It's really important to have an understanding of your pelvis in pregnancy, how to keep it healthy and stable and how best to use it during labour and birth.

The female pelvis is designed with childbirth in mind. The female pelvis is not a fused and static structure, it has the ability to widen at the sacroiliac joints at the back of the pelvis (up to 2mm each side) and also at the pubic symphysis joint at the front (up to 8-9cm!). The tail bone also has the ability at birth to move up and out of the way as long as it is free to do so. (if you lie on your back for birth the tail bone cannot move easily - side-lying, hands and knees or any standing positions are much better for an easier birth).

The female pelvis has all the tools to birth your baby and your baby cannot be too big to pass through your pelvis because it is so flexible.

Why does pelvic pain in Pregnancy happen?

The down side to the amazing ability of the female pelvis to not only be flexible, but also to house a growing baby, placenta, and all its usual organs and systems is that a lot of pressure is put on both the bony pelvis and the muscles and ligaments such as the sacroiliac, symphysis pubis and pelvic floor.

In some pregnancies a lot of pain can be experienced at the pelvic joints. This is known as PGP pelvic girdle pain, or SPD Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. It's often one sided and can move around the joints as the pelvis tries to cope. It can be mild, come and go or be very severe causing real difficulty moving around and a lot of pain. No-one knows why some people experience this more than others and there's no way to know if you are going to get it. So it's good to know how to move well to at least help to prevent it, or ease it if it occurs.

How to support your pelvis during pregnancy

To keep your pelvis more stable in your day to day life, and not add more pressure to your pelvic area here's a few things you can do:

1. Sit with your hips higher than your knees - try to use cushions so that you can do this on any chair, your sofa and in the car.

2.. Use the 'golden triangle' rule. Try not to take your knees wider than the length of one of your thighs as you move around.

3.. Try to stand with both feet on the floor evenly and with a little bend to the knees. Notice when you stand on one leg, or do things with one leg more than the other. If you do things one sided, try to do them the other side too for balance.

4. Roll over in bed carefully so that you are not over-stretching at the pelvic joints. There’s a video to help you here:

If you become more aware of the movements you make in your daily life and your habits, you will be able to notice when things are not comfortable and adjust them.

Pelvic Pain help and treatment:

If you do get discomfort in your pelvis see your health care provider and ask for a referral to a physiotherapist. They can help advise you on moving well and you can be prescribed a special belt to support your pelvis and help keep it stable.

Yoga classes and massage can also help you to ease pains, balance your pelvis and get to know your body better so that you can keep your pelvis happy and healthy.

My weekly pregnancy yoga class in Northwich is held at Lach Dennis Village Hall and is suitable for everyone – no previous yoga experience is needed.  I teach pelvic support and stability in class and give lots of adaptations for anyone suffering pelvic pain so that you can still feel able to move and gain all the benefits of class in the way that suits you best.

Ideal for pregnant women in Northwich, Winsford, Hartford, Holmes Chapel, Knutsford and surrounding Cheshire areas. You can book a class here.

I also have a package of on-demand online pregnancy yoga classes which you can read about here – if you have pelvic pain - please only purchase these classes if your pelvic pain is mild and you have been cleared by a medical practitioner to do pregnancy yoga.

 The Pelvic Partnership is a good resource for support for PGP https://pelvicpartnership.org.uk/

Pregnancy Pelvic Pain Support in Cheshire:

Barbara Chesworth – Female Focus Physio, Alderley Edge

Fiona Bulbeck – Well Women Cheshire, Northwich

Marilyn Wale – Massage Therapist, Northwich 07534933541

About Sarah
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specialising in pregnancy yoga, mum and baby yoga, hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.

You might also like:

• About Me

• Pregnancy yoga classes in Northwich

• Postnatal yoga classes in Northwich

• Online classes for pregnancy yoga and mum & baby yoga

• If you enjoyed this post there’s more like it here https://www.breathingspace-yoga.com/occasionalthoughtsblog/tourofthefemalepelvis

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Do you have rituals?

Little rituals can promote a feeling of self-care, connection to yourself and wellbeing. Perfect perhaps for the month of February - Self-Love for Valentines Day.

What is a Ritual?

Here’s 3 of my favourite personal rituals:

A Daily Ritual for Self-love:

Choosing a particular mug for my tea.  I've 3 favourites, all gifts. They connect me to the person who gave them to me, but they also represent a moment of pause in my day. A pause to select the mug, enjoy making my tea and then drinking it with a moment just for me. If I can do this in a quiet moment enjoying the view of my garden even better!

Intention is the key in forming a ritual. Even if you make a coffee at the same time each day, if you just make your coffee without really thinking about it, or drink it whilst doing something else it’s a habit rather than a ritual. If you really make it mindfully, savouring the smell and taste and taking a moment of reflection it becomes a ritual.

Can you find ten minutes to make a similar daily ritual of your tea or coffee?

An Annual Ritual for Connecting:

A Christmas ritual that I have followed ever since I inherited them is to lay the table for Christmas day with my maternal Grandads Aunty May's beautiful linen tablecloth.  And my maternal grandparents crystal glasses.  It is a connection to my grandparents, to Christmases past in my childhood, and to making the dining table feel special when the family comes together at Christmas.

What are your special rituals that you do year on year?

An Evening Ritual for gratitude:

This is my favourite ritual is a daily one with my youngest son. 

We sit on his bed at night and ask each other 4 questions:

What was your funny bit today?

What was your bad bit?

What were you grateful for today?

What was your good bit today?

Simple questions that require reflection, gratitude, noticing the small things as well as the big things. Bringing positivity to our minds and a sense of ourselves and our experiences being heard, shared and supported.

This would be a lovely one to replicate as a journal practice to reflect on your day before sleeping.

In his book, Happy Mind, Happy Life. 10 Simple Ways to Feel Great Everyday, Dr Rangan Chatterjee says of gratitude....

I'd love to know if you have any rituals, personal, traditional, religious or otherwise where you repeat something regularly, with intention, that brings you a moment of peace, joy or positivity and self-love.

Connect to The Living Lore

About Sarah
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specializing in hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices, pre and postnatal yoga. I teach yoga classes in Northwich. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.

You might also like:

• About Me

• Timetable of yoga classes in Northwich

• Online classes

• If you enjoyed this post there’s more like it here

• Stay Connected

Sign up to me regular email newsletters

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As we begin another calendar year we often feel the call for ‘new beginnings’.  This can be refreshing – letting go of the year behind us and looking forward to the one ahead.

But remember that you are perfect, and you are enough - this may be a new year, but nothing needs to change unless you want it to.

 I like to begin the year with reflections and I do this in a few different ways – guided reflecting sessions with trusted teachers, journaling, spending time in nature just ‘being’ and seeing what comes through my mind.  Sometimes these reflections are home and family related and sometimes they are career related, and sometimes they focus on my yoga practice.

I’d like to invite you to reflect at this point of a new year on your yoga practice. (although you can of course do this at anytime)

Take a comfortable seat and maybe a journal or a paper and pen and see where these reflections take you.

 One of the key practices of yoga is reflection.  The mindful quality of our practice, where we take moments of pause to feel both our body and mind and how they are responding to our yoga – be that physical practices or meditative practices.

 Another key practice of yoga is coming to the present moment. Being aware of where we are and how we feel right now.

So as we start this new year it’s a good time to reflect back on and look forward to our yoga practices.  And then also let go of past and future and be in the present.

Reflecting back:

1.    What does your yoga mean to you? Why do you go to class/practice yoga?

You can think of this from various perspectives - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially. 

2.    How has this changed over time?  How has your yoga practice evolved as your life’s journey shifts and changes?

 Sometimes one area of yoga feels more important than another, or you feel you need a particular practice more – quieter, stronger or slower practices -these may reflect different things happening in your daily life, aging, injury, even what you need at different times of the day.

Looking Forward:

Do you have a wish for your yoga practice in the next few weeks, months or even year ahead?

Make this a gentle wish, not a rigid routine change. Something that overarches your practices such as practicing with more compassion for yourself, or being more present or adapting to what you need at any given time.

And right now:

 Take this moment to sit or lie down and just feel deeply through your body, notice the movement of your mind and be with exactly what is.  Be in the present moment, right here, right now. This is what your yoga is really about.

Thank you for taking this moment of gratitude for your yoga practice and our collective yoga practice.

Our practice connects us deeply to ourselves and others and the world around us. It helps us to go into the world with more awareness and more kindness and this ripple affect will touch all those around us for the better.

For the coming year I wish for your yoga to support you through the joys, challenges and all things in-between  as they'll come and go as always.

I wish you a happy, healthy, kind and peaceful 2026.

What is Winter Solstice?

Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year and usually falls on 21st  or 22nd of December and is the exact moment when half of earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun.

Solstice comes from the Latin Sol meaning sun, and  Sistere meaning to stand still.  It marks the moment the sun ‘stands still’, pauses for a moment at its lowest, before turning back to lengthening the days again. The moment between what is ending and what is beginning.

In the Wheel of the Year Winter Solstice is known as Yule, It is one of 8 quarter festivals that celebrate the change of the seasons as part of the Wheel of the Year.  This can be traced back to the neolithic era 10,000 BC and was used by Pagans and Celts to celebrate nature and the turning points of the year as it cycles around.

The Wheel of the Year has 8 quarter festivals - 2 solstices, Winter (Yule) and Summer (Litha), and 2 equinoxes, Spring  (Ostara) and Autumn ( Mabon) and 4 cross quarter mid-points - Imbolc, Beltane, Laughnasadh and Samhein.

What does Winter Solstice Celebrate?

Originally Yule is thought to have been an ancient Norse holiday celebrated across Northern Europe. Celebrations included feasting and drinking, hanging mistletoe, singing carols, and lighting fires. The Juul/Yule log was lit and burned to ashes to symbolize the return of the earth’s Northern Hemisphere toward the sun . Christianity  replaced Yule with Christmas (although many of its elements carried over)

Ancient Stone Circles and Standing Stones around the country were aligned to catch the sunrise at the solstice, the sun is returning.

In Celtic Traditions the Oak King triumphs over the Holly King signalling the return of the light.

Winter Solstice is a threshold or liminal time - both an ending and a beginning.

Whilst Winter Solstice brings with it a return of the light and of hope, the days are still short and cold.  It is important that at this time of year we follow nature's lead to slow down, rest and hibernate.  It’s a time to turn inwards just like nature. Nature’s energies return to the earth, and we might turn inwards towards our inner selves, and our intuition, to give ourselves space to re-energise and reset for the coming year.

Nature has a still and quiet presence at this time.  But as is our Western Culture we tend to have one of the busiest periods of our year as we celebrate Christmas.  Try to balance the busyness of the season with stillness and rest.

Where can you find a few minutes to pause, rest and gather yourself for a moment? Mindful pauses and intentional rest will give you more space and energy for those special moments, and help make your festivities brighter ...

Let this lovely poem help you to take a pause and mark this mid-way point in the year…

Winter Solstice

By James A Pearson

It happens in a moment—

this tiny, imperceptible turning

when all at once the night

ceases its imperial advance

and the next morning promises

to dawn just a sigh earlier

than the one before.

The world still goes on dying

around it, and trying to keep itself alive.

This is not yet the spring.

But huddled in their dens,

their nests, their thick forest groves,

the creatures of the world

put all their wordless faith in this

quiet shift, dreaming songs of hope

that maybe, even now,

it’s already happened.

Qualities of Winter

• Darkness– embrace the cosier darker days

• Quiet Stillness – nature hibernates and saves energy for the year ahead

• Hope – looking towards the light and a positive year ahead

 
How to celebrate Winter Solstice

• Light a candle or if you have a fireplace light a fire

• Snuggle up with blankets, hot chocolate or a cup of tea and your favourite film or a good book

• Turn inwards – yoga, meditation, journaling - some journal prompts to help you are below.

• Take some time out to give yourself space to reveal what you need and what you might want to manifest in coming weeks and  months.

Journal Prompts for Winter Solstice

download PDF here

Journal prompts for Winter  Solstice

 -         Thinking about the year as it comes towards its end, what were your highlights, what are you grateful for?

-          If you made intentions at the beginning of the year which ones are complete?

-          Which intentions no longer serve, can you let them go?

-          How can you find time for more rest or pause and turn back towards yourself?

-          How can you enjoy the festivities without burnout?

Let me know how you are resting…

The moon tells the sky

The sky tells the sea

The sea tells the tide

and the tide tells me

Lemn Sissay

We’re all connected to the cycles of the moon, whether we are aware of it or not. The moon impacts on us because it affects the Earth we live on, from the lengths of the day, to the daily tide changes, to the seasons of the year.

I'm sure you've heard of the yoga sun salutation. If you are a yoga student you've probably done a few of them in your yoga practice.

But have you heard of the yoga moon salutation?

In yoga asana (poses & movement) the moon is celebrated with poses such as Half Moon Pose, to a full sequence in the moon’s honour known as Chandra Namaskara.

In 2022 I was asked by a local festival - Now Northwich -   to teach a yoga class under Luke Jerram's Moon installation https://my-moon.org/ I took the opportunity to research the moon salutation and the moon itself.

As with sun salutations, there are several versions.

The moon salutation goes side to side along the long edge of your yoga mat, unlike the sun salutation which goes front to back along your mat. It is said to be a more calming sequence invoking the moon's power of rest, luminescence and release. The sun salutation of course can be invigorating, warming and strengthening.

Since 2022 I have returned to the moon salutation in my own yoga practice and in my teaching.  Currently I am teaching a series of classes which take the moon as their theme and inspiration and once again we are practicing the moon salutation and it’s poses.

Despite being more calming, the moon salutation is not a simple sequence. It has some strong poses within it and transitions side to side require a good deal of balance and placing of feet carefully to be steady.

I teach the full version of the salutation shown in pictures above to my mixed level class and I have adapted the sequence in a few different ways to meet the needs of the students in my gentler classes who may have less mobility or ease of balance.  Whichever variation I teach we work on the moon salutation step by step, which means everyone can add in more if they like or take a more accessible route.

For example, not coming all the way forwards in parsvottonasana or skipping the squatting poses or keeping them higher and less deep are all ways to make the sequence more accessible.

For all my classes, especially my gentle classes we enjoy a seated version of the sequence both on the floor and a chair. So everyone can do a version of the moon salutation even if deep squats and asymmetric forward folds are not part of your practice.

I love making my classes accessible to all my students in this way. If you'd like to have a go here's a 40 min practice offering three variations - and you can just repeat the seated version a couple of times if the standing version looks too much. Or if you want a stronger practice skip the seated versions and repeat the standing one a few times.

Breathing Space Yoga Northwich Mixed Level Moon Salutation

Let me know how you get on…

And here's a few fun facts I found out about the moon:

• The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and the fifth largest moon in the solar system.

• The Moon’s presence helps stabilize our planet’s wobble and moderate our climate.

• The Moon’s distance from Earth is about 240,000 miles (385,000km).

• The Moon has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere.

• The Moon’s surface is cratered and pitted from comet and asteroid impacts.

About Sarah
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specializing in hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.

You might also like:

• About Me

• Timetable of yoga classes in Northwich

• Online classes

• How I make my classes accessible

• If you enjoyed this post there’s more like it here

Stay Connected

Sign up to my regular email newsletters

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What is an affirmation?

An affirmation is a positive statement that helps you to visualise something that you want to happen.

Athletes and sports psychologists use this all the time. They visualise winning the race, beating their personal best, being the best. The more they repeat the belief that they can achieve their goal, the more possible it is to happen.

This works because it helps them to let go of negative or fearful thoughts, expectations and beliefs and replace them with positive messages (affirmations).  When these positive phrases are repeated often enough we begin to believe them.  (The same is true with the opposite, if we repeat negative expectations or beliefs often enough we start to believe them and think that they are true.)

What are the benefits of affirmations for labour and birth?

The human mind has an inbuilt, negativity bias (something I teach about in my meditation course) and we always veer towards the negative things in our lives because of it.  Something negative will always overshadow something positive in our day – even if there were many more positive things - which there usually are. Way back in early human times this was to keep us safe, to be alert for danger (negatives) so that we could stay out of harm’s way.  In our modern times we are bombarded with negatives through news and social media all the time, and our mind hangs on to them.  I always wonder how different the world would be if we were only ever exposed to positive news.

Your body is very capable of birthing your baby, in the same way as all the women before you  have birthed theirs.  It is designed to birth a baby, and can do so without being told how – you  just need to listen inwards to your body and what it needs.

When we hear negative birth stories, anecdotes or off-the-cuff remarks from other people about the difficulty of labour and birth or how painful it is, or that we will definitely need lots of pain relief medication or an epidural, we start to believe that’s the only way.  (remember people sharing these are drawn to the dramatic through their negativity bias, and you hold on to them through your negativity bias)  But if we read positive birth stories, or hear positive anecdotes we start to realise that positive birth really is a possible outcome.  Like an athlete about to face their challenge, we can see the positive process and outcome of our labour and birth journey.

To overcome any fear or anxiety of birthing your baby, having positive affirmations around you, reading them regularly, and making them your belief, can help you to have a positive birthing experience, because you are letting go of fearful beliefs and replacing them with positive ones.

Physically, fear and negativity has an impact on our body – it activates the fight, flight, freeze areas of our brain and nervous system. So if you are fearful and anxious in labour and birth your body will respond accordingly, wanting to challenge, run away, or hide from the process.  This can slow down the progress of your labour, thus making it more challenging and perpetuating the negativity cycle and the possibility of medical interventions you may not have planned.

Positive affirmations can help you to ease and train your mind, trust in your body and will remind you in labour and birth, that you CAN overcome the huge physical challenge and positively birth your baby -  you can do it!

How to use pregnancy and birth affirmations

 Now we know that positive birth affirmations help to reframe negative associations of labour and birth.  They help to shift your mindset and build confidence by focusing on empowering statements rather than fear or negativity.

To help get the most from your affirmations print them or write them out and put them in places you will see them often – your home screen on your phone or laptop, on the fridge, inside cupboard doors, on the mirror, next to your bed – anywhere you like!

Repetition is key:

• Read them and repeat them everyday  –in the morning, before bed, or whenever you need reassurance.

• Say them out loud or write them down a few times – speaking or writing them reinforces their impact.

• Believe in them – even if they don’t feel true at first, regular repetition will help them sink in.

• Use with a visualisation – picture yourself calm, happy, and strong in your labour and birth while saying your affirmations.

During labour:

• Have your favourite affirmations in your birth space so that you will see them and feel the encouragement.

Examples of pregnancy and birth affirmations

Download the PDF of these affirmations here

How to write a pregnancy and birth affirmation

 You can write your own pregnancy affirmation by creating a positive statement of your own.  You can tailor it to your unique and personal needs using words that resonate with you.

Like these examples, make sure that your affirmation is fairly short, written in the present tense and of course positive!

•  I trust my body is perfectly designed to birth my baby

•  I listen and am in tune with my body and I do what it needs me to do

•  My body and my baby know what to do, we are the perfect team

• Everything I need is already within me

•  I breathe in calm and I breathe out tension

• I am strong, I can do this

• Giving birth is powerful but so am I

• My surges cannot be more powerful than me, because they are me

• Every surge brings me closer to meeting my baby

• Labour is hard work, not impossible work

I’d love to hear your affirmations – share them in the comments below…

About Me:
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specializing in hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices and of course pregnancy and postnatal yoga. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.

You might also like:

• Pregnancy yoga classes in Northwich

• Online pregnancy classes

• Free pregnancy resources

• If you enjoyed this post there’s more like it here

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What is Autumn Equinox?

Autumn Equinox marks the start of Autumn and is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere between 22nd and 24th September.  It is when there is equal day and night and signals the start of the decrease of light as days become shorter towards winter.

It is also one of 8 quarter festivals that celebrate the change of the seasons as part of the Wheel of the Year.  This can be traced back to the neolithic era 10,000 BC and was used by Pagans and Celts to celebrate nature and the turning points of the year as it cycles around.

The Wheel of the Year has 8 quarter festivals - 2 solstices, Winter (Yule) and Summer (Litha), and 2 equinoxes, Spring  (Ostara) and Autumn ( Mabon) and 4 cross quarter mid-points - Imbolc, Beltane, Laughnasadh and Samhein.

What does Autumn Equinox Celebrate?

Mabon, or Autumn Equinox, is a more modern celebration in the Wheel of the Year and it connects into and gives thanks for the harvest, the bounty of nature and marks the gathering of the last crops which in times past would have had to see communities all the way through winter.

Feasting, storytelling and dancing would have taken place to celebrated and give thanks for the gifts of harvest.

“Popularised in the 1970s through contemporary Pagan and Druidic circles. It references Mabon ap Modron, a figure from Welsh mythology, a child of the mother, a divine youth who is both hunter and hunted, taken and returned. While the historical roots of the name are mythic and poetic, the spiritual meaning of Mabon centres on equilibrium, transition and the changing of the light. It echoes the balance of light and shadow, the dance between life and death, and the turning inward that begins now.” https://rebeccadouglas.co.uk/what-is-mabon-and-what-does-it-mean/

Autumn Equinox is a time to reflect on what you’ve sown (both physically and spiritually) and prepare for winter. 

Qualities of Autumn

• Gratitude for what the earth and your life have grown

• Balance where can you restore balance in your life?

• Preparation for the transition into winter

• Release letting go of what you no longer need

• Slowing Down grounding, stilling and quietening inwards

  
  Nature plays a central role in Autumn Equinox celebrations, with its changing beauty serving as a powerful symbol of the cyclical nature of life.
  

How to Celebrate Autumn

•  Spend time outside, enjoying the amazing colours of the changing leaves which symbolize transformation and the passage of time, mortality and renewal.

• Enjoy the harvest of apples, berries, grains and remind yourself of seasonal foods in a world where we can find any food at any time.

• Slow Down – enjoy slower walks, resting practices, reflecting and quietening with the season

• Reflect on your own inner harvest, what you have created and are thankful for and what you want to release and let go of in the coming months.

Journal Prompts for Autumn Equinox

download PDF here

-          What are you grateful for, what have you learned, experienced, created, achieved during the summer season? Maybe you had goals or intentions – how have they grown?

-          Where do you feel out of balance? Is there anything you need to adjust?

-          How can you release what is holding you back or you no longer need?

-          What might you need to put in place to see you through the colder and darker half of the year?

-          How can you slow down in our busy world? What activities help you to turn inwards, feel more grounded and help to replenish your energy?

Let me know how you are transitioning to Autumn…

find @nabalo here

How to use a wall to support your yoga.   

In this blog I share a few ideas on how to use a wall to support you in ten common yoga poses.

BKS Iyengar was credited with popularising the use of yoga props through his school of yoga. Over the years many yoga props and supports have been developed to support the spectrum of yoga poses but you can’t go wrong with the basics. Simple yoga props include: belts, bricks, blocks, blankets, chairs, bolsters, cushions and using a wall.

Why is a wall useful in yoga for any yoga student?

They can help you to support a yoga pose; find your way into a yoga pose more fully; and in restorative yoga, a wall can be really helpful to help hold parts of the body so that the body can rest and enjoy the benefits of the pose without the effort of holding the pose. A wall can help to create accessible yoga poses.

Yoga props are useful, but not essential. Many styles of yoga don’t use props at all. But from experience of my own yoga practice and teaching over the past ten years, props can help students to feel the shape or essence of a pose better, especially if they are more restricted in their movement or flexibility. They can make poses more achievable, especially if you are a beginner. For the more advanced students they can help to find more nuance in poses.

What poses can you do using a wall?  Here are just a few ideas…

1. Down Dog at the Wall

 If you find your wrists are sore when doing regular Downward Facing Dog, or you don’t like to be upside down, using the wall to lean into can be really useful. You get the same good stretch for spine, legs and the side body without having to bear your weight on your wrists. This is a really simple go to pose you can do everyday and get real benefits.

2. Uttansana - standing forward fold

Stand with your feet a little way from the wall, then lean your seat to the wall. You can then fold forwards into Uttanasana with support from behind you. Bend your knees if it helps you to release your back a little more. Come back up slowly.

3. Chair Pose - Utkatasana

Using the wall can help you to find this strong pose more easily. From standing sit back and lean your seat into the wall. You can then lean forward and take your arms overhead. You can also keep your arms down by your sides, or just take them up to shoulder height if that’s easier.

4. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana to the side (Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)

In this wall variation we are not holding the foot with the hand. Instead you put your foot on the wall to hold you in the balance. This leaves your arms free to take over your head, or you could bring them to prayer position at your heart. Bending the standing leg a little can help.

5. Vrksasana - Tree Pose

This can be a useful way to find your balance in tree pose. Rather than hold the wall with your hand (which is another variation) you can balance with your knee resting on the wall. This leaves your hands free to bring to prayer position at your heart, or take your arms overhead.

An easier variation is to keep the tip toes on the floor next to your standing leg. A harder variation is to place your foot on your upper thigh rather than your lower leg.

6. Figure 4 Yoga pose -Eka Pada Utkatasana

This is a wonderful hip stretch. From standing, lean your seat against the wall to steady yourself. Then raise one ankle onto the opposite knee.

You might take the arms overhead, or bring them to prayer position at your heart. Don’t forget to do both sides for balance.

.

7. Trikonasana - Triangle Pose the Wall

Triangle Pose is a big balance, as well as a wonderful side stretch and leg strengthener. Having the wall behind you as you do this pose can give you confidence in finding the balance.

Trikonasana has a twist to it, you revolve your ribs around and open up your top shoulder. To get to this full version of the pose having the wall behind to lean on, or simply for confidence can really help to open up the pose.

8. Ardha Chandrasana - Half Moon Pose

Another difficult balance to do free standing. Having the wall behind you to lean on can help you to find the pose more easily, without fear of falling over. You can put your fingers on the floor, but a block can help to support the pose.

As you feel more confident you can do the pose in front of the wall without leaning into the wall.

9. Virabhadrasana I - Warrior 1 pose with wall support

This is a subtle wall support for the back heel. You position yourself so the back heel is on the floor and just touching into the wall. This helps you to lengthen the leg back toward the wall, and if you then take your arms overhead you get a really good full pose.

10. Viparita Karani - Legs up the wall

This is a really calming yoga pose with the feet supported by the wall above the level of the heart.

The full pose is an inversion - the hips are on a blanket or block or bolster so the hips are also higher than the heart, but having the hips on the floor is a simpler and more accessible version of the pose.

You can stay in the pose for a few minutes - so a pillow under your head, and eye mask/pillow and a blanket to pop over you would make this a cosy resting option.

Let me know if any of these are new to you and how you find them. Which are your favourites?

About Sarah
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specializing in hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.

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What is Summer Solstice?

Summer Solstice marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year and is also called Midsummers Day.  It usually falls on 21st June.

Solstice comes from the Latin Sol meaning sun, and  Sistere meaning to stand still.  It marks the moment the sun ‘stands still’, pauses for a moment at its peak, before turning back to shortening the days again.

In the Wheel of the Year Midsummers Day is known as Litha, It is one of 8 quarter festivals that celebrate the change of the seasons as part of the Wheel of the Year.  This can be traced back to the neolithic era 10,000 BC and was used by Pagans and Celts to celebrate nature and the turning points of the year as it cycles around.

The Wheel of the Year has 8 quarter festivals - 2 solstices, Winter (Yule) and Summer (Litha), and 2 equinoxes, Spring  (Ostara) and Autumn ( Mabon) and 4 cross quarter mid-points - Imbolc, Beltane, Laughnasadh and Samhein.

What does Summer Solstice Celebrate?

Summer Solstice and Midsummer is (and was) a time to celebrate  nature blooming,  abundance, opportunities, growth, creation, making dreams come true – the energy of the sun and it’s light.

Litha was celebrated by early traditions with bonfires, dancing and singing. People would jump over or through the bonfires for good luck and the ashes of the fires were spread on the fields to ensure a good harvest.  They would stay up to welcome the sunrise of the longest day.

in some traditions, Litha was when the Oak King and the Holly King battle for control of light and dark. During Litha, the Holly King wins this battle, and the days get steadily darker until Yule. 

Qualities of Summer

• Light – embrace the energy of the sun

• Abundance – the start of summer and the full blossoming of nature

• Opportunity – taking the energy of summer and following your dreams

 
How to celebrate Summer Solstice

• Watch the sunrise

• Light a candle or an outdoor fire

•      Spend more time outside, noticing the full blooms of summer and enjoying the sunshine.

• Take some time out to create some intentions for the Summer Season, some journal prompts to help you are below.

Journal Prompts for Summer Solstice

download PDF here

-          Thinking about the first half of the year what were your highlights?

-          If you made intentions at the beginning of the year which ones are complete or underway?

-          Which intentions no longer serve, can you let them go?

-          Embracing the summer energy of growth, opportunity, and  light, what do you want to enjoy  or create over the summer months?

Let me know what you are growing…

A Women's Circle is a welcoming space for a group of women to come together, to reconnect to themselves and share experiences, in a supportive and non-judgemental way, guided by one or more facilitators.

Sitting in a circle (on the floor or chairs)  we gather around a central focus point, candles, objects perhaps connecting to the theme of the circle, images, flowers. This helps to set the intention of the space as something special.  Somewhere to come to be heard, to be held and to listen deeply to yourself and others, to find gentle ritual. Somewhere to be present, honest, exactly as you are, not as you think you should be.

Circles are sometimes called safe spaces or brave spaces. Safety is a difficult thing to guarantee when we are sharing emotions, feelings and experience, so 'brave' space reflects the ownership of attendees to be responsible for their own choices in attending and sharing. I certainly facilitate my circles so that all are welcomed, and there is an agreed ethos of confidentiality and non-judgement. We come as we are. We all have our individual needs, ideas, world-view and make our own choices which should be respected.

You might attend circle and step into a space you have been longing for, or you may attend and be unsure of what to expect. Women have sat in circle since the beginning, sharing experience and supporting each other through joy and challenge.  We sit with friends, we seek out formal circles facilitated by other women with skills and knowledge to share. Whether spontaneous or planned, sitting together is powerful and the release of sharing can be deep and freeing.  It reminds us that we are not alone– it gives us validation and confidence in our common experiences and empowers us to live our fullest lives.

There is no 'fixing' at a Women's Circle, no advice giving unless it is specifically requested.  It is about listening and the validation and support that brings. Circles may be held lightly by the facilitator or opened up to deeper sharing.  Sharing is always optional and there is never any pressure to share - you can listen and reflect without sharing.

Attending a circle can bring shifts in energy and perspective, can inspire, nourish and can enable change and growth as we explore and reconnect to ourselves and what we truly need. 

What happens during a Women’s Circle?

Here's a general overview of how a circle runs:

• an opening of the circle - a welcome which includes the ethos of the circle and everyone's agreement to that

• a short sharing in the circle for introductions - names, perhaps why you've come

• a settling practice - e.g. meditation/breathwork/poem/music

• sharing and listening time - this might be around the theme of the circle, or just an open invitation to share thoughts in the moment

• sometimes other practices are woven into the circle - eg gentle movement/ meditation/ journaling to help reflection/ yoga nidra/ an activity/ a guest facilitator or speaker

• a short sharing in the circle for integration and reflection

• a closing of the circle

Why I am offering Women's Circles in Northwich

For over ten years I have been facilitating informal circles for sharing and listening in my regular pregnancy, postnatal and menopause yoga classes in Northwich. 

I have also attended circles many times at trainings and specific events so I know that the power of feeling held in a group of like-minded women, without judgement, is huge.  

Sharing, recognising, validating and listening to experience reminds us that we're not alone through the joys and challenges life brings. It brings shifts in energy and perspective and help us to enable change and growth where needed.

I'm really happy to be offering monthly circles so that more women can come and reconnect to themselves and each other.

One of my passions is women's well-being at all stages of life.  I love to learn about different well-being practices and ways to help us live really well, grow and thrive whatever our age or life circumstances. So I aim for my circles to be Wellness Circles, offering different themes and welcoming wellness practitioners to bring us new skills and information to support our wellbeing.

I'd love you to come along whether you have been to a women's circle before or not.  You'll find details of the next Circles and their booking links at my timetable.

How yoga supports pregnancy and birth

Most of us become pregnant without much understanding of how our body and mind will transform through the months of pregnancy, labour and birth, and months of postnatal recovery. Especially as our media and social media bombard us with celebrities bouncing back two weeks after birth, we think we should be the same.

This is doing our bodies and our minds a real disservice. Becoming a mother, being pregnant, navigating through labour and birth and then nurturing our baby through to adulthood is all consuming and hard work physically and mentally. It is one of the most amazing, joyous and rewarding things we will ever do, but the truth is, it’s hard work.

When we are pregnant we might be one of the lucky ones to sail through with an easeful pregnancy. We might enjoy every moment. We might be one of the unlucky ones with a whole raft of symptoms and can’t wait for pregnancy to be over. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. We are all unique, we have different starting points in our health and well-being, whether we have been pregnant before or not, whether we have birthed before or not. We all have our own preferences, needs and expectations. There is no right or wrong way to be pregnant, labour and birth, and recover - your way will be different to every other pregnant person.

A pregnancy yoga class is a gentle way to explore your body and mind, ease out some of the symptoms of pregnancy, meet other mums-to-be and give you the physical and mental support and confidence you need to navigate your journey through your unique pregnancy… and beyond.

What is Pregnancy Yoga?

Pregnancy Yoga combines gentle, pregnancy specific yoga, breathing techniques, birth skills and relaxation to support your body and mind through pregnancy, labour and birth, and help you to prepare for motherhood.

What happens in a pregnancy yoga class?

• Centring, breath techniques and meditation to help you connect to your changing body

• Movement and adapted yoga poses to strengthen and ease your pregnant body

• Breathwork to help balance your nervous system during pregnancy and specific breathing techniques for labour and birth

• Mindful practices to help you to bond with your baby/ies

• Skills and techniques for positive and active birthing at home or in hospital

• Relaxation to soothe your body, promote better sleep and increase your body and minds ability to relax during labour and birth

• Time to meet and share experience with other mums to be

The benefits of Pregnancy Yoga include:

Build confidence:

• in your natural ability to carry and birth your baby as you tune into your body and learn mindfulness skills

• in understanding your body and adapting to the changes pregnancy brings through gentle stretching and movement

Connect

• to your baby before birth as you slow down and focus inward

• other mums-to-be as you share experience

Support:

·       the strengthening and toning of pelvic floor, abdominal and supporting muscles, which help prepare for labour and make the birthing process more manageable.

• the optimal positioning of your baby for birth to help a more easeful and shorter birth

Help:

• alleviate symptoms such as backache and pelvic girdle pain through improving your posture and strengthening core muscles, to support the additional weight and pressure on the body.

• combat sleeplessness through relaxation techniques and supported sleep positions

• Help circulation through gentle movement to reducing the risk of varicose veins and other discomforts.

Learn:

• gentle exercises – to strengthen the body and use throughout your daily routine

• techniques for relaxation which will help you to stay calm and easeful during labour and birth as well as through your pregnancy

• gentle breathing techniques to improve your breathing in pregnancy and to ease discomfort  during labour and birth

• positions for an active labour and birth – which can reduce the risk of intervention and lead to an easier labour and birth

Enjoy:

• increased energy as you re-balance through movement and relaxation

·        reduced anxiety through the use of relaxation and breathing techniques to balance out emotions, hormonal fluctuations and increased stress levels.

• finding some peace and calm in your week to focus on you and your baby

Share:

• techniques with your partner so they can learn tools to support you through your birth

Is there scientific evidence that Pregnancy Yoga  is beneficial?

Yes, there is some scientific research into the benefits of Pregnancy Yoga.

There are not a lot of studies – in part due to the ethics of studies on pregnant women and their babies – but here’s the main points made from a few studies and you can look them up if like a bit of scienced based evidence. Most notable is the positive effects pregnancy yoga has on reducing the length and pain of labour and birth as well as the easing of pregnancy symptoms.

“Yoga is well indicated for pregnant women and leads to improvements on a variety of pregnancy, labour, and birth outcomes” (Curtis, Weinrib, and Katz 2012)

“Significant findings from the randomized studies included an increase in infant birth weight, lower incidence of pregnancy complications, shorter duration of labour, and less pain among yoga practitioners. Significant findings from the non-randomized and qualitative studies included decrease in pain, improved quality of sleep, increased maternal confidence, and improved interpersonal relationships among pregnant women who practiced yoga.” (Riley and Drake 2013)

“Nonpharmacologic treatment options, such as gentle physical activity and yoga-based interventions for pregnancy-related low back and pelvic pain and related symptoms can be recommended.” (Kinser and colleagues 2017)

“An integrated approach to yoga during pregnancy decreases intrauterine growth retardation either in isolation or associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension, with no increased complications.” (Narendran and colleagues 2005)

“The evidence highlights positive effects of pregnancy yoga on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, mode of birth and duration of labour.” (Corrigan et al 2022).

“Findings indicate that prenatal Hatha yoga may improve current mood and may be effective in reducing postpartum depressive symptoms.” (Bershadsky et al 2014)

Recommendation for pregnancy yoga from my own experience

I went to a pregnancy class for both of my pregnancies and used the skills and tools I learned to help me through the demands of my labours and births.  I know how the power of using the breath and relaxation can help to ease discomfort and how feeling connected to, and confident in, your body gives you an empowered and positive approach to labour and birth. 

My births weren’t exactly as I had planned – most births aren’t – but I know how much pregnancy yoga classes helped me to navigate both of my experiences and the tools enabled me to have the best births possible and inspired me to go on to teach pregnancy yoga to hundreds of women.

What is Spring Equinox?

Spring Equinox marks the first day of Spring and is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere between 20th and 23rd March.  It is when there is equal day and night and signals the start of the increase of light as days become longer towards summer.

It is also one of 8 quarter festivals that celebrate the change of the seasons as part of the Wheel of the Year.  This can be traced back to the neolithic era 10,000 BC and was used by Pagans and Celts to celebrate nature and the turning points of the year as it cycles around.

The Wheel of the Year has 8 quarter festivals - 2 solstices, Winter (Yule) and Summer (Litha), and 2 equinoxes, Spring  (Ostara) and Autumn ( Mabon) and 4 cross quarter mid-points - Imbolc, Beltane, Laughnasadh and Samhein.

Spring Equinox is also the start of the astrological new year.

Ostara (Spring) - takes its name from the Germanic goddess of dawn/spring, Eostre/Ostara. She represents fertility, new beginnings and rebirth. Her symbols are the egg – new life,  and the hare - fertility.

Ostara later became Easter in the Christian calendar, and we of course still have Easter eggs and bunnies.

“Ostara is the dawn of Spring, the entry way to Summer. At the Spring Equinox the Earth stands fresh and renewed. Let us all be like the Earth, let us cast away the darkness of Winter and embrace the wonder of green growing things.  May we find delight in that which blooms around us and let us never forget our responsibilities to this place we call home. This world is magickal place, may the power of our Lady and the beauty of Nature remind us of that everyday we draw breath.” Jason Mankey, patheos.com

Qualities of Spring

• Re-awakening -  welcoming back the sun and more light

• Rebirth -  coming back to life after the resting season of winter.

• Fertility – welcoming new life from the lambs in the fields to the new blooms of spring flowers to sowing seeds to grow through the year

• Hope – new beginnings and new opportunities

• Returning nature – butterflies and bees emerging, birds singing

How to celebrate Spring

Spend more time outside, noticing the new life emerging around you – from early blossom, to bird song and butterflies enjoying the sunshine.

Take some time out to create some intentions for the Spring Season, some journal prompts to help you are below.

 Spring clean  - your body, mind and surroundings.  Move more – enjoy walks outside and yoga as your energy returns from winter rest.  Take time to pause, breathe or meditate to give your mind space. Spring clean your home or workspace to help with fresh new beginnings, and to give your mind and body space.

Journal Prompts for Spring Equinox

download PDF here

• What have you learned during the winter season? Maybe you had goals or intentions – how have they grown?

• Where do you feel out of balance? How can you release what is holding you back or no longer need?

• What new ideas, dreams and energies do you have?

• What new beginnings do you want to manifest?

• What seeds can you sow and nurture for the year ahead?

Let me know what seeds you are sowing…

Why Postnatal Preparation Matters

When we are pregnant we spend a lot of time preparing for labour and birth, buying clothes and kit for baby. We focus on the 9 months or so leading up to baby arriving.  But we often spend zero time preparing for what comes next! In this blog post you will find my recommendations for some of the best books for postnatal recovery.

 We might have attended a breastfeeding class and possibly an early days of parenting class, everyone will tell you to get lots of sleep for when baby arrives, and we have some vague idea that life is about to change.  But we are NEVER prepared for the all consuming, life-changing event that is becoming a new parent, and particularly for the first 12 months of this new life.

 When you are pregnant you really can’t know how it’s going to be for you postnatally because you can’t predict your birth journey, your recovery needs, your baby’s personality and needs, your resilience levels.  But you can get an idea of what you might expect, some inspiration from others who are professionals in the field or have shared their experience in a bid to help others to be able to navigate their postpartum recovery and transition more easily.

 We may be over the moon to welcome our new baby, we may have waited a very long time for the occasion, or it might have happened quickly.  We might be moving to parenthood with a partner or on our own. We might be a mix of elated and anxious or a little bit more of one or the other.  No-one can be in our shoes, and no-one can really explain what the shift from pre-pregnancy life to postnatal life will be like for us. 

Matrescence

There is ever growing research and science into how our body and brain change as new mothers who have birthed our babies, and also into how our brains change as new fathers or non-birthing parents.   Knowing a little about this will be helpful for you to understand how and why, once your baby has arrived,  you are feeling big emotions, how your bond with your baby is developing, how you can feel high on love for your little one in one moment, and completely exhausted and overwhelmed in the next. How your whole sense of self shifts and sometimes feels lost. This is normal.

“Matrescence is a term that describes the physical, emotional, and psychological transition a woman goes through when she becomes a mother... It’s hard to wrap your arms around the immense impact of motherhood on cognition and brain until you experience it yourself. Simply put, matrescence is the process of becoming a mother.” Lauren Hays, thematrescence.com

 “In my expanded definition, the process of becoming a mother or matrescence, the term first coined by Dana Raphael, Ph.D. (1973) and which I later built upon, is a developmental passage where a woman transitions through pre-conception, pregnancy and birth, surrogacy or adoption, to the postnatal period and beyond. The exact length of matrescence is individual, recurs with each child, and may arguably last a lifetime! The scope of the changes encompasses multiple domains --bio-psycho-social-political-spiritual-- and can be likened to the developmental push of adolescence. “ - Matrescence Definition written by Aurélie Athan, Ph.D. (2016)

Postnatal Support

If you take time during your pregnancy for evidence based postnatal information  - books/audio books, podcasts, blog posts, and social media accounts (rather than celebrity accounts and hear say) you will help yourself to find practical tools and deeper understanding of your journey ahead. 

You can arm yourself with places to refer back to, to help you navigate the ups and downs of the first few days, weeks and months of caring for your baby 24 / 7 on little sleep. 

There’s not as much information out there for postnatal recovery as there is for pregnancy labour and birth, and in the UK we are pretty much left to our own devices after our 8 week check.  But I have gathered what I consider the best books for postpartum recovery and postnatal support and would love you to read them, listen to them, buy them or borrow them from a friend or library.  You won’t regret it and they will be your guiding hand for the first 12 months of parenthood.

An important note… Mental Health and Postnatal Depression

Please see your GP or Health Visitor if you feel that you can’t cope, suspect you have postnatal depression, or need other mental health support. You are not alone, it can affect more than 1 in 10 women for up to a year after birth.

Other places to find help:

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.tommys.org/

https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/

6 Best Postnatal Books

Find them all at my bookstore https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Breathingspaceyoga or other good booksellers

Life After Birth – Jessica Prescott & Vaughne Geary

What the cover says:

In Life After Birth, doulas Jessica Prescott and Vaughne Geary share their evidence-based approach to the lost but ever important art of caring for yourself as a mother, including over thirty naturopath formulated herbal and wholefood recipes to nourish you through the postpartum and beyond.  Jessica and Vaughne provide guidance and support for all people on the wide and diverse spectrum of motherhood – from nutritional support, to sleep and breastfeeding tips, communication tools, managing siblings, nourishing your body, mental health awareness and so much more.

By helping you to tune into your body and honour the cyclical nature of womanhood, Life After Birth will support you to thrive in your new role as mother.

What I say:

I loved this book straightaway.  It has easy to read and dip into sections covering all areas of postpartum recovery.  It has practical tools and tips throughout which are suitable for everyone post birth.  It’s holistic approach is like receiving a warm hug.

There is a really useful quick guide section on easy tips for nutrition and things to add to your diet. There are also some lovely wholefood recipes included and I’d recommend you think about these when you or someone supporting you has time to use them. – the authors are Australian, so there are a few ingredients you might have to find alternatives to.

I would really recommend this as the top book to buy for quick reference postnatally.

Find the Authors at https://mamagoodness.com.au/

Motherkind – Zoe Blaskey

Also see her podcast Motherkind on all podcast platforms

What the cover says:

Modern Motherhood is overwhelming.

We’re expected to parent perfectly, bounce back, enjoy every moment, smash it at work and look after everyone’s health and happiness. But what about our own?

Zoe Blaskey, the host of chart-topping Motherkind podcast, has helped millions of mothers remember that they matter too. In theis judgement-free book she will empower you with the tools to say no to guilt and pressure and yes to confidence and joy.

Through proven coaching tools, real life-stories from the Motherkind  community and transformational expertise from podcast guests such as Dr Gabor Mate, Philippa Perry and Dr Becky Kennedy, you’ll learn how to redefine your relationship with guilt, process difficult emotions and appreciate your own worth.

Along the way, you’ll see that perfection is a trap, master the art of setting boundaries and ultimately learn a new way to thrive in motherhood.

What I say:

I wish I had been able to read this book when I was in my early postnatal period. It would have really helped me to not fall into the traps of trying to do it all, of struggling with the balance of what my children needed, my family needed and what I needed. Reading it now my children are in their teens I have still got such a lot from this book.

Each chapter has a quick read section at the end and journalling questions throughout to help you make sense of how you are feeling.  It offers tools and ideas to support yourself postnatally to thrive and feel fulfilled as both a mum and as yourself outside of your new role.

 Find the Author at: https://www.motherkind.co/

Why Postnatal Recovery Matters – Sophie Messager

What the cover says:

During pregnancy the focus of antenatal preparation is the birth itself, and the importance of the postnatal period is often overlooked.  Yet postnatal recovery (or lack of it) can have consequences for the long-term health and wellbeing of both mother and baby.

In Why Postnatal Recovery Matters Sophie Messager draws on her experience as a scientist and doula to show that thinking ahead to after the birth can get new families off to the best possible start.

What I say:

This is an evidence based book which covers why we often miss out the care of the mother postnatally because baby is so all consuming.  The key areas of postnatal recovery we should prioritise – rest, healthy food, social support, bodywork and getting help.  And has a useful section on how to create a postnatal recovery plan for yourself during pregnancy.

It is a great book and offers lots of links to other good areas to read, research and other information.  A great overall guide.

 Find the Author at: https://sophiemessager.com/

The Fourth Trimester – Kimberly Ann Johnson

What the cover says:

This holistic guide offers practical advice to support women through postpartum healing on the physical, emotional, relational and spiritual levels - and provides women with a roadmap to this very important transition that can last from a few months to a few years.

Kimberly Ann Johnson draws from her vast professional experience as a doula, postpartum consultant, yoga teacher, body worker, and women's health care advocate, and from the healing traditions of Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and herbalism - as well as her own personal experience.

What I say:

Kimberly Ann had a difficult birth and postnatal experience despite being a yoga teacher and in tune with her body.  It was a shock to her that birth could have such long term affects on her body.  The book stems from her recovery and her work supporting women to have the best birth possible, heal well whatever their birth journey and above all care for themselves as well as their baby. 

Whilst many births are positive and straightforward, there are also births that are difficult.  This book will help you to know that you are not alone in your experience and that you must prioritise your own health and well-being postnatally as much as your baby. 

There are many ideas and techniques that Kimberly Ann covers and you will find the ones that make most sense to you to consider before baby arrives.  And then there is a wealth of information to use after baby has arrived to suit your individual needs postnatally.

 Find the Author at: https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/

After Birth – Jessica Hatcher Moore

What the cover says:

While there is a wealth of advice for new mums on caring for their babies the same is not true for postpartum health. Fulfilling this vital need, After Birth is the ultimate postnatal primer for women facing changes to their bodies after having a baby.

Addressing issues great and small­ - from hair loss and stretch marks, to bladder and bowel leaks, painful sex, diastasis recti and mental health - researcher and writer Jessica Hatcher-Moore brings together straight-talking advice on preparation for childbirth, healing, and recovery in the weeks, months and even years that follow. She also offers insights for partners, whose role is often overlooked at this critical time.

Blending knowledge from the full spectrum of modern and traditional therapies with honest experiences from mothers, here is balanced advice with no agenda. Taking a broad look at what we can do for ourselves at home, and also when to seek expert help, After Birth will reassure, inform and empower women to reclaim their post-birth bodies.

What I say:

I heard Jessica speak on a webinar and was compelled to buy her book. It shares her journey from being very physically fit, to having a baby and discovering just how difficult postnatal recovery can be. She shares some really helpful information which she has gathered through her own experience and research. Postnatal life is not just about the baby – it is also about your transformation as a new parent, physically and mentally and how to navigate the challenges whether they are small or large.

 Find the Author at: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajanehatcher/

Matrescence – Lucy Jones

What the cover says:

During pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood, women undergo a far-reaching physiological and psychological metamorphosis. There is no other time in a human's life course that entails such dramatic change-other than adolescence. And yet this life-altering transition has been sorely neglected by science, medicine and philosophy. Its seismic effects go largely unrepresented across literature and the arts. Speaking about motherhood as anything other than a pastel-hued dream is virtually taboo.

In this ground-breaking investigation, acclaimed science journalist and author Lucy Jones brings to light the emerging concept of 'matrescence'. Drawing on new research across various fields - neuroscience and evolutionary biology; psychoanalysis and existential therapy; sociology, economics, ecology and cultural history - Jones shows how the changes in the maternal mind, brain and body are far more profound, wild and enduring than we have been led to believe. She reveals the dangerous consequences of our neglect of the maternal experience - today, one in ten women develop a mental illness in the first year of new motherhood; a third of mothers with more than one child suffer from postnatal depression - and she explores the patriarchal and capitalist institutions that have created the untenable situation mothers face today.

Here is an urgent examination of motherhood and mental health, which seeks to unshackle mothers from the weight of unrealistic medical, cultural and economic expectations. It is an unignorable rallying cry to deepen our understanding of matrescence, and to make the experience of pregnancy, birth and child-raising better for future parents.

What I say:

This is a really good book to deep dive into matrescence, why it is a really important growing area of research and how our understanding of the total transformation we go through as birthing mothers/ people (and also how transformation occurs for non-birthing parents) may help to create a much more comprehensive understanding of the weight of parenthood.

This book acknowledges the changes that happen outside our control in the postnatal period – like those of puberty, pregnancy and menopause – and helps to normalise the challenges of motherhood.  This book will help you to rally against the culture of ‘as long as baby is ok’ or  ‘I’ll get through it’ or  ‘I should be loving this’ ,  and to instead understand why things are difficult during this transition, how you can ask for help and make your experience better.

I also love that connections to the natural world are laced through this book, grounding it in the living world as a whole and offering tools for nature to help heal us postnatally too.

Find the author at: https://lucyfjones.com/books/

Please let me know if you enjoy reading them….

Welcome to the New Year!  May it bring you good health and happiness.

New Year is an obvious ‘new start’. It’s a marker.  It comes with emotions – hope, fear, excitement, relief amongst others.  We often feel compelled to make intentions, to leap forward into trying to ‘improve’ things or make our lives ‘better’.  But maybe we don’t need to strive or to pressure ourselves.  Maybe we can reflect on the year past, celebrate where we are now, and leave an openness for what is to come.

Each New Year I spend time reflecting, and creating intentions. Rather than resolutions (which feel too pressurised and likely to fail) I like to think about intentions as process and journey rather than end result.

I usually tune into teacher Elena Brower’s reflection webinar and enjoy her thoughts on her  year past and the year ahead .  It gives me welcome time to think about all I have done in the past year, celebrate the highlights, reflect on the challenges and explore what I might leave behind and take forward. I do this for both my business and yoga, and also my family life at home.

I also realise that I often find a theme that I want to work with – often its slowing down, doing less, increasing time for me, finding joy in the moment. But it has also been ideas such as building community, making connections.

I received a beautiful book from one of my students recently, ‘Growing Brave’ by Donna Ashworth.  She is one of my favourite poets and I met her in the summer at a Wellbeing Festival.  This is her newest book and she opens with this Authors’ Note:

“My focus word for the past year was brave.

I believe in the power of allocating a word each January.

There is much noise fighting for our ears at the start of the new year and so, for me, drowning it all out and focusing on one thing works wonder for my peace.  Since life came calling in ,a rather terrifying way, brave was the word I chose.  Or perhaps it chose me!?”

I love this as it really chimes with how I have reflected each new year and found a theme or focus to keep checking in with.

This year I have chosen SIMPLIFY. 

I will be using it across everything I do – work, home life and anything else that comes my way.  I know that it will help to keep me grounded, focused and will reduce overwhelm. It will reward me, I hope, with more time and space, and a more balanced nervous system.  When these things seem out of balance I will return to SIMPLIFY to return to where I need to be.

If reflecting purposefully on your past year, and finding intention and for this coming year chimes with you, I invite you to take 30 minutes to sit for reflection and intention as we start the new year.  You might like to voice record, journal, or simply just contemplate the following prompts.  Perhaps at the end of it you might find your own theme or word to take you forward into a healthy and happy new year.

Let me know how you get on!

Below are your prompts and you can download them as a PDF here

You might like to consider the prompts for life as a whole, or repeat the prompts for different areas – perhaps work, family, health and wellness, projects etc.

Reflecting on the Past Year

1.      What were your Highlights of the past year

For each one ask yourself: 

How did they make you feel?  What were their effects? How can you make more highlights in the coming year?

2.      What were your Challenges of the past year

For each one ask yourself: 

How did you overcome them? What has now changed? What have you learned as you dealt with them?

3.      What have you learned in the past year?

Have you learned a new skill? Have you learned from an experience? Have you learned from an opportunity?  Is there anything you have had to unlearn?

Intentions for the Year Ahead

1.      What do you want to carry forward from last year?

2.      What do you want to stop doing from the past year?

3.      What do you want to start doing in the next year?

Your theme/word for the year

 Is there a word/phrase/theme that comes up from your reflections above that you can use throughout the year ahead to remind you of your reflections and intentions?

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AT THE END OF THE YEAR

by John O’Donohue

As this year draws to its end,

We give thanks for the gifts it brought

And how they became inlaid within

Where neither time nor tide can touch them...

Days when beloved faces shone brighter

With light from beyond themselves;

And from the granite of some secret sorrow

A stream of buried tears loosened.

We bless this year for all we learned,

For all we loved and lost

And for the quiet way it brought us

Nearer to our invisible destination.

 Excerpt from the blessing, 'At the End of the Year,'

from the book 'Benedictus' 

How do you feel at this time of year?

At the winter solstice we feel a long way from summer. It can feel harder to find energy and feel the lift we get in the brighter seasons, its harder to get out of bed in the mornings.

Yes, for many of us the twinkle of festive lights, the sparkle of stars on a clear night, the red chest of a robin, the glow of a hearth or the flame of a candle bring warmth and light to these darker days.  But if this time of year is harder for you to find the light, that's ok.  

During winter we let go of light just as trees let go of leaves, we look towards cosy and warmth and probably more time indoors, and we should rest more as our ancestors once did when they followed the seasons and the longer nights more closely than we do today. Winter is nature's sign to slow down, let go of brighter months and spend more time resting and reflecting.  The cycles of the seasons can support us so much if we listen, feel and follow them rather than fight against them.

Now is a great time to reflect on your year so far

- your joys and your sorrows. What can you take forward and what can you let go of? What have you learned?  Nature knows that everything is cyclical - growth, blossom, release, rebirth, nothing lasts forever, change us constant, can we take natures lead?

Spend some time resting during this holiday season.

Grab a blanket and get cosy indoors by yourself, and with friends and family. Let go of all the doing - even if its just for a few minutes.   Enjoy being quieter, more rested.  Re-charge, re-balance and re-set.  Embrace this lovely season of darkness. 

Yoga Nidra Relaxation

If you would like to enjoy some guided relaxation you can head to either my mini yoga nidra library https://www.breathingspace-yoga.com/yoganidraminilibrary or purchase a lifetime pass to my full library of yoga nidras here https://breathingspaceyoga.punchpass.com/passes/170834

'The world rests in the night. Trees, mountains, fields, and faces are released from the prison of shape and the burden of exposure. Each thing creeps back into its own nature within the shelter of the dark. Darkness is the ancient womb. Nighttime is womb-time. Our souls come out to play. The darkness absolves everything; the struggle for identity and impression falls away. We rest in the night.'

John O’Donohue from his book Anam Cara

https://www.johnodonohue.com/

This blog is about using a Blanket to support your yoga pose.  You can buy specific yoga blankets, but any firm blanket will work.

In this blog I share a few ideas on how to use your blanket to support you in ten common yoga poses.

BKS Iyengar was credited with popularising the use of yoga props through his school of yoga. Over the years many yoga props and supports have been developed to support the spectrum of yoga poses but you can’t go wrong with the basics. Simple yoga props include: belts, bricks, blocks, blankets, chairs, bolsters, cushions and using a wall.

A blanket can be a useful support for any yoga student.

They can help you to support a yoga pose; find your way into a yoga pose more fully; and in restorative yoga, blankets can be really helpful to help hold or cover parts of the body so that the body can rest and enjoy the benefits of the pose without the effort of holding the pose.

Yoga props are useful, but not essential. Many styles of yoga don’t use props at all. But from experience of my own yoga practice and teaching over the past ten years, props can help students to feel the shape or essence of a pose better, especially if they are more restricted in their movement or flexibility. They can make poses more achievable, especially if you are a beginner. For the more advanced students they can help to find more nuance in poses.

So what poses can you do with a blanket?  Here are just a few ideas…

1. Hands and Knees

 If you find your knees are sore when kneeling (for any yoga pose), using a folded blanket will soften the floor beneath you - especially if it’s a hard or wooden floor. Often this is enough to make the pose more comfortable.

2. Sitting on the floor

Sitting on a folded blanket will help lift the hips, which helps the knees to descend a little more easily if you are in crossed legs. It can also help you to keep the lift in your spine, so you can use a blanket to sit on in any seated pose.

3. Seated Crossed legs

Do you find it hard to sit comfortably in crossed legs for longer periods of time? Try rolling the blanket and wrapping it around your ankles which gives a little more support to your lower legs and eases the ankles.

4. Low Lunge

Another pose where a folded blanket can help to make the knee more comfortable.

5. Janu Sirsasana Variations

In this pose the knee can experience some discomfort, and if it doesn’t reach the floor it can pull on the hip and thigh. A way to help this is to support the knee in position with a folded or rolled blanket.

When you have tried one side make sure to try the other.

6. Supported back bend

A rolled or folded blanket can help to elevate the upper back and open the chest in a back bend. Even a low blanket of a couple of inches can help to make space in the upper back if you hold the pose for a while.

You might take the arms overhead, or stretch them to the sides or down next to your body. Your legs can be bent or straight along the floor.

.

7. Viparita Kirani Legs up the Wall

To find your way into this pose sit with one side towards the wall, roll yourself down onto your back and roll the legs up the wall.

A blanket around your legs can help to keep you warm if you are resting here for a while, but can also hold the legs gently in place if you wrap the blanket around fairly tightly.

To get the blanket in place, get into position and then bend your knees, hook the blanket around your feet and as you lengthen your legs up the wall tuck the blanket well around the legs.

8. Childs Pose

In this positioning, the blanket is filling the gap between the front of the ankles and the floor, so it can ease discomfort in the feet and ankles by creating support.

Another option is a rolled or folded blanket between sit bones and heels can also help to support the seat to release back a little more.

9. Savasana

Keeping warm when you are resting is really important, so a nice cosy blanket is a must!

10. Head Bowl support

This is a neat way to support the head in neutral position when you are resting. It offers a lovely cosy support.

It can help to stop snoring as the head is less likely to relax to the side.

It does take a little practice to learn how to make the supportive bowl shape - check our Adelene Cheong’s great video to find out how https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr60X-dwRw0&ab_channel=AdeleneCheong

Let me know if any of these are new to you and how you find them. Which are your favourites?

The majority of parents/carers can easily recall a moment of pure happiness and joy that occurred when they had a positive interaction with their baby.  Simply the response of a smile or a full on belly laugh, or a wonderful hug or even a kiss from their little one.  This moment came from a shared experience of love and happiness, each feeding off the other regardless of which person began the moment. 

For many parents/carers this moment was one of many such moments occurring as the feelings of contentment, love and happiness continue and develop as the special positive bond between parent and baby grows.

Mum/Parent and Baby Yoga can help parents and carers to find these moments of joy and happiness. The process of the growth and expansion of these moments and the bond between parent and baby is known as 'The Expanding Spiral of Joy'.

For some parents/carers finding these moments is very difficult.  Anxiety, external pressure, feelings of depression and/or guilt can be felt by new parents who are finding the responsibilities of parenthood and the early weeks and months of being a parent very difficult to deal with.  For these parents/carers learning the simple movements, songs and connections of Mum/Parent and Baby Yoga can be an effective way of 'unlocking' the positivity that is needed to begin on the spiral of joy.

Mum/Parent and Baby Yoga encourages positive touch, from which a baby will respond with positivity.  This promotes communication between parent and baby – as the baby responds to the movement and touch of baby yoga then the parent sees the pleasure and reflects this back to the baby who is highly receptive and responsive to the parents emotions.  This in turn is reflected back to the parent in a wider and wider spiral of positivity, happiness and ultimately a loving bond.  As baby yoga is explored and movements are developed this enhances the experiences of parent and baby creating positive communication, trust, fun and well being which will nurture both baby and parent/carer.

The reverse of the spiral of joy is that which a parent may experience if they are finding parenthood very stressful.  Every parent may experience an element of this, some may unfortunately experience this for more than just a short period and find themselves in a downward spiral which may lead to exhaustion, loss of communication between baby and parent and thus a loss of nurturing, positivity and love.  Parents can use baby yoga to ease short-term stress and tiredness and re-join the spiral of joy, or they may use baby yoga to reverse the downward spiral and turn their relationship with themselves and their baby around to one of positivity and love over time.

In my classes I have witnessed parents and babies find a moment of pure joy and love, often this is a real belly laugh from the baby mirrored by the delighted parent and then shared between them for a few moments.  I also see a version of the Spiral of Joy in our active relaxation - babies respond to slow walking, slow movement, massage and soft holds where tensions in shoulders and arms are released. As they feel the relaxation of the parent, babies mirror by relaxing themselves and sometimes this leads them to drift into sleep. A peaceful and resting baby leads to a peaceful and more rested parent. What could be more joyful than that…

For all new parents (and anyone else!)

Our shoulders get tight and scrunchy all the time, so this post and ten minute video is not just for new parents.

You can use any non-stretchy scarf, belt even a rolled towel to do these stretches, and you can sit on a chair if you prefer not to be on the floor.

As new parents there are muslins everywhere - now you can add another use for them - to ease out those achy shoulders, that spend a lot more time rounded forward as we hold, feed, lift and carry our little ones.

As with all stretching, be mindful of your body and how it feels for you. Pain means stop. Hopefully though these easy stretches will help to relax and release your shoulders and create a bit of space. Tightness creeps up, so you can do these everyday to help keep the tightness at bay.

These are also great to do if your little one is awake - make sure you are sitting on the floor with them safely in front of you, they enjoy watching the muslin, playing peepo when it re-appears from behind your back, and you can tickle and waft them with the muslin as you go - you’ll become great entertainment for them and your shoulders will thank you too :)

I hope you enjoy - let me know how you get on…

Lots of us have ‘To Do’ lists – but do you have a ‘To Be’ list? 

I came across this idea recently and thought it was brilliant.  Ensuring that you have time to just ‘be’ is so important in our busy world.  It’s more important for our health and wellbeing than all the stuff we have ‘to do’.

Below is a little inspiration to create your own ‘To be’ list, using the acronym N.O.U.R.I.S.H.

Creating this list, I’ve been inspired by a few things including:

-          Jolene Parks Nourish Framework – she’s a US based nutritionist with an interest in helping people to reduce or stop drinking alcohol  https://grayareadrinkers.com/

-          Julia Cameron’s idea of a regular Artists Date to inspire creativity and ease blocks – turning it into a ‘being date’  https://juliacameronlive.com/the-artists-way/

-          And a study which concluded that 8 healthy habits could add up to 24 years to your life -          https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/08/healthy-habits-extend-disease-free-life-by-up-to-a-decade

You might be inspired by one of the N.O.U.R.I.S.H. ideas below and go and do it right now!

You might decide to use this as a journaling practice, adapting them and tailoring them to your needs at this time - if so you can download this PDF by clicking here to use to make your ‘To Be’ list.

You can create a ‘To Be’ list to whatever timescale works for you - for this week, this month or this year.

Whether you decide to add some or all of the below items to your ‘To Be’ list I hope this gives you a little time to think about ‘Doing’ less and ‘Being’ more

N ature

We know that spending time in nature is hugely beneficial to our wellbeing and there are loads of studies out there with evidence based research to prove it.  Large expanses of water, forest bathing, spending time in our garden even just looking at pictures of nature can have a beneficial effect on our bodies and minds.

Set a time to enjoy nature, whether its 5 minutes looking at your garden with a cup of tea, or a long walk in the countryside.

O xytocin

“Oxytocin – sometimes known as the ‘love hormone’ – is produced by your body when you feel safe, happy, warm, cosy and emotionally liberated.” Millie Hill

“We produce great peaks of it at special times in our lives. We produce bursts of it when we fall in love and when we make love, and the biggest peak of all is the one a mother produces just after she has given birth.  It promotes the bonding of mother and baby and the establishment of breastfeeding.” Katharine Graves

Oxytocin can help us bond with loved ones and can also be released through touch such as massage or a hug, music, exercise, and stroking pets. It can decrease stress and anxiety levels. Foods rich in vitamin D, vitamin C, and magnesium all support oxytocin production in your body. 

So give yourself a hug, hug a loved one, hug your pet and feel the love!

U nwind your body

Movement is super important for all of us to keep healthy and mobile, especially as we age. Yoga ticks all the boxes for stretching, strengthening and supporting the body and has the added benefits of mindfulness.

 What movement do you love doing? If it's something you've not done for a while maybe this is a little inspiration to get up, get out and get back to it! Or maybe its time to try something new…

R educe Stress

The big one - REDUCE STRESS

 We cannot avoid stress (and a little bit is actually good for us) but most of us live with too much stress, brought on by our western lifestyles. culture, social media and the rest of day to day life. Then you add in the more challenging stresses which come to all of us at different times in our lives and it just becomes a cycle.

 A 'To Be' list is a way of adding some wellbeing into our lives. If there is something on your 'To Do' list you could let go of you'll instantly reduce some of your life stress.

Soothing practices like yoga, meditation, singing, chanting, humming, self massage can all help us to dial down our stress bringing balance to our nervous system and helping vagal tone. These tools can all give us more resilience for those bigger life stresses.

So what can you add to your to be list that will bring you some calm and soothing time?

I am enough - kindness to yourself and others

We can all think of a time when we've given kindness to someone, and when someone has given kindness to us - family, friends, people we don't know.   We know how positive it feels to give and receive kindness. 

 But how often do we give kindness to ourselves?   If it's not very often, give yourself some kindness and remind yourself regularly, 'I am enough'.

S tillness

Reminding ourselves to pause, rest and sleep is really important.  Our culture doesn’t reward doing less.  But when we become more still we create space for the present moment, we see things more deeply and we get huge wellness benefits.

Stopping for a moment, meditation, relaxation, breathwork can all help us to become more still in our mind.  But so can movement and activity.  Think of a time when you were just lost in the process of doing something – knitting, yoga, gardening, running, anything where you are in ‘flow’ can bring stillness to the mind, even if your body is not still.

So add a pause in your day to your ‘To Be’ list – whether it’s 5 minutes or 50 and bring yourself some stillness. It might feel like a luxury but its fundamental to keeping you healthy.

H arness your breath

Inhale, Exhale.  It’s so simple, and we don’t even need to think about it as our body just breathes automatically for us. 

But when we bring awareness to our breath it can be really powerful.  A gentle focus on the breath can give our mind an anchor point, something to follow and to come back to when it gets busy.  Breathing fully through the whole of our diaphragm, with a gentle expand and release of the belly means that we are breathing optimally and effectively and helps to balance our nervous system too.  Breathing through the nose rather than the mouth is important for cleaning the air we breath, breathing effectively and promoting better health.  James Nestor’s research will give you more information about this.

We know when breathing is challenging – particularly in times of illness, and stress. We also know when we are breathe freely or are in a place where the air is cleaner.  So connecting to the breath can tell us lots about how we are.  Breathing mindfully can help us become more present, and breathing optimally gives us more wellbeing. 

So take a moment to connect to your breath by taking a pause, follow your breathing rhythm with your awareness by feeling and observing the breath as it moves in and out. Try to breath in through your nose and let the belly gently expand as you inhale. Release the breath through nose or mouth and repeat a few times.

Add connecting to your breath mindfully to your list.

Enjoy your ‘To be’ list. Remember - it’s not about adding more things to do, it’s about remembering and focusing on the moments between activities and doing - those moments of being.

Menopause is not something to ‘fix’. It is a natural transition for the female body, and a natural time of transformation.

Western lives and culture mean we may feel the challenge of the transition more than some other areas of the world where women report less symptoms. For some of us we may undergo an early or medical menopause, and for some of us our natural menopause can be hugely challenging emotionally, mentally and physically. If we are lucky our symptoms might be mild.

Remember that we are all unique, and our menopause will be as individual as we are. We may share similar symptoms and experiences to others, but our past and present lives and circumstances, and our beliefs, will take us on our own individual paths. We might experiment with the tools we choose to use to help us manage symptoms , and our needs may well change as we move through menopause.   We will all make different choices in how we navigate our individual journeys, and nothing is ‘right or wrong’.

I do believe that it is never too late to make changes and improve our lives. I also believe that the earlier we can do this the more positive our menopause can be.   I hold regular menopause retreats to help support fellow peri and menopausal travellers.  We spend time chatting and supporting each other, enjoying accessible yoga which can help some of our symptoms, and I include information or invite guest speakers to help increase our education and learn about tools we can try to help us make a positive menopause transition, before, during and beyond.

Did you know?

• The official definition of Menopause is when you have no longer had a period for a year.  The average age for this in the UK is 51.

• The time leading up to Menopause is known as Perimenopause, when hormone production decreases and you may experience symptoms (of which the list is many and varied!) You may see your periods become more irregular.  Perimenopause usually starts from around age 45. It can last for a few years or for many until we reach menopause.

• If you experience menopausal symptoms before the age of 40 it is called POI - premature ovarian insufficiency (another of the medical worlds less than positive labels!) and it affects around 1 in 100 women.

• Some illnesses and cancer treatments can lead to an early menopause.

• Surgical menopause occurs when the uterus is removed in hysterectomy or if both ovaries are removed in an oophorectomy.

   

However we come to menopause, and however we journey through it, we can make it a positive experience as best we can. Below I offer what I think are the key areas of our lives and tools we can use to help us to do this.  Are there things on the list that might help you manage your journey?

Ways to support your menopause journey positively:

M inimise stress as much as you can-  say ’no’ more, and let go of things you don’t need to do.

E ducate yourself on menopause – listen to podcasts, read books, blogs etc. share them with family and friends so that they can understand your transition too

N utrition – eat well, reduce alcohol

O ne percent rule – see below

P rioritise rest – especially if you are not sleeping as well. Do more of the things that help you relax and rest. Create a good bedtime routine to help you.

A ccept that you are on the menopause journey, don’t fight it!

U nique transformational journey – tune into your own personal journey and needs, not everything is the same for everyone, and different tools help different people

S upport – find what you need: from HRT to Alternative therapies, professional help from your GP to talking therapies, local menopause cafes and groups, family and friends

E xercise and move – this will improve your mood, keep your bone and muscle and heart healthy and may help to balance any additional weight gain common at this time. It doesn’t need to be strong exercise unless you want it to be – non-weight bearing exercise and simple movement like walking done regularly is good.

It is worth noting that it is unlikely that one of the areas or tools alone will be enough to manage everything. HRT alone will not solve your symptoms.  Eating well, resting, reducing stress and moving are foundational and really non-negotiables for all of us whether you choose to take HRT or not. For some HRT might be a first choice, for others it may or may not come later down the line.

Where to start with making positive changes? – the 1% rule

To avoid overwhelm and to make a start, I have included the 1% rule in the list above – a term coined by Alexandra Pope and Sjane Hugo Wurlitzer in their book ‘Wise Power’ :

“You need time and space for yourself to be able to navigate menopause with some grace. And that may be the one thing you don’t have much of because of your daily responsibilities and commitments. But it’s a non negotiable. So, you’re going to start with giving yourself 1% of what you most want. 1% is always doable. And that 1% will multiply in no time. Don’t underestimate the power of small shifts to create bigger change. Apply this 1% rule to any health change you want to make, whether it’s exercise or the foods you eat. Make the small shift and hold to it. It’s very effective over time.”

Applying the 1% rule:

1.      As you look through the list above, find the area that you are most drawn to and decide on a 1% small change for a couple of weeks or a month and see how that 1% grows, you might find that quickly increases as it’s something you know you want to work on and commit to.

2.      When you feel ready then add or replace for another area where you can make a small change.

3.      Celebrate the small changes you make – they all add up.

4.      Keep going and always look to reduce overwhelm, take small steps to make big journeys over time and see how much better you feel!

For the areas of the list you find more challenging the 1% rule can be really helpful – it’s a bite sized way of changing habits or parts of your lifestyle where you feel stuck, that you have a difficult history with or just feel is too big to tackle.

Find your support:

No-one should navigate menopause alone. It’s always better with support. If you have friends who are going through their own menopause journey take time to support each other. If you can, get your family to understand more about the menopause –even if they understand a little of what happens in menopause and the symptoms you are having, that can help to ease the pressure on you – especially if they begin to take a few of your to do list items off you :)

Get professional help if you need it – see your GP or find a therapist to help you make choices and take steps to ease your symptoms. Consider going private for a specialist menopause  GP consultation such as through Newson Health or BUPA – it may be worth the investment to get you on the right track, especially if your GP is not helpful enough (sadly not all GPS are up to date with menopause needs).

Find local menopause cafes, support groups, and menopause specific activities in person or online. You will be able to learn from and share experience with others going through their menopause transition.

Let me know if you have found this post helpful …

You might also find my blog post Meno-Pause useful - it has  some resources and links