Reserve this for any time during labour when, or if your partner hits an emotional low. She may suddenly express despair, weep, cry out…

Stay calm and relaxed. Be there for her. The adrenalin levels of those near a birthing women can be enough to make her …

Having a positive attitude to the sensations of labour really helps you manage your perception and response to any pain.

It’s important to prepare yourself for birth and one way to do this is to know what to expect. We’ve put together this blog full of things you’ll need to know for each of the different stages of labour

Contractions are strong muscular tightenings of the womb (uterus), which are needed to open the cervix (or neck of the womb) and to help move the baby down and essentially, push them out.

Being overdue is very common, especially with your first baby, so relax and don’t worry. Only 5% of babies are born on their due date…

Finally, you’re in labour! The culmination of months of anticipation, getting to this point can make you feel quite euphoric…

Dealing with due date pressure It is very exciting having a baby and when someone tells you your baby will arrive on this date you can’t help but get attached to that date. However as we know the realities of that happening are very slim.

Birth is not an exact science. Midwives are very skilled but you know your body best. If you feel you need to go to hospital but your midwife is insisting that you should stay at home you have a decision to make.

I attended Clare's yoga classes during both of my pregnancies. I always found the sessions to be relaxing and a perfect opportunity to just focus on me and my baby. Clare was always empathetic and supportive to all the mums in her class, and would tailor the class to suit specific requests or ailments.

I haven't been to class for a couple of weeks so you may have guessed, our little one made an unexpected and early appearance. I wanted to tell you the story of how it all happened because you played such a huge part in my pregnancy and getting me into the head space that allowed me to cope with what came next.

Just wanted to let you know that I have had my baby. I was booked in for induction on Sunday but it got cancelled. I was disappointed but figured if he came on his own, it would be better anyway.

I just wanted to let you know we completed our crew with a little boy!
He was born on the 6th August - 9 days late and the night before I was due to be induced. My waters went in the afternoon in the middle of wish park - all very exciting - and we headed to hospital about 7pm.

Daisy Beatrix Amber Sutton was born on 23/02/2016 at 8.28am in birthing pool at Brighton hospital, weighing 8lbs1oz. The pool and midwives were lovely! Marc was great, supplying me with countless cups of water (and tissues, yes I had a rotten cold!). Using gas & air and doing yoga breathing/oo-ing is thirsty work!

I'm not even sure if I like the flavours in a vindaloo, or I like the challenge more? Either way my reasoning for having one felt purely to tick some boxes. Have lots of sex they say, have a hot curry, eat 56 pineapples in 30 seconds etc. Does any of that work? Who knows.

I was one of your yoga mamas throughout the latter part of 2014...I wanted to write and let you know we had a beautiful baby boy over the Christmas period (27/12)… Wilfie Robert. He's a beaut!!

Alexandra Sophia Jones was born at 6:24am on Sunday 31 July, weighing 4.08kg (8lb 15½oz). 10 days overdue! I still didn’t manage to get my water birth! I woke up at 4am feeling a bit uncomfortable then had a contraction.

Writing a couple of paragraphs on my birth experience has proved to be quite tricky. Not least because I have a wriggling 11 week old in my arms who is happily feeding (I send out apologies for "bremailing"…