟
Head over to the website (link in bio) to read why Nat’s third birth was her most difficult “but worth every minute of it.”

This site uses cookies: Find out more.