Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Birthlight Conference in Cambridge and I got to share the stage with some very inspirational women.  The theme of the day was "Creating community around birth: communication that makes a difference" and each speaker contributed with some wonderful studies, thoughts and experiences with an audience of around 70 birth workers.

After Francoise Freedman, founder of Birthlight, opened the conference, Alison Baum from Best Beginnings spoke about her journey of becoming involved in supporting new parents as they embark on motherhood.  There are some wonderful resources on their website and they have just released a brand new app for parents called Baby Buddy and I know they would love some feedback on the functions from both parents and birth workers.   More>

Dr Amali Lokugamage, Birthlight Trustee, has been shortlisted for a NHS London Leadership Award under the "inclusivity" category for her work in humanising birth.

Her work includes at a hospital level a patient experience project called Footprints of Birth which hopes to evoke empathy, compassion and understanding of human rights in healthcare in health professionals; being on the steering committee for a Compassion conference at her hospital; and completing training with the Institute of Leadership and Management as a Human Rights in Healthcare Champion.  More> 

Birthlight will be at the London YOGA Show 2014, stand H6, 24/25/26 October at London, Olympia. If you're attending please drop by and say Hello.

If you'd like to assist birthlight and could volunteer for a few hours to help with the stand then we'd really appreciate the help and can give you a free ticket. Please contact Sylvie sylvie@birthlight.com to confirm. For details of the show and ticket information see their website.    More>

It's now been 7 years since our first Birthlight Infant Aquatics training in Moscow.  Since then, we have moved forward in dolphin leaps and bounds with many groups of new teachers in Moscow and also in St Petersburg.
 
Our long standing idea of filming our new DVD in Moscow took a concrete form last August with the opportunity to work with the skillful and dedicated production wife-husband team of Olga and Victor. 
  
News too of our next International Conference in 2016 (water) and Aqualight handbooks. This mini-series of Aqualight Handbooks produced by birthlight give detailed descriptions with photographs showing how a birthing pool, tub or even shallow water in a pubic pool can be used during pregnancy, leading up to a water birth, postnatally as well as simple steps showing how to introduce your newborn baby to water.  More>

I fell in love with yoga in my early 20's. Here was a non-competitive form of exercise which made me feel great, physically and emotionally. I loved that yoga wasn't just about exercise and that my vegetarianism and personal philosophy were so well aligned to yoga. My father was a GP and my mum,  a nurse, I have always been interested in how the body works, nutrition and complementary medicine. 

 

In my early 20's I trained as a massage therapist and a reflexologist and often bring my knowledge of these areas into my classes. I set up a pampering business with a friend and worked in the evenings running pamper nights and 5 days a week in banking.  More>

On Sally's recent visit to Moscow she was asked to run a dance workshop for pregnant women and Birthlight teachers. It was a great success with fun had by all, we hope you are inspired by the clips to join us and experience for yourself the benefits for pregnancy and birth and how you can incorporate the moves into your own teachings.

This is a new venture for Birthlight, Sally and her daughter Kayla (a professional dancer and Birthlight teacher) have been gathering ideas and inspiration from dances around the world. Thank you to Amali Lokugmage and her teacher Vipuli and all involved with the Sri Lankan dance clips you can see on Birthlight's website.  We have been inspired to look at dances depicting everyday activities in women's lives and to explore the nurturing quality of  movement sequences in circles.

We will be offering a CPD day to teach you the dances, discuss the benefits, how to include dance in your classes and how to plan a dance workshop.  You do not need to have any special dance abilities, just come and enjoy our fun, warm up, energising dances and wonderful relaxation. Please let us know if you are interested in organising or attending a CPD day and we will be there!

Why not join us at our next Yoga Dance CPD Day on Saturday 22 November 2014, 10.00am - 4.00pm at Parkside Place Community Fire Station in Cambridge, UK    More information and booking.

"Thank you, Sally Lomas, for the great time we had during your dancing workshop! Me and my baby really enjoyed it! I hope, you'll bring some more dances to Moscow!"
  
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We'd like to send warm Birthlight wishes to our international friends celebrating the anniversary of setting up their centres.

It's the 10th Anniversary of Yoga Moves in Utrecht, congratulations to Hilary Brown and the Yoga Moves team

We'd also like to join Marion is wishing High Five Yoga in China a happy first 'birthday'

 

This month we're starting a new feature 'Talk Point'.  We'll be raising a discussion theme on the birthlight forum, with background information, and inviting discussion with birthlight members and non-members alike.

Our first topic is 'co-sleeping', Françoise opens the discussion, we'd love to hear your views.

Have you co-slept with your baby? have you travelled to places where co-sleeping is the norm?
If you are expecting a baby or if you teach prenatal or baby classes, what do other parents to be and parents think about co-sleeping around you?

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Once again Birthlight was invited to teach at the Rainbow Kids Yoga training in Ebbio, Italy this summer. It's been a very successful collaboration and we look forward to working together again in the future.  One of the students Lisa has already started teaching and sent this very happy message on facebook. Well done Lisa and congratulations to all the graduates, welcome to Birthlight.     More>

It has been confirmed that some of our courses can count as CPD for registered teachers Yoga Alliance UK

These are courses which are taught by a birthlight tutor registered with Yoga Alliance as a SYT.


Childbirth Preparation      -     8-9 November, Cambridge, UK  (tutor Sally Lomas)
Aquanatal Yoga Level 1    -     29-31 October, Cambridge, UK  (tutor Françoise Freedman)
Aqua Yoga Therapy           -     1-2 November, Cambridge, UK  (tutor Françoise Freedman)
Perinatal Yoga Level 3       -    29 November, London, UK  (tutor Françoise Freedman)
Postnatal Yoga                   -    28-29 September, Utrecht, Netherlands (tutor Kirsteen Ruffell)
Postnatal Yoga                   -    10-11 January, London, UK  (tutor Françoise Freedman)
Postnatal Yoga                   -    28-29 June, London, UK  (tutor Kirsteen Ruffell)

We now have a video clip from the new Birthlight DVD  - 'Birthlight: Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond'. Produced by Birthlight founder Françoise Freedman and Krystal Nash.

This DVD programme focuses on the unique techniques of adapted yoga, moving postures, micro movements, breathing awareness, spinal alignment and flowing movement to help women experience the best pregnancy possible. Yoga classes.

More information and ordering

Price £14.99 (UK Shipping is included, additional shipping charge for EU and worldwide)

Birthlight: Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond DVD

Perinatal Yoga Part 1 9-12 October 2014 Liverpool, UK Birthlight offers original adaptations of classic yoga practices for women from pre-conception through to nine months after childbirth. We strive to enable women to give birth with minimal intervention but we acknowledge that this may not be possible for all women. What we value most is the physical and emotional nurturing of pregnant women so that they can approach labour and birth with calm confidence, energised from a vibrant core strength and with full use of their breathing capacity. 'Mothering the mother' is an essential foundation for a woman's ability to nurture her baby. Birthlight has been a pioneer course provider in Yoga for Pregnancy and Birth since the 1990s. Course Prerequisites: This Diploma course in Perinatal yoga is accessible to qualified yoga teachers, birthlight teachers, medical professionals and health professionals with yoga experience. Booking and more info	Baby Swimming CPD 26 October 2014 Hainford, Norfolk, UK Sensory integration in swimming and  submersion. Understanding the effects of sensory processing in the aquatic environment.   The day will include: - An overview of sensory integration dysfunction - Positive ways to integrate adults and children with sensory integration dysfunction within our classes. - Submersion and Sensory integration - A look at understanding sensory  processing for young babies in the aquatic environment. Course Prerequisites: Open to Birthlight teachers only - all Baby Swimming Level 1 and 2 teachers, Infant Aquatics Diploma holders and Infant Aquatics Advanced Level teachers. One CPD every 2 years is mandatory for all Birthlight teachers. Booking and more info	Perinatal Yoga Level 3 29 November 2014 London, UK Level 3 courses are explorations of yoga practice in relation to both anatomy/physiology and scientific research. Each course is both informative and experiential. Yoga for optimal hormonal balance in pregnancy, birth and the postpartum. The day will include: - a mapping of critical times in pregnancy when women can benefit most from yoga, drawing on both physiological charts and a three decades of teaching experience - a presentation of neuro-endocrinian processes in a format that is accessible and helpful for teachers of yoga for pregnancy and birth - a special focus on oxytocin and cortisol in relation to maternal emotions and mother-fetus interaction - 'on the mat' yoga practices and adaptations at different stages in pregnancy - 'off the mat' yoga practices that mums to be can use readily for centring and re-balancing themselves - Instant practices for turning points in labour - Postpartum stabilising with simple yoga Course Prerequisites: Level 3 short courses are intended to offer resources for deepening and expanding the teachings of yoga teachers already experienced in offering yoga for pregnancy, birth preparation and postnatal yoga classes. Birthlight trained teachers have priority for booking but we also welcome yoga teachers and therapists who have trained with reputable course providers in the UK or in other countries. Booking and more info

In this month's competition we're offering you the chance to win a copy of 'Yoga Sadhana for Mothers' written by Sharmila Desai and Birthlight teacher Anna Wise. 

Anna has included Birthlight's Steps to Postnatal Recovery within the book. There are also special credits to Birthlight for inspirations with the adaptations of Sadhana during pregnancy for those practising Ashtanga yoga who want to continue safely.

Yoga Sadhana for Mothers is far more than just a 'how-to' yoga manual. Although the book includes clear, illustrated guidelines on modifying the Ashtanga yoga primary series during pregnancy, at its heart are intimate first-hand accounts from prominent members of the Ashtanga yoga community of their experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Additional material includes interviews with the Jois family and essential guidance for pregnancy and postnatal care. Beautifully presented, with treasured family photos alongside yoga photography, this is an inspiring, essential guide for any yoga student, yoga teacher - and mother.

For your chance to win the book simply email your entry to  valerie@birthlight.com with the subject line "yoga sadhana competition" by 30 September (don't forget to include your name and address).  Good Luck!