During pregnancy, its important to look after yourself.  Gentle exercise is a great way to keep healthy and there are so many antenatal classes out there to choose from.  Its not just about the health benefits of taking regular exercise during your pregnancy, but it is a great way to meet other expectant mums and gives you something in that busy week of yours that is just for you – an hour of your week to focus on you, nothing else.

Pregnancy yoga, is a great option.  I got to meet the lovely Claudine from Yoga Seeds in Bagshot recently and asked her a few questions about the benefits of Yoga during pregnancy.

What service do you offer?

I offer yoga for pregnancy, meditation and relaxation and general yoga classes. I am also a somatic movement coach and specialize in helping people with pain and restricted movement.

Where are you located?

I teach from my home yoga space, Yoga Seeds in Bagshot

How long have you been doing your job and what made you get into this profession?

I have been teaching for over six years at Yoga Seeds and for a few years before that at leisure centres, private gyms and community spaces. I came to yoga following an injury back in 1998, and I was immediately hooked!

What do you love most about your job?

What I love most about what I do is that it doesn’t feel like a job. I’m very fortunate to be in the business of helping people feel better, and it’s always so rewarding to see people walk out at the end of a session renewed and refreshed.

How do mum to be/mums benefit from your services?

Mums-to-be in the second and third trimester can join us for group yoga classes specifically for pregnancy, where we focus on movement, breathing, relaxation and visualisation. These classes are great way to connect with your unborn baby, and spend quality time relaxing together. We also focus on birth preparation, with specific movement and breathing practices to help prepare for labour.  For women trying to conceive or in the first trimester I recommend my mediation and relaxation class, which is perfect for this time – and it’s free!

I often have new mums come back to continue their practice after they’ve had their baby (sometimes the husbands come instead!). My somatic yoga classes are perfect for the postnatal body as they are based on gentle, targeted movements, which encourage awareness from the inside out, and help women connect back with themselves.

If you had to give one piece of advice to expectant mums/mums regarding what you do, what would it be?

The main advice I offer all my clients is to take regular and planned time out to for yourself doing something that allows you to release tension, completely relax and to be present. We often don’t realise the full effects of modern life on our wellbeing, and when you’re pregnant or have a new baby it’s even more important, because it’s no longer just about us!

Finally, how do we find out more?

For more information about classes and workshops, visit www.yogaseeds.co.uk or contact me: claudine@yogaseeds.co.uk, 01276 452489.