Recent Birthing Lightly Seminar Courses
Date: 11th March 2011
Venue: Mt Eden Garden, Auckland
Attendees: 10 Midwives
Attendee Reflections:-
Warrior against the wall
Abdominal breathing
Lunges to increase the space
Relaxation with Deepak Chopra
Nurturing for us as well as Midwives, massage of shoulders
Any techniques to help with mobilising of the woman
Acupressure
Aware of the different pelvis
Meeting other Midwives
How to incorporate the equipment we already have in our work place to incorporate Birthlight techniques
Wendy's Reflections:-
I used the laminated cards again, and spent more time with discussing them during the section on the importance of physical/psychological influences
This group did not like the belly dancing but loved the relaxation with abdominal breathing.
When discussing the hah breathing for transition, Megan suggested getting the woman to stick her tongue out at this point....... will discuss this at the next seminar
This is the last Seminar that I can offer 10 points; my next Seminar is for 5 points due to NZ Midwifery council making all Seminars 5 points only
Date: 10th December 2010
Venue: Mt Eden Garden, Auckland
Attendees: 10 Midwives
Attendee Reflections:-
Camel walking made my pelvis feel more open
Exhale pushing, and the use of the transverse abdominis
Partner involvement, massage and transfer of energy
Breathing techniques a good coping strategy
Regain faith in womens ability to birth and Midwives birthing strategies
Get in there!
How to specifically move the pelvis, antenatally and in labour
Wendy's Reflections:-
I used the laminated words that were used to the comparison of a car, and the Midwives paired up with the corresponding word
Belly Dancing went down well
Date: 29th October 2010
Venue: Addenbrooke's, Cambridge, England
Attendees: 7 Midwives, 2 Student Midwives
Attendee Reflections:-
Exhale Breathing will be remembered
Lunges for moving the baby from posterior to anterior
Opening the hips ......... bilateral hip squeeze
All of it, so much to take and use
Need to refashion my ante-natal classes
We can show women in the antenatal clinic
The focus on empowering women to take control is really nice. We can give the women these options antenatally
We can help women to trust in their bodies
Ask women what they feel they need to do
Belly dancing was my highlight. Frees the hips pregnant women can do this
We should have a pregnancy belly dancing class
Wendy's Reflections:-
One of the Midwives had said after the seminar that I had given her back her enthusiasm for the job - that was a true accolade for me.
Alison, my friend and colleague, accompanied me to this Seminar as she is training in Birthlight Yoga. She used a video so we could watch my teaching techniques later on. I look round shouldered on the video.
Instead of the Qi Gong to start the morning, do an antenatal yoga class to show the muscles involved in Childbirth.
Add movement in labour following discussion on the pelvis.
Write the meaning of nutation and counter nutation in the booklet.
Expand the pelvis.
Expand the belly dancing, more use of the arms.
In chair yoga make sure there is more room for the feet, and look at changing the sequence to Zorba's Dance.
Use the car to the pregnant woman and use laminated words involved a s an ice breaker, and to keep going back to the comparisons throughout the seminar.
Date: 2nd July 2010
Venue: Mt Eden Garden, Auckland
Small but enjoyable sums up the Seminar on the 2nd July. All the participants joined in the
day with enthusiasm from the massaging, belly dancing, to cafeteire breathing in couples.
The reflections from the day were brilliant, all encompassing the theme of Birthing Lightly
using yoga, breathing and massage.
Thanks very much, I enjoyed the day, will buy some finger cymbals to go with the belly dancing
Date: 5th December 2009
Venue: Maternity Unit, Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin
This exceptional day was attended by Hospital, Community and Independent Midwives.
I used the same successful format as in the November Auckland seminar, the
difference was looking at Anatomy and Muscles involved with childbirth using chair yoga.
The Midwives were very enthusiastic and keen to have handouts on the chair yoga and embraced yoga
to treat some of the common complaints of pregnancy.
There was a good feeling of camaraderie and I am hoping some of the Dunedin Midwives will attend the
Birthlight Yoga Diploma for Health Professionals to be held in Auckland in March 2010.
Bookshops are like a magnet to me and you never know what you will find. Whilst in Dunedin, I
visited the University Bookshop. My find this time was a book called "Essential Exercises for the
Childbearing Year" by Elizabeth Noble, who is a physiotherapist from Australia. Elizabeth is
an Australian graduate in Physical Therapy, Philosophy and Anthropology and writes in an easy,
informative, manner and reiterates my midwifery beliefs and passion.
The next Seminar will have more "nuggets" to help remember the main principles of the day.
Date: 27th November 2009
Venue: Mt Eden Garden, Auckland
A really enjoyable day with a good mixture of Midwives from the Community, Domino, Hospital
and Independent Midwives.
Sue Watson, a Childbirth Educator, complemented the group.
We used my revised booklet of looking at Yoga, Breathing with Movement, Relaxation, Massage
and Accupressure, looking at the Three Trimesters of pregnancy.
First Trimester:-
- Posterior awareness, physical preparation for pregnancy and childbirth.
- Anatomy and muscles involved with childbirth were revisited using yoga poses.
- How physical and psychological energies work together.
Second Trimester:-
- Pelvis.
- Position and how to rotate an OP to an anterior position.
Third Trimester:-
- The relationship between the uvular, thoracic and pelvic diaphragms.
- Breathing and movement for labour.
- Breathing for birth.
Relaxation and fun, as well as exchanging professional information, makes up a large part of the day.
Date: 27th February 2009
Venue: Lower Hutt Maternity Unit, Wellington
Each seminar is different, and this was the first seminar working with Francoise, who is always
innovative. Eden Garden is such a beautiful environment for the courses, and helps to relax
everyone before the day begins. Starting the day with QiGong gives us all a good energy boost and
heightens our awareness. Relaxation is an important aspect of the seminar and produces a conducive
environment for discussing knowledge and sharing experiences.
Looking at how physical and psycological energies work together highlights the importance of the
power of the mind to reduce the fear and pain of labour. The day continues with looking at the
relationship between the uvular, respiratory and pelvic diaphragms. The day is dispersed between yoga
poses and breathing techniques for labour and birth.
Lunch at the cafe is always a time to relax and do one of my favourite occupations - eat!
The afternoon looks at the importance of leaning forward and how to encourage an OP baby to rotate
to an OA position ante-natally and during labour. The day continues with a core massage technique
that can increase oxytocin from 35 weeks onwards. Penultimately, we look at birthing stations and
conclude with discussing the reflection.
An enjoyable day; with positive interaction between midwives and childbirth educators.
Looking forward to the next seminar.
Wend
Read testimonials of the Birthing Lightly Seminar.
