Birth Stories

Clare and baby boy

I had a little boy born 37 wks, I had obstetric cholistitus like me last pregnancy so they  started me off. I had an amazing birth thanks to you and breathed  through it on paracetamol and gas and air and it was over within a 
couple of hours!
 

Nina and baby Martha

The support I received from attending three lots of pregnancy yoga classes during my pregnancy was absolutely invaluable. I can't imagine going through pregnancy and labour without your support and guidance and I really can't thank you enough. Baby Martha, our first baby, was born on her due date after 20 hours of labour, all of which I felt like I could manage fine, and actually, I really enjoyed the experience, it was amazing! Martha was born at home and Jenni, you really gave me and Nathan the confidence and reassurance that we were making realistic plans for her birth and that I was totally capable of having my baby without intervention. My waters broke at 4.30 in the morning. I relaxed and went back to bed, when I got up contractions got steadily stronger. I got into the birth pool at about 2pm, which was helpful, but it was the breathing that really helped me cope all the way through. I felt like the pushing phase lasted a long time, but my baby's heartbeat was steady all the time as I breathed down to her. The midwives were fantastic and your help and suggestions to keep me moving and in good positions for pushing were fantastic. Our daughter was passed up between us at 20 to 12, pink and screaming, and we have not looked back since. She is three weeks old now and I have recovered very well from the birth, which I think has a lot to do with being so healthy before hand.
Thank you Jenni, you made our path down the road of pregnancy and birth a graceful, happy and healthy one.
 

Lucy and baby Peter

Just wanted to let you know my little boy, Peter Derek, was born at home in water on the 10th.  He weighs in at 9lb 5oz, quite respectable!  Despite this, only a tiny 1st degree tear that I've barely noticed.  We had our lotus birth, and things really couldn't have been more perfect - he was born calmly by candlelight.  He was even asleep!  Apparently the gas and air made more noise than me as I breathed him out (no conscious pushing, just let my body do its job)!  It was an incredible, powerful experience, and I know the yoga helped me trust my body and follow my instincts.  Thank you. X
P.S.  He was born covered in vernix - the Italians call this a baby 'so lucky he is born with a coat'!
 

Victoria and baby Olivia

I wanted to thank you so much for the antenatal yoga as it really helped me throughout the latter stages of pregnancy & the labour. I ended up having an amazing birthing experience, I feel really lucky.

I was in early labour for a couple of days before things really started to progress, during this time I used many of the yoga techniques you taught. I was often on all fours in cat posture, & used various sitting postures, was constantly using 'golden thread breath' for each contraction & I found my self doing the camel walk when I tried to get around the house. It all seemed to come naturally but I think that is due to so much practice in the classes. Eventually on Saturday everything became more intense so I went to MLU at the Women's. By the time I was examined I was already 8cm dilated! The midwife suggested the birthing pool, which was great. As soon as I got in the pool my waters broke, then shortly after I was fully dilated. I see what you mean about the intensity & power of these contractions, but the experience of stories you told us throughout the classes helped, I felt very prepared. I became much noisier now as I started to push, but this did help get through the contractions, along with the gas & air! Anyway after what seemed like a short time pushing whilst I was on all fours, my beautiful baby girl was born. We have called her Olivia Beatrice Wright and she weighed 6lb 9oz. She is perfect! I really love being a Mummy. I can't thank you enough for the yoga techniques you taught me.

Jan and baby Rowan

Just wanted to let you know that I had a baby boy, Rowan Jacob Parr last Monday at 5.30am weighing in at a very civilised 7lb 5oz.  He's beautiful, but I am biased!
The labour was very long, 40 hours in total, phew!  The golden thread breath and climbing the mountain visualisatio proved invaluable.  In fact I climbed that mountain  in my mind what seemed like a million times, I know every rock and tree intimately! 
Thank you for all the techniques you've taught me, I can't express how important they improved through every phase of labour.  I managed purely on gas & air with the yoga breathing right up until 36 hours in much to the amazement of the MLU staff.  It was only at the 36 hour point when they told me I was still ony 6cm dilated I opted for the diamorphine. I'd not slept since the Friday night and by which point it was midnight on Sunday and I just needed some rest.
After the long labour popping him out was a piece of cake, perinial massage is the key! 

Susan and baby Esme

I am pleased to tell you that I gave birth to my little girl last Wednesday to my third daughter whom we have named Esme. She weighed 7lb 1 1/2 oz .       

I started with regular back pains 10 min apart after 10pm and as I was having a planned home birth I rang for the on call midwife.  Before she arrived I put on your Birth Breathing cd, which I had been listening to every night before bed for the past week. I was totally relaxed and felt fine and was coping well with the contractions.  After examining me my midwife said she was going to wait for 15 mins then come back when things progressed, within minutes of her saying this my contractions began to come much quicker and by midnight they were coming thick and fast and at that point she was going nowhere!.  I refused any pain relief and just continued to use my (our) breathing techniques, I used our dining room chair and swished my tail a few times and did the squatting moves that we had done on our last class, the swaying from side to side eased the pain a lot and I stayed very comfortable and controlled throughout. 

I found the sound breathing quite useful much to the amusement of my husband! My waters broke at 2.00am and after moving to the dining room chair again and kneeling by it I started to push, I kept focused throughout I hardly made a sound and followed what my body wanted to do and I pushed my baby girl into the world at 2.20am. My total labour time was recorded as 2 hrs and 20 min!.

I felt totally elated and still very relaxed. Both midwifes who attended the birth were very impressed with my breathing techniques and they commented that at one point I was controlling my breathing so well that I practically ignored the contraction that I was having. I told them both all about you and your classes and told them I couldn't have done it all without you. 

It was a totally different experience for me from my last two births (although my second child was also a quick labour this time it was more natural and I was in control) and I can still recall every single minute of it. I would like to let everyone know! Thank you so so much, I couldn't have done it without your yoga classes and I want everyone to know that.
 

Chelsea and baby Samuel (LWH midwife)

Victoria and baby Olivia

I've been meaning to write to you for ages, mainly to thank you so much for the antenatal yoga as it really helped me throughout the latter stages of pregnancy & the labour. I ended up having an amazing birthing experience, I feel really lucky.

I was in early labour for a couple of days before things really started to progress, during this time I used many of the yoga techniques you taught. I was often on all fours in cat posture, & used various sitting postures, was constantly using 'golden thread breath' for each contraction & I found my self doing the camel walk when I tried to get around the house. It all seemed to come naturally but I think that is due to so much practice in the classes. Eventually on Saturday 9th January everything became more intense so I went to MLU at the Women's. By the time I was examined I was already 8cm dilated! The midwife suggested the birthing pool, which was great. As soon as I got in the pool my waters broke, then shortly after I was fully dilated. I see what you mean about the intensity & power of these contractions, but the experience of stories you told us throughout the classes helped, I felt very prepared. I became much noisier now as I started to push, but this did help get through the contractions, along with the gas & air! Anyway after what seemed like a short time pushing whilst I was on all fours, my beautiful baby girl was born. We have called her Olivia Beatrice Wright and she weighed 6lb 9oz. She is perfect!
Hope you are keeping well and I can't thank you enough for the yoga techniques you taught me.

Elaine and baby girl

Just wanted to tell you I had baby girl at the weekend.  Just wanted to thank you for the help, support and faith you gave me. I was induced in a lengthy process due to delays throughout on the hospitals part - got there 830pm fri, started to be induced 1am sat, got to delivery suite 6pm sat, waters broke 8pm (naturally) and only had gas/air - baby came 10.55pm!
I did the camel walk round the whole hospital in early stages. With golden thread breath throughout process. Whilst in throws of established labour, my visualisation up and down valleys really helped - all i could hear was you saying let it go ,your 1 step closer to meeting your baby. Would never have been able to do this with out all your help. Rob was very impressed at how calm and focused i was from start to finished. towards the end had gas/air - but found it difficult to suck and breath out at same time. Same when it came to pushing - found it dufficult to push baby as concentrating so much on breathing - got there in the end, no stitches, normal delivery. Hope to see you soon at baby yoga.
 

AnneMarie and baby Nate

Baby Nate was born a whole 2 weeks late on the 13th December at 1.21am, weighing 8lbs.
My golden breaths came in very useful, during the stressful 2 weeks I was over due. I had to be induced, so my contractions came on quick and strong and i was so thankful of the breaths, they were a life saver!!! I managed to have a natural birth, I believe thanks to my yoga i learnt at your classes.
He is all our dreams came true, even though we are like two walking zombies!!!
Many thanks again for your wonderful classes.

Malissa and baby Daisy (LWH midwife)

Just to let you know baby Daisy was born last Monday weighing 5lb 10. I kept on my hands and knees and leant forward for the whole 2 hour labour! The breathing really helped me relax and I played relaxation music inspired by your class. This really helped. Thank you so much for your positivity.

Lisa and baby Alexander

I wanted to drop you a quick email to say a massive THANK YOU

I came to your yoga classes at the Womens and I wanted to let you know how much it helped me with the birth of our beautiful boy Alexander Joseph Pearson - born 14th October (last Wednesday) - 13 days late!

I ended up getting induced, something I didn't want to happen (I had this lovely birth plan all ready - birthing pool with chilled out music etc etc!) but by the time it got to 10th October I was at the end of my tether and had tried everything to induce labour naturally and I mean everything! 

I was started off at 8.30pm on Tuesday with prostagladin as I was already dilated but by 6.30am, despite getting contractions every 2 minutes, I was no further on. I was gutted because it was hurting but I was coping with my golden thread breath (had Fran and my mum as birth partners and the three of us were all there breathing away! Very funny to see!)
They gave me another prostagladin tablet at 9.30am and then it all just came on like I can not describe. They wouldnt give me any pain relief as they said I couldnt be in established labour so I literally got through the most intense contractions on breathing alone. Just after 12.30, when Fran had gone to go out and get some lunch, I felt like I needed to push and when I was examined by the midwife (who I could tell thought I was being dramatic with this statement) I was 8 cms! I cried I was that happy, baby was well & truely on its way.
Fran's oxtail soup got ditched and we were taken through to our own little room where our beautiful boy, Alexander Joseph literally flew out at 2.09pm - I was offered diamorphine but stuck with my breathing and the gas and air. I felt everything perfectly and knew when he was coming down and out - again I had to tell the midwives to check because they didnt think it could happen as fast as it did (they said afterwards I need to get into hospital as soon as I get first pains on my next babies!)

I honestly believe the yoga helped Jenni, not just the breathing, but the fact that when things got bad I told myself it would pass and to ride with it. It was hard, dont get me wrong, but without a shadow of a doubt I would do it again - he is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen - he has so much jet black hair, like a proper little eskimo baby!

So there you have it - you taught me well and I am so grateful.

Katherine and baby Felicity

I wanted to email you to let you know I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Saturday 21st November weighing 8lb 15oz whom we have named Felicity Charlotte Jones due to her happy laid back nature. The labour went very well and was very quick and only needed paracetamol so baby came out wide eyed and screaming! Breathing definitely helped with pain control but also wanted to say thanks your very positive attitude towards pregnancy and childbirth which I found so helpful and reassuring

Joanne and baby Rosa Sarah

I had a Baby girl, Rosa Sarah weighing 9lb 2 on 22nd July... After a false start the day before I had a sweep the next day at my ten day over appointment and 4 hours later she arrived.  I got to the womens at 5.30pm and had her at 6.30pm with barely any effort. Two tiny pushes and she was out!! I really think the combo of yoga and the hypnosis cd helped in relaxing me enough to just let her push herself out.  She is gorgeous and such a contented baby... Sylvie and Hubert adore her and we cant wait to have another!!!!

Louise and baby George

Just thought I'd drop you a note to let you know my news, my little bou George was born on 29th July 09 (4 days overdue) 8lb 2oz.

Thanks to coming to your classes I had the most positive experience, labour was quick and I felt totally calm and in control, the midwife couldn't believe it was my first baby.

Contractions started around 10am and I decided to stay at home as long as possible  when contractions were coming every minute we went to the hospital, up to then I was coping really well concentrating on my breathing. We got the hospital at 4pm and my little boy had arrived by 5.55pm! I didnt have any pain relief, tried the gas and air but  didnt like it cos it was putting me off my golden thread breath!!

I would recommend your classes to anyone as I'm 100% sure that the exercises we practiced meant that I was calm and in control all the time and had a great labour.

Kelly and baby Alexander

Alexander James was born on 3 July and came very quickly! I suffered from high bp towards the end of my pregnancy and i was 4 days overdue so they decided to bring me in for induction, but when they examined me i was nearly 3 cm and hadn't felt a thing despite the monitors showing quite regular contractions.  I was relaxed and practising golden thread breath in preparation!  My waters were ruptured at 12noon, they put the syntocin drip in at 2pm and I was still happily sat on the bed not feeling anything.  The contractions then came thick and fast at around 3pm, I got on the birthing ball about 3.30pm still strapped to all the monitors and doing golden thread breath whilst sucking the life out of the gas and air and then at 4pm i felt i needed the loo (for a no.2!) but when they examined me i was fully dilated.  The pushing was the worse part and i roared and screamed my way through those and he made his entrance at 4.56pm!

Thanks for all the help you gave at yoga, I was doing golden thread in run up to his birth that i think that really helped!

he is so amazing and I love being a mummy!
 

Rachel and baby Freya

I had a little girl on the 15th July, only 4 days over my due date, so not too bad.  She's beautiful, and we called her Freya Niamh.  I cant believe she is 14 weeks already, time is going so quick.  My labour went really well, completely natural, with only your yoga tips as pain relief.  The breathing and positions made it really managable, infact a little too managable, as i stayed at home a little too long, not realising i had progressed so far, and was only in hospital for 20 min (2 pushes) before she was born at 6.50am!
 
My experience was a really good one, and because we were both fine, i was allowed home at 11.45am the same day.  I was really pleased, as i had originally wanted a home birth but drs had denied it, but id almost got what i wanted!

Emma and baby Zac

The labour went really well I started with contractions at midnight and they speeded through the night, I did my best to rest inbetween but things were moving along so quickly it was hard, but using the different breathing techniques I was Abel to stay relaxed, focused and felt very in control. by 5am they where 7 min apart and lasting for a minute or so. I remember having a very strong contraction and lifting my head up as Clark said should I give your Mum a ring now, which he did. my Mum got to mine about 6ish and thing were getting quicker, by 7am the contractions were 3 minuts apart and lasting about 2 minuts so we rang the Midwife, who luckily lives at the top of my road. she got to mine at 7.30am and started the gas and air. she told me to have big deep breaths i took that bit to far and nearly past out. she examined me and said I was 6cm and by the looks of it the baby would be here by 12 noon.
I spent most of the time on all fours or standing, thing keep going really well I had a few moments where i say I cant do it but on the whole I was calm, relaxed and focused. about 10ish the second midwife and student came. they were all a great help.
unfortunately midday came and went and everything slowed right down and the contractions when back to ever 4 minutes and I had only got to 8 cm. the poor midwifes were having to beg, steal and borrow gas and air from anywhere they could. i did not know that your only meant to have 2 bottle's at home, i went through 7 all told, although i broke one by knocking it over and dropped one on Clark's broken toe (I know it is wrong but it still makes me laugh).
Whenever i started to feel tense i would remember your advice about allowing the contraction to come opening up and stretching out instead of contracting in and tensing up. i did this by using deep down sounds instead of high up ones, ever so often i would squeak and i would remember the work we did in class and stop it and start mooing instead.
 
All the way through labour Zac's heart beat was spot on and did not alter once. by half 4 in the afternoon i was starting to get very tired, i felt the urge to stand then squat with the contraction, but ever so often i would go back to all fores as i need to rest. at one point i was very tired and started doing the fake sleep breath (sorry I cant remember the name) inbetween contractions, I was on my knees with my arms on the sofa with Clark one side and my Mum the other. when I looked up as a new contraction started they had fell asleep. I mentioned this to my Mum afterwards and she said you fell asleep first, I explained to her I was not asleep.

Thing carried on slowly and I did start to struggle but with the help of Clark, my Mum and the midwifes I kept going and continued breathing. By 6pm it was starting to look more  and more like I would have to go in, They all tried to keep this from me but I got on to them. Zac's heart beat was still spot on so the were happy to leave me a bit longer. a couple of days later one of the midwives said to me that they could not get anything past me I was so aware of everything I don't know if that a Bad thing or a good thing. As we got to the pushing part I was finding it hard to get the power in the contraction and at 7pm the midwife said to my Mum that I have 20 min then we were going in. the other Midwife had suggested sitting on the loo for a bit picking up on the fact something was going on, I said lets do this toilet thing and  we went up to my small bathroom me, Clark, my Mum, two midwives and a student. Oh my god the toilet thing worked and after 2 contractions Zac's head was crowning. one of the midwives asked me if I wanted to go back down to the lovely room I had prepared. I said no I am staying here in the small half decorated bathroom. Clark got sent down for the candles, insence and music and my Mum went and got the warm towels. the light got turned off and using Joe's (my step son) wind up torch Zac was born. I was half squating half kneeling the Student got to deliver him which was fab as she was great and she past him underneath like an rugby ball. She did not say what sex he was and left it for me to see, I remember shouting we got a boy a beautiful boy so their we were on the bathroom floor at 7.26pm me in nothing but a bra as I had stripped of sometime earlier in what can only be described as a game of twister how we all fitted in was beyond me. once we were all cleaned up and put to bed Zac started feeding and has not stopped.
Within 2 hours i was back down stairs ordering my Dad to go the chippy.
 
the days and weeks after having him i felt great physicaly I heard women say they have aches and pains everywhere a lady said she had problems with her Jaw and neck muscles. I have not had anything like that and i think it to do with staying relaxed in the labour and using the golden thread breath. Which also got me through difficult breastfeeding times. so that's it

Ema and baby Ty

Just to let you know that I gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy on the 29th July, he weighed 7lb 9oz and came out as alert as anything as you can see from one of his first photos and that is partly thanks to you! After having the 'perfect pregnancy' I had a pretty traumatic birth, I was in labour from the friday before i had him having strong contractions approx every 10-15 mins but when i was examined was staying at 3 cms, I eventually had my waters broken on the tues to try to bring on normal labour rather than be drug induced and also so i could still have the pool birth that i wanted but when they broke the waters there was merconium in it so that was the end of that, i had to go to the delivery suite where the baby could be monitored, after a long night i finally started pushing at 6.10am but at 6.30 the babies heart rate dropped and wouldn't recover so the doctors had to intervine, I was told he had to be delivered by forceps and it had to be quick, this gave me all the encouragement i needed to get him out!! it was due to the cord being round his neck that he was distressed!  I managed to do all this with the breathing techniques i had learned with you and just gas & air, which the midwives said was very good considering it was my first.  I really couldnt have got through it without other drugs had i not done the yoga classes because not only did i use the breathing,i used some of the positions to help throughout the labour, and this is why they say he came out so alert and was albe to latch on for feeding straight away so a big thank you from me, glen & Ty for your help and i look forward to seeing you for baby yoga in a few weeks time. 

Annie and baby Stanley

I had always been told that it would be difficult for me to conceive and having been regularly tested over the years had decided that life had other things in store so to find out I was pregnant at 42 came as something of a shock.  Pregnancy yoga was a huge help in giving me some space each week to really think about my pregnancy.  I cried bit wet hot tears one week during one of the breathing exercises just thinking about the amazing change going on inside me.

The birth itself wasn’t quite as planned.   A week before my due date I started experiencing some discomfort.  It came and went and having never been here before I thought it was Braxton Hicks even though something else had been happening previously that I’d thought was Braxton Hicks.  Turned out it was early labour pains.  For various reasons the night I went into labour I was on my own.  Cup of tea led to hot bath with ujia and golden thread breath keeping me company until I called Jenni at around 5am.  She came over straight away and I don’t think I’ve ever been so pleased to see anyone.  Jenni helped me fit the tens machine, timed my contractions, suggested different positions and helped me with the breathing.  We drove to the hospital in the most beautiful dawn light.  I needed to stand during labour and remember the staff introducing themselves very slowly and at some length.  Contractions were coming every minute and I don’t think we ever got to the end of an introduction before the next wave came.  Jenni helped me get through each contraction and let the pain go.  I wanted air and stood by the window, there was a gorgeous early morning mist outside.

My blood pressure had been completely reliable until this moment when it chose to rocket.  I was fully dilated but the baby wasn’t in the right position and somehow I knew what was coming.  Jenni stayed with me throughout and listened to what I wanted when the number of medical staff around me escalated.  When we eventually got to the point of the cesarian I remember the senior medic to be very authoritative and to have lilac eyes (that may have been the drugs) and Jenni next to me in green scrubs.  She told me to put myself and my baby somewhere nice and I put us on a beach in Goa.  Throughout all that was going on around me I walked along that beach at the waters edge with my baby in the late afternoon sun, focusing on the breathing and the sun on my face and one step after another in the warm sand.

We heard him crying and then the midwife said, ‘You’ve got a Stanley!’.  He was brought over and Jenni held him to me, he was all big ruby lips and nose.  I was wearing a vest and they put him inside so he was next to my skin, a tiny tiny 7lb 2oz baby, fast asleep.  Jenni stayed with us until my mum arrived a few hours later, that bit’s all a bit of a blur.

Stanley’s lying next to me in his basket as I type this – he’s eight weeks old now and has been growing his eyelashes this week.

Yoga was a huge part of my pregnancy and quite simply helped to bring Stanley into the world – it would have been a very different experience without it.

Amy and baby Michael

I firstly wanted to thank you for the wonderful course as it really helped me when I gave birth to my little boy Michael (11 days late). I used the golden thread breath during my contractions and it really helped focus me through the pain and to stay relaxed- I figured that each contraction lasted about 16-18 of those breaths and the pain peaked from about 8-12 so I could tell myself at 2 that it was going to be only a little bit more and at 14 that it was almost done!

Forgot to tell you thanks for the couples workshop as well! James laughed when you said about not forgetting to breathe (how can anyone forget to breathe?) and to practice breathing together- but when I was in labour and wanted to push the midwife told me to keep breathing and wait as long as possible before we started pushing- so James would breathe with me and help me fight the urge to push- which he would never have done without your course! He wasn’t laughing at the end- and has even told his friends when they have babies they need to remember to breathe!
 
The midwife told me at the end that I gave birth as if it was my second or third baby and not my first as I was calm, didn’t talk and just breathed throughout my contractions (I was strapped to my bed with a fetal monitor so couldn’t do any of the yoga moves- but I rocked back and forth and remembered you saying to let your body guide you). I went from 6-10cm in an hour and only pushed for half an hour as well. Overall my birth was so positive and I really think you had a big hand in that through the yoga and couples courses!

Jane and baby Fraser

Fraser was born on Mothers' Day weighing 7lb 11oz. Tell you what!; Golden thread breath and the mountain visualisation  saved me!! Got to 7cm without any pain relief but then had an  epidural because he wasn't tolerating the contractions so had to be  helped out with forceps. Was a good experience though. Thank you so  much for everything, it really helped. I love him so much.
 

Kerrin and baby Arabella

We have had our little princess! She came on my due date. The experience was so precious. She weighed 7lb 10oz and is so beautiful. The yoga classes were perfect and they were amazed at how positive and controlled I was, it was an amzing birth. We loved every minute of it and are still in shock, she is just fab. I told the midwives about picturing a train when the contractions start and each one is a step closer to baby. They said they have never seen anyone so in control, positive and calm for their first baby. Thank you for being our labour inspiration.

Clare and Baby Jack

I gave birth to Jack George Wilby on Sunday morning at 7.59, he weighed in at 7lb 2 oz, the birth was okay I managed with just gas and air and gave birth in the pool. I used my golden thread continually which really helped, I had the birth I wanted and am very pleased with the result!

Thanks very much for all the help and advise in the classes, hope to see you at baby yoga with Jack, can you send me details of when the classes are please.

Kerry and baby Callum

Baby callum born in pool at women's on 24th oct - 10 lb !! explains the size of the bump anyway. Much better experience than the first time - just tens machine, gas & air and plenty of golden thread breaths to get me through. Callum was feeding happily after a few hours and home the next day.
Tell ladies to try for the pool - it made such a massive difference - just couldn't find any comfy positions this time - until i hit the water!

Petra and baby Marcus

We had our son Marcus, born on 16th December, at 11.02, weighing in at 8lb and 13 oz. He is doing really well and we are absolutely delighted. Although Christmas was chaotic, it was also absolutely lovely having Marcus with us. He was born 2 weeks overdue, I was induced after started to bleed in the morning but the labour was straightforward. From about 10 am till about 4 or 5 pm I managed just with breathing, yoga practice proved to be very useful indeed. Spent most of my time on birthing ball and then managed with gas and air. It was what people would call an easy labour, although a bit exhausting at the end. But it was worth it and I was really glad for all that I've learned during yoga classes because it made the whole experience much easier for me...

Zoe and baby Leo

Kirsten and baby Scarlett

I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl on the 11th of January :) We called her Scarlett and she weighed 7 lbs 1oz. Me and baby are both doing good, and my other daughter Joslin is really happy with her little sister. Thank you so much for all the relaxation/breathing techniques we learned in the yoga class and couples workshop, it really helped me through the labour, and kept my anxiety levels low. I managed to stay at home most of the day and Scarlett was delivered only 2 hours after getting to the hospital. When i was in labour with Joslin I wanted a natural birth as possible, but the midwife convinced me i wouldn't cope and I ended up having pethidine, its something I always regretted. This time around i used a tens at home and just gas and air at the hospital, which I was so happy about :)

Helen and baby Ted

By text: 9lb 5oz baby boy. Amazing delivery! Yoga breaths both golden thread and ujiya were fundamentel and so was the camel walk. Also, bizarrley did mad sideways kicking... Deep oohs and contraction peaks and some fairly scary growling during the secong stage! It all really helped!

Alana and baby Blaithin

We had a wee baby girl on sunday 5th october at 2.21pm, weighing a healthy 7lb 4 ounces. it was meant to be a c-section on monday because the baby was breech, but out popped a perfect wee girl one day early! she almost did 'pop' out, the entire thing from waters breaking to her being born was 41 minutes, with her wee leg out before I got to the hospital! that was a bit scarey to say the least, rolling around the ground outside the hospital thinking 'don't panic, you went to yoga, you can do this!' apparently i must have slept through the first stage of labour, i was already at the pushing stage when my waters broke! i am famous in the womans hospital in liverpool at the minute, because i was rushed up to the delivery suite as an emergency, with one leg out... once i got on the bed, the rest of the baby came out in 16 mins, the other leg, then bum, then body then head - totally unplanned and very uncommon as far as births go. i think they do carry out breech births naturally there, but only when it's bum first......our wee girl was keen to show them how to do it differently!

the thing is though, i'd do it all again in a second, because, even as scarey as it was at the time, we now have the most perfect gorgeous little girl, who is so good, and already, even after a week, has developed a wee personality. it is hard work having a baby, mostly just because of tiredness, but we couldn't have wished for anything more special than this.
we couldnt be happier at the moment, its such a nice feeling and we find ourselves being so protective already!

Emily and baby Sadie

Our little girl, Sadie Bell was three weeks old yesterday. In the end, she was 5 days late, but made up for that with a super speedy delivery - 6.5 hours from first contraction on the way home from the midwife where I'd had a sweep to birth, and I only made it into the hospital 50 minutes before she was born with me on all fours on the bed. I was so pleased - managed just with gas and air, and the experience couldn't have been more different than with my first son Noah. I really think the yoga helped, I was doing my golden thread breaths throughout and the other ones (no idea how to spell ujiaya!!!) were very handy in the car on the way to hospital when suddenly contractions had accelerated to every 2 minutes, Positions were great, did the camel walk - it was good! Swished my tail about etc etc. The experience left me thinking a third baby is not out of the question, and if we did I'd be brave enough to try for a home birth.

Natalie and baby Samuel

I want to tell you about the birth of my beautiful baby boy Samuel.  Unfortunately I didn't have the birth that I wanted as I had to be induced and Sam eventually arrived 12 days late on 10th September.  Although I ended up having a spinal block and a forceps delivery I had been managing in established labour on gas and air and the breathing techniques taught be you, particularly golden thread breath and the "walking up a mountain" visualisation.  Stephen said that I was extremely calm and focused and that the yoga seemed to definitely help me.  The couples workshop especially helped Stephen to prepare for the labour and he gave me great support and the odd massage as well.  Unfortunately Sam was reluctant to come out and turned hence the intervention.  But, he was definitely worth it and we are now getting to grips with being a family of 3.

Shabina and baby Idrees

I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy Idrees Ali on the 17th September, he weighed 7lb and I was in labour for 8 hours. I had no stitches, just gas and air and no epidural...yaay! Thanks to your classes I had the birth I wanted and would do it all again in an instant!

Jodi and Neve

Well what a positive and wonderful experience labour was – I want to do it all again! We had a beautiful daughter on Saturday 9th August weighing 8lb 9.5oz and her name is Neve.
 
I used golden thread breath and all fours positioning mostly and by focusing on my safe place and memory and knowledge from your classes, this definately got me through it!
 
As you may remember, I had planned on a home birth and had the birthing pool ready in a room at home. But at term + 10 days, the hospital wanted to induce and the community midwives aren’t keen on home delivery this late. So after a few tears, I had some Prostin gel at midday on Friday 8th Aug. in Ormskirk Hospital.
 
Paul had to go home by 9pm as I was on the ante-natal ward.  Contractions arrived quickly at every 2 minutes at 11.30pm. The ward was quiet and dark as the other women were asleep. After examining at midnight, I was just 2cm and couldn’t move to the delivery suite, where Paul could join me, until I was 3cm. So I focused myself to just get ready for a long night of labouring by my bed. By 5.30am I needed a progress report after 6 hours of 2 min contractions, so asked to be examined – to everyones shock I was 9cm dilated! Managed this with just my TENS and a dark and lonely ward!!!!
 
I was rushed into the delivery suite by wheelchair and had to call Paul on my mobile on the way. Delivered the amniotic sac intact at 10cm. Started pushing at 7am and with just the TENS, etonox, positioning and breathing techniques Neve arrived at 10.57am. Paul was told to not talk the whole way through! I just wanted his arm to squeeze and that was it.
 
I lost 1500mls of blood so had to stay in for 2 days but we are settled and loving every minute at home now.

Gemma and baby Joshua

By text: Baby Joshua was born today after 20 hours labour using gas and air and lots of breathing. The 'train pulling into the station', squatting techniques, camel walking and pushing on the foot board in the last stages all helped so much. Couldn't have done it without yoga.

Laura and baby Marla

Our lovely baby girl, Marla arrived in the small hours on 7 June. She is much harder work than I had ever anticipated... hence the delay in letting you know! But we are getting better with each day as we get to know one and other.

I have left it long enough to have reach that stage were the birth seems like nothing at all! But I probably did have a relatively easy time of it. Contractions started at about 1am on Friday morning and were about 15 -20 mins apart straight away. I used the Tens machine at this stage and found it really helpful. At around 8pm Id had a couple of contractions that were 5 mins apart... probably not enough to satisfy the midwives that I needed to go in , but my nerves were well and truly gone so we got on our way. My instincts were right, as as soon as we got into the car they were regularly 5-3 mins apart. We got to the hospital and luckily the pool was free. I didn't intend to have her in the pool but it all happened so quickly I had no choice! Her head actually came out while the midwife was not in the room... terrifying! She was born at 1am on Sat morning- a petite 6lb 2.

Throughout the labour the most useful yoga technique for me was the breathing. Positions went out of my head as everything happened so quickly! Having been quite shy about making loud noises to accompany the breathing in class all inhibitions went out of the window during labour and I did some very long oohs that felt instinctively like it was assisting gravity.

Ben was amazing throughout. I think the couples class definitely helped him understand what I was going through, and prepared him for the strange noises I was making!

Thank you so much, your yoga classes really helped make my pregnancy a happy and healthy experience. I'm looking forward to you meeting Marla when she is big enough (and Im brave enough) to venture out to baby yoga.

Christina and baby George

I had a lovely second birth. It was long, but having a doula there made me feel reassured through it all. It was like having a guardian angel to look over me. My waters broke in the morning but contractions took a while to get going and after a walk in the park and some gentle hip rocking everything was moving about 10pm.

Jenni came to my house to help me labour at home and then when it was time, helped me to the hospital. We had already gone through my birth plan, so Jenni knew exactly what I wanted. She was able to let the midwives know my birth plan and make sure that my requests were catered for if possible. Jenni was a constant emotional support whilst midwife shifts changed. Having a doula not only provided support to me, but also to my husband. He felt more relaxed having someone else there. It also meant that he could pop out for some food as the labour was quite lengthy! Throughout the labour I tried to say mobile and took trips to the loo throughout the night and got onto all fours on the bed when it felt right.

The preparation I had done through Yoga, especially the golden thread breath, and talking with Jenni gave me confidence in my own ability to have a good birth. She has a gift for helping people believe in themselves and find their own inner strength. As a result of this I never felt scared during labour and just knew that everything would be alright – and it was. Baby George was born at 4pm and he arrived big and healthy (9lb 5.5) and after a 14 hour labour I was so relieved and proud and upbeat (a far cry from first time round.

I would describe my birth as beautiful, which I don’t believe it would have been if I had not had the constant emotional support. So much so that when baby number 2, George, was only a couple of weeks old I started to think about having a third! We’ll see… but for now I’m just happy that I have such a happy, contented baby.

Anne and Maybelle

My first experience of child birth had left me feeling very anxious about the impending second one. It had been a hospital birth with some complications and although I had planned a water birth with as few interventions as possible, I had ended up with an epidural and an assisted birth. I started attending Jenni’s prenatal yoga classes and very soon began to see that Jenni was helping me to feel that there was a more positive experience to aim for. I decided to ask Jenni to be my Doula and talking to her more and reading some material she gave me helped me to feel much more ready and in control of this birth which I decided to try and have at home in a birthing pool.
When my water’s broke at home I still wasn’t having contractions so when I rang the midwife just to let her know I expected her to tell me to keep her posted. However as I couldn’t remember feeling the baby move that day she asked me to attend the Women’s Hospital for a trace. Once there the contractions started and as they decided they weren’t satisfied with the first trace I had to hang around an hour and have the test repeated. Jenni joined me at this stage and I used the Golden Thread breathing throughout the process.

After about 3 or 4 hours they finally said I could go home by which time the contractions were coming every minute or two but I was using Jenni’s techniques to stay calm and in control. It made us laugh when the midwife told me to come back if I didn’t go in to labour but we wanted to be out of there so we didn’t point out that labour was obviously well under way.

Jenni drove me home while my partner dropped my little boy’s overnight bag around at friends and the irony of us dashing AWAY from the hospital was not lost on me. It was a car journey I’ll be happy never to repeat as I felt every bump in the road and was trying hard to concentrate on my breathing. By the time I got home I could barely speak and just went straight into our living room and knelt by the sofa. Jenni was doing her best to find things (candles, cushions etc) to help me to be comfortable but I didn’t feel able to direct her as I was so absorbed. I have to admit that I now doubted that I could go through with the home birth. The midwives were on their way but I began to feel the urge to push. In fact there was no way that I could’ve done anything else. Jenni was being brilliant, reassuring me that I could do it and being a calming influence.

Half an hour after getting home Maybelle came out with only a couple of pushes and Jenni caught her. The inflated birthing pool remained unfilled in the corner and all the other things we had prepared to ease the experience remained unused. I had knelt through the whole thing and found it a totally natural position to be in. Jenni and Mark helped me roll over into a sitting position and the placenta came out quite naturally about 10 minutes later so we were all sitting in a mind-blown, euphoric, if somewhat messy, state when the midwives turned up soon after.

I did have some tearing so they were able to give me stitches at home and I finally got to use the gas and air. It was great being at home; I just went and had a bath, got into my pj’s and collapsed with my partner and new baby in front of the telly.

My second experience of child birth couldn’t have been more different from the first. I now know how women say the pain/trauma quickly fades, it hadn’t done the first time around but now I just look back on Maybelle’s arrival with awe, wonder and pride. It was amazing! Jenni has to take a lot of responsibility for that as she helped me to have a totally different mental attitude, gave me tools to use to stay in control as well as being a calming presence and a good catch!

Rachel and baby Lou

Lou was born at 7am on a Wednesday morning in July. Her full name is Lucy, which means ‘bringer of light’ which seemed the right choice given the time of her arrival. I had a very positive experience giving birth to Lou. She was four days late so I opted to have a membrane sweep where the midwife told me I was already dilated. I went home and by early evening I had gone to bed with my TENS machine on. I kept this on throughout the whole labour. It may me feel I was in some way ‘in control’. However perhaps of even greater use was the advice and training Jenni had shared with us in the antenatal yoga sessions. I tried to keep as ‘active’ as possible on the bed – changing positions to find some relief and to while away the time! I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees, rocking from side to side and chanting – all good tips from Jenni! I also found slow, relaxed breathing to be of great help. Later on in my labour I used the golden thread visualisation I had learnt in my yoga classes.

I was helped through all this by two very supportive midwifes. But it was my partner Dan who was the biggest help. He brought a CD player and organised all the tunes! He even had oils and massaged my back. So all in all I was very lucky as I had a great team helping me along! And of course Lou had her role to play. She was born after only 6 hours active labour, and only one hour pushing. She went on the breast more or less immediately. I only had one small tear, no stitches required. We were all home that evening and my recovery was very quick.

I really feel the yoga helped me feel positive and calm about giving birth. It aided me through the labour itself and helped me in my recovery. Lou and I have since very much enjoyed baby yoga sessions with Jenni. It’s a lovely time to spend with your baby and you learn songs and moves you can do at home with them. But possibly the best part of it has been meeting friends from the antenatal classes and sharing the ups and downs of being a new parent.

Lyndal and baby Cameron

Our baby boy, Cameron John, 9lb 6oz was born at home on Tues 25th march at 10.30pm - I used the tens machine, then I used the pool for ages before deciding to get out to see if we could speed things along. As i suspected in yoga class, all of the breathing techniques and especially the downward groaning noises on the out breath were a huge help for me and I really couldn't have handled the intense contractions without them.

After getting out of the pool I followed my instincts and took up all sorts of weird and wonderful semi-upright positions - leaning forward on the stairs with one leg on the second step to widen my pelvis was a particular favourite for a while... before putting myself to bed to rest in between contractions – I’d been up since 4am with mild but regular pains and I was absolutely shattered!!!

The pain in my back was really intense, we later realised that this was because Cameron's head was flexed instead of tucked into his chest so with every contraction his head was being pushed into my sacrum. Eventually ti started using the Gas & Air. Vicky (my midwife) did an internal & saw I was 8cm but my fore waters hadn't gone -- we chose to put some pressure on the bag during the next contraction which popped them & after finding meconium I was given a short time to get the baby out before Vicky would be calling an ambulance to transfer me in. This was the motivation I needed to really push my little heart out & soon after Cam was born on my bedroom floor. The Gas & Air was a god send just at the end, couldn't have handled the final push without it.

Vicky could not believe the size of him and neither could I (9lb 6oz) if we had have been in hospital I would have been sure that there was a mix up & he'd been swapped - but as it is there's no denying he's ours, just can't believe it when I look at him that just over a week ago he fit in my belly, it just doesn't seem possible.... I am getting used to a new routine but loving every minute.

Cheryl and baby Luke

I had my baby on the 31 march which was my due date I cant believe it!

It went like this: I started to get a show on Saturday morning and felt really irritable and I had cramps in my belly and back. It lasted all day then at midnight I started to get contractions which weren't too bad but were not regular either. I got up at 6am and they stopped altogether. I decided to go for a walk and when I got back in the house at 4pm (just in time for the derby to start) my contractions came back full wack to every 4 to 5 mins lasting ages. I called midwife about 6pm and when she came, which was about 8ish I was 4cm dialated and my cervix was paper thin. I used golden thread breath, which has always been my favourite, my tens machine, birthing ball which I lived on and about 1/2 tank of gas and air. At about 10ish I felt I needed to push as the pressure underneath was strong but when i got onto the bed she said I was only 5cm. I thought "no way" and wanted to get out of the house or for someone else to swap places with me, while Ihad a rest. ha ha.

I still felt like pushing and my body took over a bit later on. Luke was born at 1am monday morning, weighing 6lb 15oz, it took a while for him to come out but I gave birth on my bed on my 2 knees with Ste and a midwife holding me up. The pool was already to go but I just didn’t want to get in it for some reason, it felt like a bad idea at the time, I know why it seemed like a bad idea now, baby had passed a poo in my belly and I wouldn’t have been able to give birth in pool anyway. We think he is just gorgeous.

Neelima and baby Roshan

Baby roahan was born in the early hours of Friday morning. I attended pregnancy yoga from 20weeks and enjoyed it so much that I signed up for three consecutive courses. However I have no doubt that my final class was the most valuable. I'd had niggling back pain all day and found the evening class very relaxing. Little did I know that six hours later I would be on labour ward being told that I was already 9cm dilated! With hindsight I realise that I must have been in labour all day long and the yoga class served as excellent preparation.

The remainder of my labour and delivery were helped enormously by putting into practice some of the tools I'd learned about through yoga. A few hours later with the help of some gas and air and well rehearsed breathing techniques, our beautiful baby boy arrived.

I'm now gladly anticipating baby yoga with him!