Yoga, Pregnancy & Me: My LushTums Journey
When I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter the fear I have lived with for years about giving birth raised its head again. I have no idea where this fear stems from, I haven’t been exposed directly to any difficult births, or heard that many 'bad' birth stories. Perhaps it was from looking at some hippy birth books of my Mum's with some rather graphic pictures when I was only very young...maybe that didn't help, ha ha! But honestly, I was simply terrified. How on earth would I get a baby out of there!
As a dancer I felt pretty in tune with- and dare I say it, in control of, my body. Pregnancy was taking me right out of this comfort zone. I realised very early on in my pregnancy that I would need some help with dealing with the physical and mental changes I was going through whilst pregnant, and I needed some preparation for birth and beyond if I was ever going to do this. That is when I discovered Clare's pregnancy yoga classes in Brighton. I went to my first class at 15 weeks pregnant and didn't look back. I knew straight away that this was going to help me enormously with a whole range of mental and physical needs. We chatted, laughed, breathed, moved our bodies and connected to our babies, and this all helped me feel more prepared and ready to give birth and to become a Mother. I was falling in love with being pregnant, accepting the amazing things our bodies do whilst making a baby, and almost couldn’t wait for the birth. What a turn around! I had my daughter in December 2009 and went back to classes when pregnant with my son who was born in 2013. Both very different births, but both with happy endings.
Throughout the time I attended Clare's classes I always admired her for what she was achieving with these women; for her wonderful passion and reputation and for the business she was building. I even daydreamed about doing something similar myself one day- perhaps when I wasn't so sleep deprived and covered in baby sick!
Around the time that my son was 6 months old I heard that Clare was starting her teacher training course. Even though I thought it sounded amazing to learn how to offer ladies what Clare offered me, I dismissed the idea at first. How would I do this with a young baby? Was I even capable? Clare and LushTums just made it all work, and I was qualified and teaching by April 2014. I can honestly say it has been the best thing I could have done. I have learned so much, and am still learning all of the time. I have met some amazing ladies along the way, and I love building up my own classes in the area, including the new Postnatal yoga classes starting in June. I fit my work around the family and am able to collect my children from school and nursery, which was always really important to me. And I feel proud to be able to bring money into the family home again, particularly as it is by doing something I absolutely love. Thank you Clare and the LushTums team.
Clair Edwards, LushTums Brighton & Hove Pregnancy and Postnatal Yoga Teacher
clair.edwards@lushtums.co.uk