Why pregnancy yoga and Hypnobirthing are the perfect combination

Why pregnancy yoga and Hypnobirthing are the perfect combination

The lovely Kim Mousley from BirthBodyBreathe, one of our LYB graduates explains to us why pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing are a wonderful combination for pregnancy and birth. 

Pregnancy yoga and Hypnobirthing are the 2 things that really transformed my experience of the pregnancy-birth-parenthood continuum. They both have so much to offer through this transformative time of life…and combined they are even more powerful!

In short, Hypnobirthing is a complete birth preparation course. Pregnancy yoga is a specific type of yoga designed to prepare you physically, emotionally and spiritually for birth.

Though they are distinctive in many ways, there’s so much overlap between the 2!

• both will teach you breathing techniques to calm your mind and body
• both will teach you about your body, how it works and how to support its physiology
• both will help you find confidence in your body, your baby and in the birth process
• both will support you in releasing fear and anxiety
• both will provide the information and tools you need to make the right choices for you and your baby
• both will give you time to connect with your body, baby and yourself
• both will teach you actual skills in relaxation (something many of us are not great at in our busy lives!)
• both will support a positive mindset as you approach birth
• both will also give you tools that you can take into your life as a new parent too! (See my next blog for more on that!)

My Hypnobirthing courses typically take place across 10 hours and you will learn HEAPS! We really unpick the whys – why relaxation matters, why you can trust your body to birth your baby, why you might be feeling scared of birth. Then I offer you a whole ‘toolbox’ of things that you can use to address the hows – how to relax, how to support your body in doing its job, how to release your fears. But 10 hours isn’t enough to fully embed what you learn…. a key component of Hypnobirthing is the time and energy you continue to give it. When you make space to practice the things you learn, they both become more deeply ingrained in your subconscious mind and easier to access when you need them.

In my regular, weekly Pregnancy Yoga sessions, we spend much of our time on movement and breath practices that you can use to both prepare for birth and draw upon in birth itself. I also weave birth education wisdom and tips through our sessions, often in response to things that have cropped up for you in your week. Just like Hypnobirthing again, regular practice ensures all the breathing, movements, mindset and relaxation practices you will learn become second nature, ready for you to use when you give birth.

Pregnancy Yoga offers the perfect space to practice your Hypnobirthing tools and techniques. It’s a protected, supportive, nourishing – and most importantly, guaranteed! – time in your week to practice breathing techniques, to reconnect with the wisdom of your body, to tune in with your intuition. You get to revisit the things you have learnt about in depth through your hypnobirthing course and have a space held for you to fully, completely and deeply relax.

Anything you can do to positively prepare for birth will be better than nothing.

Hypnobirthing will be an incredible preparation.

Pregnancy Yoga will be a fantastic grounding.

But both combined…will be truly magical!

You can find out more about what Kim has to offer on her website https://www.birthbodybreath.co.uk/