Hope this finds you well and enjoying the sunshine – we’ve been practising the cooling breath in classes and I thought it might be worth posting a reminder of the technique as we move into July (and hopefully more lovely summer weather!).  There’s also a few changes to classes I teach (days, times, summer holidays), information on the use of misoprostol for induction of labour (particularly relevant to those attending Homerton Hospital), and a request from a mum who has a great nanny she’d like to share.  And if this is the first time you’ve received the blog, you can look back and find info on a host of topics that have come up previously.

New Classes/Times:

Antenatal Yoga
Yoga Home
Wednesday evenings, 7.00 – 8.30pm
Sunday mornings, 10.00am – 12 noon

Yoga Body Centre
Friday lunch time, 1.15-2.45pm
(last class before summer holiday Friday 16th July, back September)

Postnatal Yoga (with baby)
Yoga Home – currently cancelled
(hopefully back in September, day & time to be confirmed)

Yoga Body Centre
Wednesday lunch time, 12.00-1.30pm
(last class before summer holiday Wednesday 21st July, back September)

Cooling Breath:
The practice of Sheetali Pranayama (cooling breath) can be great at this  time of year to help cool both body and mind. It’s believed to affect important brain centres, one of which is associated with temperature regulation.  As well as being used to help cool the body, it can reduce mental and emotional excitation, whilst inducing muscular relaxation and mental tranquility – so is also good as a ‘tranquiliser’ before sleep.

Begin by sitting in a comfortable position with the hands on the knees or in any of the mudra we’ve learned in class.  Close the eyes, relax the body and bring the awareness to your natural breath.  Take a few breaths, making sure the breath is smooth and even, before moving on to the cooling breath.  When you’re ready extend your tongue outside the mouth (without strain), roll the sides up to form a tube and inhale by drawing the breath in through the rolled tongue – the breath should produce a sound similar to rushing wind.  At the end of the inhalation, draw the tongue back in and close the mouth.  Exhale through the nose – you should feel coolness on the tongue and the roof of the mouth.  One breath in and out is one round.  Begin with 6-9 rounds – if it feels uncomfortable or forced, you may want to take a couple of natural breaths in between rounds.  Gradually increase to 15 rounds, which should be enough, though it can be increased further (in very hot weather up to 60 rounds!!!).  It’s not advised to practice this if you suffer from the following conditions:  low blood pressure, respiratory problems (such as asthma), excessive mucus (can be common in pregnancy), chronic constipation.  If in doubt, drop me an email and ask.

For those of you who can’t roll the tongue (ability to do or not is genetic), you can use the equally effective hissing breath (seetkari pranayama) instead.  To practice this, lightly hold the teeth together and separate the lips to expose the teeth.  Inhale through the teeth and at the end of the inhale, close the mouth and exhale through the nose.  The same benefits and warnings apply – but with the additional benefit of keeping the teeth and gums healthy!

Use of Misoprostol during Induction of Labour
As you may be aware there has been some debate about the use of misoprostol during induction of labour.  Homerton hospital has routinely been using misoprostol since January 2009 and recently some concerns were raised at Homerton’s Maternity Services Liaison Committee.  These concerns are mainly centred around the lack of information given and the available alternatives in order that women can make a fully informed decision.

At present misoprostol is not licensed in this country for use in pregnancy and there are issues regarding the dosage accuracy (it comes in 100 or 200 microgram tablets, but depending on what you read only 20-50mg is recommended for induction of labour – it’s reported that the cutting of the tablet can make the accuracy of the dosage difficult).   The NCT has a position statement on the use of misoprostol on their website.  They also contributed to the NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) guidelines, key recommendations from which are included in the NCT position statement.  You can read the full statement at http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/press-office/position-statements/pregnancyandbirth, but to summarise for you:  misoprostol is not recommended for induction of labour of a live baby, unless in the context of a clinical trial, which of course is the case at Homerton.

While clinical trials are important in the advance of medical science, it’s important to be informed.  Not wishing to scaremonger, but if you are overdue and induction is a possibility at Homerton, do check out these reports and find out about the alternatives beforehand.  When discussing your induction, be sure to ask about the risks associated with misoprostol, and if you decide to take part in the trial, request adequate records are kept (your notes should document appropriately informed consent, dosage, method of administration and side effects).

Fantastic Nanny – to share from September 2010:
Rachel Cransnow has sent in the following:  “We have a great nanny who has been with us for over 5 yrs and we would like to share her with another local family for 4 days a week:  Monday to Thursday.  The share would be with our contented 1 yr old daughter, starting from September, following the end of our current share arrangement.

Our nanny is used to handling the needs of different age ranges and we can highly recommend her in every way.  She is qualified, has a first aid certificate, is CRB checked, and Ofsted registered.  She has worked in the area for many years and is extremely familiar with local playgroups and children’s activities.  She is enthusiastic, loving, calm and entirely trustworthy.  The current share arrangement has worked very well and we hope to find a similarly successful arrangement to carry on.”

If you are interested and would like further details and a chat, please contact Rachel on 0797 1012155.

Unsubscribe:
It’s been a while since I sent out a newsletter and am painfully aware that my contact list may be a bit out of date.  Apologies to anyone for whom this is no longer relevant, and please let me know if you want to be removed – just reply to this and put ‘unsubscribe me’ in the subject heading.

New Babies:
Congratulations to all our classmates who have had their babies recently.  Please do come back and see us to ‘show and tell‘ – whether it went to plan or not, it’s great to be able to learn from each other’s experiences, and of course to see you with your new baby!

Om shanti
Kirsty

I realise that many of you on my mailing list for this particular blog will have had your babies a while ago, but as this contains some info on tomorrow’s ‘Reclaiming Birth’ Rally, I thought you might be interested.

‘RECLAIMING BIRTH’ RALLY, SUNDAY 7 MARCH 2010
The rally will take place at 1pm, GERALDINE MARY HARMSWORTH PARK, Lambeth Road SE1.  This is a golden opportunity to send a very loud and clear message to the government, the media, the Dep’t of Health, and to the public, that the maternity services need to be much higher up the agenda.  The rally is being organised by the NCT, amongst other ogransiations, and you can find more info on their website http://www.nct.org.uk/active/nctactivehome/reclaimingbirth.  The rally will finish with a march on Whitehall to show the strength of feeling!

New Postnatal & Antenatal Classes
I’ve now started 2 daytime classes at a lovely new yoga studio overlooking Clapton Pond (3rd Floor, Regal House, 152/156 Lower Clapton Road).  Classes are on Wednesday afternoons with Postnatal from 12.00-1.15pm and Antenatal from 1.15-2.30pm.  Drop in is £9 but you can get a discount card for 6, 8, or 10 weeks (the more classes you buy, the cheaper it works out).  If you’re interested in coming along or you’d like more info, please contact me:  email to kirsty@travieso.org, or call 07793070520.  Please note if planning to come to postnatal with buggy, you can leave it safely at the Organic Cafe across from the pond (we had hoped to have space on the ground floor but as yet it hasn’t been possible to organise).  More info about the classes and the studio itself is available on their website:  www.yogabodycentre.co.uk.

Unsubcribing from the Blog
If you no longer wish to receive these updates, please let me know and I’ll take you off the mailing list.

Good Luck
As always, all the best to those who are imminently due – do keep us posted.

Om shanti
Kirsty x

We’ve had a fair number of new mums-to-be this month and one of the hot topics of after class chats has been preparation for childbirth classes:

NHS Classes
A good place to start is checking out what’s available from your hospital – these free courses give a practical, factual overview on all aspects of labour and birth. Feedback from mums-to-be has been for the most part very positive.  However, these classes tend not to cover things like breathing, massage, postures, and sometimes discourage you from attending too early.  Most hospitals offer a rotating programme of 4 sessions over 4 weeks, and you can begin on any week (some mums have suggested though that it’s best NOT to begin on week 2).  You can find out the specifics for your hospital from your midwife, or online.  For info, topics are similar to those below, which I’ve copied from Homerton’s website:

1. Normal birth and pain relief
2. Variation of labour and birth
3. Postnatal care, postnatal depression, partner’s role and care of the baby; the crying baby
4. Infant feeding and tour of delivery suite (except UCLH, who are only offering a virtual tour at the moment)

NCT (National Childbirth Trust) Classes/Courses
If you want to learn a bit more, a bit earlier, try the NCT website  www.nct.org.uk.  Their home page has a class finder by postcode, and there’s also an ‘in your area’ section.  These classes are designed for attending with your birth partner, though you can go on your own.  Topic areas usually include:

• pregnancy and birth choices
• choosing where to have your baby
• body awareness, relaxation, breathing and massage
• home births and water births
• what happens in labour and how the baby is born
• pain relief – natural and medical methods
• your labour and the role of your partner in labour
• what complications may arise e.g. caesarian birth
• looking after a newborn and feeding your baby
• early parenting, lifestyle changes

So, while there is some overlap with the NHS classes, these classes are more about informing you so you can make the choices that are right for you and are particularly useful if you want a natural birth.

Feedback I’ve had on NCT classes has been overall very positive, but there has been the odd comment that it very much depends on who you get.  The classes are run both as weekend intensives or over a number of weeks.  Be aware that some mums-to-be have found the intensives a bit too much (not enough chance to take things in and go back with questions).  The great advantage of NCT (or similar, see below) is the chance to meet other mums (and dads)-to-be, and very often the support network and friendships developed during these classes continue beyond pregnancy and birth. These courses fill up very quickly and it’s advisable to contact them as early as possible.

Other Classes in the Area
Julie Summers, who is NCT trained and teaches the Saturday antenatal class at yogahome, runs regular one-off sessions where you and your birth partner can learn about the process of straight-forward labour. The session includes how to support a woman during labour, suggestions for helpful positions, massage, breathing, how to negotiate a birth plan and get the most from the available services. Feedback from these classes have been very positive.  Please call Julie on 07956 890825 for further info and up-and-coming dates.

Bridget Baker is another teacher I can personally recommend (I attended her classes myself).  Feedback from mums-to-be has always been very positive.  Again, Bridget is NCT trained, and she is also the national training co-ordinator for Doula UK.  You can contact her directly via email bridgetbaker@blueyonder.co.uk.

Jessica James also comes highly recommended, and again is NCT trained.  She is also Active Birth trained.  You can contact her via the website www.jessicabirthclasses.co.uk

There are also lots of classes/workshops at the Active Birth Centre (www.activebirthcentre.com) and most yoga studios offer periodic one-offs along similar lines to Julie’s.  I can personally recommend Yoga Junction, Crouch End (www.yogajunction.co.uk).  Check out their websites to find out when their next sessions are running.

If anyone can recommend any others, please let me know and I’ll add to the list.

New Antenatal and Postnatal (mum and baby yoga)
After February half term, I’ll be starting some new day-time classes – it looks like classes will be on a Tuesday afternoon at Sunstone on Northwold Road and Thursday afternoon at the new YogaBody Studio at Clapton Pond.  I’m still in the process of setting these up so can’t give definite details yet.  However, if you’re interested, email me and I’ll keep you posted.

So, that’s it for this blog.  You can look back through last year’s posts and find lots of other useful info. Feel free to let me have any feedback, suggestions, topics to cover, as well as anything you’d like to add. There’s a comments section you can you or you can email me kirsty@travieso.org.

Hoping to see you Sunday.
Kirsty

Can’t quite believe another month has literally ‘marched’ by.  Quite a bit of news to relay, with Joanna’s adventure in the snow to get to hospital, and belated but much appreciated photos and birth story from Maya.  Julie Sumner has another one-off session with labour partner coming up (see below), Libby has sent details of the new pregnancy grant so if this is something you’re not aware of, do have a read and make sure you apply for it.  There’s also some info on the classes I teach – changes, cancellations and new classes.  If you’re interested in anything yoga-wise, contact me directly to the email this is sent from.  If you’re interested in baby swimming, contact Splashbabies (see below).

New Babies:
As well as finding stories and photos in the gallery from Joanna, Maya and Sinead, I’ve heard through the grapevine that Alice has also had her baby, weighing in at over 11lbs I believe.  Congratulations to all!!  Apologies if I’ve missed anyone – and if you sent an email last week, please resend as have had a problem with our software and lost a few days of emails.

Yoga Classes:
* Post-natal at Yoga Home on Wednesdays 11.30am-1.30pm – cancelled until Easter. I’m not able to teach the class for the next few weeks and because of low attendance Yoga Home decided that rather than cover the class they would cancel at present.  We’re hoping to relaunch after the Easter holiday and I’ll keep you informed as and when I know what’s happening.  In the meantime, apologies to those of you who did want to keep coming.

* Ante-natal in Camden, Wednesday 1.30-3.00pm. I’ve recently taken on this class to cover for Nicola who is now on maternity leave (some of you may know her from Sundays at Yoga Home or from attending her class in Tottenham).  It’s run by Sure Start and is in fact free, so if you’re on maternity leave or work in the Camden area, it would be great to see you there.  It’s held at the H-pod, next to the Health Centre at Cumberland Market.

* Hatha Yoga, The Room, Tottenham, Tuesday 6.30 – 8.00pm. Again, I’ve taken this class over from Nicola.  It’s a general hatha class and any of you who can manage to get someone to look after your baby and get a bit of time to yourself may enjoy coming along.

Baby Swimming Classes:
The Splashbabies classes at Sunstone will be changing, with 3 classes on both Tuesday and Thursday mornings (10.00 – 11.30am).  You can contact Splashbabies directly for more information on the different levels and times - www.splashbabies.co.uk or info@splashbabies.wanadoo.co.uk.

One-off Sessions with Labour Partners:
Julie Summers, who teaches the Wednesday evening antenatal class at yogahome, runs these regular one-off sessions where you and your labour partner can learn about the process of straight-forward labour. The session includes how to support a woman during labour, suggestions for helpful positions, massage, breathing, how to negotiate a birth plan and get the most from the available services.  The next session is Sunday 8th March for women with babies due late March and April.  The session runs from 6.00-9.30pm and cost £40 per person with labour partner.  If interested, please call Julie on 07956 890825 for further info and to check availability.

Health in Pregnancy Grant:
From April 2009 you can claim a one-off tax-free payment from H M Revenue and Customs to help you prepare for the birth of your baby.  To be eligible to claim the grant you need to be 25 weeks pregnant with your due date on or after 6 April 2009, or you need to have been given health advice from your doctor or midwife.  (If you are subject to immigration control or you are not present, ordinarily resident or have a right to reside in the UK, you cannot claim the grant).

The grant will be a one-off payment of £190 for each pregnancy and it will not affect your tax credits or any other benefits.  Everyone will get the same amount and you will not be asked about your income.

If you’re eligible you can get a claim form from your midwife or doctor any time from 1 January 2009 onwards.  You can even get a free text message or email reminder to help you remember to claim if you are not 25 weeks pregnant yet.  Your midwife or doctor must fill in their part of the form and sign it before giving it to you.  You then need to get your claim form to HMRC within 31 days of them signing the form – otherwise you may miss out on the grant.

You can make a claim via the following link :   http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/hipg/how-to-claim.htm

Many thanks to Libby for sending this info.

Unsubcribing from the Blog:
If you no longer wish to receive these updates, please let me know and I’ll take you off the mailing list.

Good Luck:
As always, all the best to those who are imminently due – do keep us posted.

Om shanti
Kirsty x

Hope you’ve all been enjoying the snow and faring well with this very wintery weather – take care of those bumps and buggies in these slippery conditions!!  This month you might want to check out the Therapies section which has some info on Acupuncture and Acupressure.  There’s also a timetable update as I’m taking on a couple of new classes so have a look to see if there’s anything that you might be interested in.  As always, thanks to all have contributed info, birth stories and pics – again this month a bit on the scant side so if you’ve had your baby and can find a moment, please do email and let us know – you can post comments directly on the blog, or email me to kirsty.gallacher[at]yahoo.com

New Babies
Unusually I have no new babies to report…..but there are some new pics and/or birth stories in the gallery which I’ve posted since sending the last blog. Congratulations once again to Katherine, Batya (now in Australia), Anne, Karen and Catie (who had twins) – many thanks for the news and pics.  Do let me know if I’ve missed anyone and if you had your baby in December or January, it’s not to late to email the pics and let us know how it went. 

Therapies/Treatments  
Acupunture and Acupressure practitioner, Katherine Love, will be joining us at 12 noon (after our tea + chat) this coming Sunday, 8th Feb, at Yoga Home.  She’ll be talking to us about the benefits of these therapies during pregnancy, to prepare for labour, and during labour itself.  Katherine offers Pre Birth acupuncture, which comprises of 4 weekly sessions from week 36, to prepare for labour (to ‘ripen’ the cervix, help position the baby for an easier exit, and promote optimal energy and stamina).  She also recommends acupressure as a means of pain relief during labour.  As the acupressure is administered by a birth partner you might want to invite your birth partner to join us at 12 noon.

HypnoBirthing has come up a lot in recent classes.  Although I have no personal experience of the technique, over the last year or so an increasing number of mums-to-be coming to the Sunday class have recommended it.  I’ve had such great feedback from some mums who used it during labour and birth that I thought it worth mentioning here in the blog.  So, if it’s something you’re interested in check out the Mongan method, www.thehypnobirthingcentre.co.uk, or Katherine Graves,  www.thehypnobirthingcentre.co.uk.  Both have been recommended with some mums-to-be simply using the book and accompanying CD by Marie Mongan, while others have done a course.  If you’ve used hypnobirthing during labour, it would be great if you could email to share your experience with those thinking about it.

New Classes
I’m going to be taking over Nicola’s Monday evening antenatal class at the The Room in Tottenham when she goes on maternity leave.  The Room is located at 33 Holcombe Road, N17.  Date and time still to be confirmed but in the meantime if you’re interested Nicola’s class is running from 7-8.15pm, £7 per session.  

I’ll also be starting a new gentle hatha yoga class on Tuesday afternoons which will be suitable for both pre and post natal (please note without baby though).  Also at The Room, this class will begin March 3rd, from 1.30 – 3pm, £7 if you sign up for a month in advance, £8 to drop in.  

If interested in either, let me know on Sunday or email me.

Postnatal Yoga
A reminder that the day and time for the post-natal class at Yoga Home has now changed to Wednesday, 11.30am-1.30pm. This was due to low attendance on the Monday mornings, so hopefully I’ll see a few more of you on Wednesdays.

For Sale/Freebies
If anyone is interested, Joy has a birthing pool (unused!!) which she would like to pass on to someone.  If you can reply to me if interested and I’ll pass your details on to her.

I have a Mamas and Papas cot bed for sale, in very good nick.  If anyone interested, let me know via email.

Unsubscribing from the Blog
I’m aware that there may by now be some of you who had your baby quite a few months ago and for whom the blog is no longer relevant.  Please let me know as soon as you no longer want to receive this and I’ll take you off the mailing list. 

Good Luck
As always, am sure the whole class would like to join me in wishing all the best to those who are imminently due – do keep us posted.

That’s it from me for now.

Om shanti
Kirsty xx

Dear mums and mums-to-be,

“Happy New Year” and here’s wishing you health, happiness, peace and prosperity for 2009.  I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas and of course some of you will have had the pleasure of sharing it with your new babies!!  As always, thanks to all have contributed info, birth stories and pics – which are a bit on the scant side in this update.  I know life gets turned upside down once baby is born but please do email when you find a moment and let us know – you can post comments directly on the blog, or email me to kirsty.gallacher[at]yahoo.com

New Babies:  a fair few new arrivals since the last blog.  Congratulations go to Alex (a bit belated Alex, sorry!) and Batya (who had a Christmas baby a couple of days early in Australia) – I’d also just like to add here best wishes from us all to Batya with her move to Australia, do keep in touch.  Congratulations also to Anne, Karen and Catie (who had twins) and you can now find their pics and birth stories in the picture gallery.  (For info, only the latest 6 photos are displayed alongside the latest blog but if you click on ‘more photos’ you can enter the gallery and see all the others, from here you can also click on the descritpion where I’ve posted the birth stories sent with the photos.  You can also add your own comments here or elsewhere in the blog if you wish.)  Finally, I’ve heard through the grapevine that congratulations are in order for Helen, Maya, and Joy, and am sure that a few more babies arrived over the holiday season (Sinead, Sarah, Cleo, Katherine???).  Do let me know if I’ve missed anyone. 

One-off Sessions with Labour Partners:  Julie Summers, who teaches the Wednesday evening antenatal class at yogahome, runs these regular one-off sessions where you and your labour partner can learn about the process of straight-forward labour. The session includes how to support a woman during labour, suggestions for helpful positions, massage, breathing, how to negotiate a birth plan and get the most from the available services.  The next session is Sunday 25th January for women with babies due late January and February.  The session runs from 6.00-9.30pm and cost £40 per person with labour partner.  If interested, please call Julie on 07956 890825 for further info and to check availability.

One to One Midwifery Care:  If you haven’t already joined the campaign, you might like to visit www.saveindependentmidwifery.org.  This is a campaign aimed at revolutionising maternity care in this country and pushing the government to fulfill it’s commitment that by the end of 2009 “every woman will be supported by a midwife she knows and trusts throughout her pregnancy and after birth”.  Women birthing with a known midwife are more likely to:  have a normal birth, shorter labour, breast-feed more easily.  And are less likely to:  have medical interventions like forecepts, C-sections, drugs, or suffer from postnatal depression.  Check out the website and join the campaign, even if you feel it’s too late to get this kind of one-to-one care for this pregnancy, there may be a brother or sister to come!

Stomach Binding:  as this topic has come up a few times recently I thought it worth sharing what I’ve been able to find out here in the blog.  The practice of binding the abdomen after giving birth is a custom still practiced by some cultures and it is claimed to help:  bring all the muscles used in the birthing process back together again; reposition the womb; close the open stomach and birth canal; speed up the ridding of waste blood; promote good posture during breastfeeding; tone the abdominal muscles and ‘persuade’ them back together again; tone the skin and eliminate stretch marks; and speed up weight loss.  Sounds good, but of course, there is also an argument against, with some claims that the binding of the abdomen may lead to: undue pressure upon the organs; urinary retention or constipation; and it will have no benefit to the uterus or vaginal tissues.  Making exercise safer and more effective and if you find the feeling of support is needed after childbirth, it can be accomplished by control underwear.  If it’s something that you’re considering, it might be worth speaking to your midwife and/or GP, as well as doing some further research.

Therapies/Treatments/Preparation for Birth Courses & Classes:  do have a look back through previous blogs to find lots of info on these. And of course, let me know if you have someone in particular you would recommend.

Postnatal Yoga:  the day and time for the post-natal class at Yoga Home has now changed to Wednesday, 11.30am-1.30pm.  This was due to low attendance on the Monday mornings, so hopefully I’ll see a few more of you on Wednesdays.

Unsubscribing from the Blog: am aware that there may by now be some of you who had your baby quite a few months ago and for whom the blog is no longer relevant.  Please let me know as soon as you no longer want to receive this and I’ll take you off the mailing list. 

Good Luck: as always, am sure the whole class would like to join me in wishing all the best to those who are imminently due – do keep us posted.

That’s it from me for now.

Om shanti
Kirsty xx

New Babies:  there have been a fair number of babies born over the summer and congratulations go to: Kathryn and Tilly, Ellen and Tilly, Katherine and Natasha, Liane and Lily, Melanie and Isabelle, Alice and George, Neela and Tilly, Cristina and Chiara, Claire and Merry, Andrea and Ayla, and Erica.  The pictures and birth stories I’ve received are published in the photo section, if your baby’s photo isn’t there, please do email and I’ll add it. For those who have had your babies but haven’t got around to emailing (or don’t have my email), congratulations also, and please do feel free to email now to let me know how it all went and send your photos so I can add to the blog gallery.

One-off Sessions with Labour Partners:  Julie Summers, who teaches the Wednesday evening antenatal class at yogahome, runs these regular one-off sessions where you and your labour partner can learn about the process of straight-forward labour. The session includes how to support a woman during labour, suggestions for helpful positions, massage, breathing, how to negotiate a birth plan and get the most from the available services.  The next session is Sunday 2nd November for women with babies due mid/late November and December.  There is also another session planned for Sunday 7th December for those due mid/late December and January.  Sessions run from 6.00-9.30pm and cost £40 per person with labour partner.  If interested, please call Julie on 07956 890825 for further info and to check availability.

Other Preparation for Labour and Birth Classes/Courses:  These are many and varied, a good place to start is checking out what’s available from you hospital – these are usually 4-week courses giving a practical, factual overview on all aspects of labour and birth, and feedback from mums-to-be has been (for the most) part very positive.  However, they tend to discourage you from attending these ‘too early’ on (Homerton for example ask you to have completed 37 weeks of pregnancy) and the classes tend not to cover things like breathing, massage, postures.  So if you want to learn a bit more, a bit earlier, try the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) website www.nct.org.uk.  Their home page has a class finder by postcode, and there’s also ‘in your area’ section.  From personal experience, and from other mums-to-be at Sunday classes, these courses fill up very quickly, so it’s advised to contact them as early as possible.  Another avenue to explore is Bridget Baker’s classes (I went to her, as have many others from the Sunday class), you can contact her directly via email bridgetbaker@blueyonder.co.uk.  Bridget is NCT trained, though now does her own thing, and is also the national training co-ordinator for Doula UK, more about which later in this newsletter.  There are also lots of classes/workshops at the Active Birth Centre, www.activebirthcentre.com, and most yoga studios offer periodic one-offs along similar lines to Julie’s.  I can personally recommend Yoga Junction, near Finsbury Park (www.yogajunction.co.uk) and the Yoga Therapy Centre, off Pentonville Road, Islington (www.yogatherapy.org).  Check out their websites to find out when their next sessions are running.  if anyone can recommend any others, please let me know and I’ll add to the list.

Doulas: the topic of hiring a Doula has come up quite frequently in recent classes.  If you’re interested in hiring one, you can try www.doula.org.uk where you can use their ‘find a doula’ search facility, the site also provides loads of info and has a FAQ section. 

Therapies/Treatments: recent recommendations for pregnancy massage have gone to Angel Therapy Rooms, Islington, and Sue Boughton (tel 07811953277), who works out of Shine on Church Street – but for a much cheaper option you can go to her house, just off Newington Green, where she charges £40 and the session is closer to 1h 20mins. Sue also does induction massage, and is a doula. For those suffering from lower back pain, a visit to an Osteopath has been highly recommended by a number of mums-to-be, in particular the Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy in Clerkenwell www.fpo.org.uk. This centre specialises in children and pre/post natal mums, and is donation based.  Please also check out the earlier postings for info on Acupuncture and Homeopathy. 

Taxis to Hospital:  in case anyone is planning to get a taxi to the hospital, I’ve got a list of 4 companies that are happy to take women in labour. Curiously, Addison Lee don’t. But those who will are:   

Imperial Cars – 020 7700 4999 (Caledonian Road)
Angel Express – 020 7704 1234 (133 Essex Road, also known under a few other names)
A&A Car Services – 020 7354 8989 (Upper Street)
Defoe Direct – 020 73354 9999 (Highbury Grove – also called Premier Cars)

Music:  I frequently get asked about the music I play in class, so here are the details – Ultimate Om (Jonathan Goldman), Shavasana Volume 3 (White Swan Yoga Masters), Chants of India (Ravi Shankar, produced by George Harrison).  These links take you direct to Amazon but they are also available from www.yogamatters.com, online or from their shop near Turnpike Lane. 

Postnatal Classes & Activities:  as more babies have arrived over the summer, thought I’d take the opportunity to remind you of some of the other classes I teach in the area.

• Splashbabies
  On Thursday mornings at Sunstone Gym (Northwold Road) I teach baby and toddler swimming. You don’t have to be a member of the gym to come to these classes as they’re run by Splashbabies. The classes for new babies (under 6 months) are 11.00 and 12.30 – these courses are very popular and tend to fill up very quickly so if you’re interested, do book early. You can find out more at www.splashbabies.co.uk or info@splashbabies.wanadoo.co.uk. I’ll bring some leaflets in this Sunday and, of course, feel free to ask me directly if you’d like more info on the courses. 
   
• Postnatal Yoga
  On Monday mornings from 10.30-12.30 I teach the post-natal yoga drop in at yogahome, where we have a ‘creche worker’, in other words an extra pair of hands to help look after the babies and give you more time to focus on yourself, which as a new mum is very welcome and much needed.

Unsubscribing from the Blog: am aware that there may by now be some of you who had your baby quite a few months ago and for whom the blog is no longer relevant.  Please let me know as soon as you no longer want to receive this and I’ll take you off the mailing list. 

Good Luck: as always, am sure the whole class would like to join me in wishing all the best to those who are due in the coming month – Mary (13th October), Jo (16th October), Pippa (17th October), Karen and Anne (19th October), Lucy (21st October), Alex (1st November), and Maya (6th November).  May your labours be smooth and uncomplicated, remember to let us know how it goes and don’t forget the pics of your new babies!! I hope I haven’t missed anyone – if I have, apologies, good luck, and please let me know so I can amend.

And finally Goodbye and Good Luck to Melodie: sadly for us, but happily for Melodie, she and family have moved back to Australia, though she’s still on her email so hopefully we can remain in touch. It’s been a pleasure Melodie and I know everyone from the class would agree and join me in wishing you all the best!!

That’s it from me for now.

Om shanti
Kirsty xx

New Babies: congratulations go to Laura, Jamie, Sophie, Hilary and Catherine. Photos of the babies, along with labour and birth stories, are attached in the photo section. And of course congratulations to all of you who have had your babies recently whether we’ve heard from you yet or not. When you get some time, do let us know.

Post-natal Homeopathy at Yogahome: Janine Rainforth will be offering homeopathy for mothers and babies at yogahome and has offered a free question and answer session on Monday 16th June, at 12.30pm, so it will follow straight on from the usual post-natal class tea & chat. As it will mean staying on a bit longer than usual, this will hopefully give plenty of notice to those who are interested so you can make any necessary arrangements to stay later. See attached leaflet for more info (homeopathy-mother-baby-handout-may-2008-pic21).

Ante-natal Homeopathy at Yogahome: As homeopathy is also very beneficial during pregnancy, mums-to-be are more than welcome to come along to the Q&A session on Monday 16th (see above for details). As many of you are still working and may be unable to make this session, Janine has offered to do an additional Q&A on Sunday 22nd at 12.00pm, following on from our post-class chat. If you’re interested, please let me know and will organise with Janine.

Acupuncture at Sunstone: Diane Timewell is now offering ‘acupuncture during pregnancy’ at Sunstone on Northwold Rd, Stoke Newington. This is available to non-members and if interested you can contact Diane directly on 07939 533 239, via her website www.dianetimewell.co.uk, or by email dianetimewell@yahoo.co.uk. Acupuncture is believed to help relieve many pregnancy-related conditions (such as nausea, back pain, pubis symphysis, haemorrhoids, heartburn, carpa tunnel syndrome, rib pain), and can help promote a healthy and efficient birth. In addition to this, Diane is offering ‘ear acupuncture’ as a drop in on Fridays between 2-4pm at Sunstone, £10 per session, and again, non-members are welcome. Ear acupuncture can help promote relaxation, combat stress and anxiety, reduce pain and generally enhance well-being.

Articles on Pain Relief in Labour: Sarah Cooney has sent in links to a couple of articles on this topic. The first is entitled “More in hope than expectation: a systematic review of women’s expectations and experience of pain relief in labour”, and can be found (free to access!) at: www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/6/7. Published at the same time (and as Sarah points out, shorter and perhaps a bit more digestible) is a commentary related to the above article entitled “Birth then and now”, www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/6/8. Thanks to Sarah for sending these links.

Freebies: Laura Clunie sent out an email 3 weeks back with some freebies on offer, which were all given to her new and unused. I’m not sure what’s still left, but if interested in anything please contact her directly via cluners@hotmail.com

- if there is anyone who is going to go completely natural and use cloth nappies I have two “kissaluv” brand new uncoloured nappies in size 0. http://www.kissaluvs.com/fitted-diapers.html
- I also have an unopened roll of “kushies” biodegradable & flushable nappy liners http://www.kushies.com/Cataloque/catalogue.html
- and finally I have a 3 pack of “Dr. Browns natural flow” standard size 4 oz/120 ml level one nipple, feeding bottles. http://www.handi-craft.com/bottles/Products.shtm. I don’t believe that these are the new polypropylene bottles, but apparently you can exchange them for free. See: http://safemama.com/?s=dr+brown%27s

Lost Bracelet: a silver ‘link’ bracelet was found after class on Sunday 25th May. If it belongs to you, please contact yogahome directly.

Emailing to the Group: thought I ought to mention that as the address group is growing I can no longer send to one group and have had to create several address groups. I’ve done this alphabetically for ease and it just means that if you send anything out yourself directly to the other emails in your group, you’ll only be hitting a small number and it won’t get to all the others.

And Good Luck: as always, am sure the whole class would like to join me in wishing all the best to those who are due this month Natalie (due this weekend on Sunday 8th), Andrea (due Sunday 22nd), and Neela (due Friday 27th) – may your labours be smooth and uncomplicated, remember to let us know how it goes and don’t forget the pics of your new babies!! I hope I haven’t missed anyone – if I have, apologies, good luck, and please let me know so I can amend.

That’s it from me for now.

Om shanti

Kirsty xx

New Babies: congratulations go to Dani and Ebru – click on photos to see pic of Dani and baby boy. Afraid I don’t have a pic yet to share of Ebru and her baby girl, Lydia. I’ve also added some extracts from the emails sent by all new mums, to share a little about their birth experiences.

Doulas: many thanks to Bridget Baker for her comment pointing out incorrect website address – I have now corrected the details in the April 4th News. If you have any questions about Doulas, Bridget will be happy to help and you can contact her directly via email to bridgetbaker@blueyonder.co.uk

Breast Feeding Clinic: many thanks to Laura for the following info on the next 2 breast feeding clinics at UCH. The next is this Sunday, 11th May, and then Friday 23rd May. The clinics are held in the basement from 11.00am – 1.15 pm. You need to sign up for these by calling the antenatal clinic on 0845 1555 000 and then when prompted enter any of the following extensions: 2623, 8731, 2622. Laura reports that it took quite some time to get through to them, and advises to be patient and let the phone ring/try the other extensions, perhaps several times.

Post-natal Classes & Activities: as more and more babies arrive, thought I’d take the opportunity to remind you of some of the other classes I teach in the area. On Thursday mornings at Sunstone Gym (Northwold Road) I teach baby and toddler swimming. You don’t have to be a member of the gym to come to these classes as they’re run by Splashbabies. The classes for new babies (under 6 months) are 11.00 and 12.30 – these courses are very popular and tend to fill up very quickly so if you’re interested, do book early. You can find out more at www.splashbabies.co.uk or info@splashbabies.wanadoo.co.uk. I’ll bring some leaflets in this Sunday and, of course, feel free to ask me directly if you’d like more info on the courses. Monday mornings from 10.30-12.30 I teach the post-natal yoga drop in at yogahome, where we have a ‘creche worker’, in other words an extra pair of hands to help look after the babies and give you more time to focus on yourself, which as a new mum is very welcome and much needed.

Ante-natal Yoga Classes: I’ll be covering the evening ante-natal class at yogahome on Wed 21st May, 7.15-9.15pm, if anyone’s interested in coming along to that. And I’ll be away on Sunday 25th May (that’s the next bank holiday weekend), which Carmen will be covering in my absence – she’s covered for me before but as it’s a while since I’ve been off, there may only be a few of you who’ll remember her.

And Good Luck: am sure the whole class would like to join me in wishing all the best to those who are due this month, some in the very near future, if not already!! Kate, Kirsty (due today, Friday 9th), Hilary (due tomorrow, Sat 10th), Tammi (due Sun 11th), Laura (due Mon 12th), Jamie (due Tues 13th), Sophie (Thurs 15th) Rachel (22nd) and Melissa. Hopefully, we’ll see some of you at class for another week or so yet, but for those who ‘disappear’, the rest of us are looking forward to hearing your news and seeing the pics!!! I hope I haven’t missed anyone – if I have, apologies and please let me know so I can amend.

That’s it from me for now.

Om shanti

Kirsty xx