Recent Birthing Lightly Seminar Courses

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.