The Yoga of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time to celebrate, a time to rejoice and feel blessed that we have been chosen to carry such a beautiful gift inside our bellies. A time to celebrate our own lives as well as the giving of another, and it is through the practice of yoga during pregnancy that a mother can welcome, nurture and unite with her unborn child, as she starts to prepare her mind, body and spirit for the all stages of her pregnancy, the birth and the role of motherhood.

"Each breath I take send nourishment to my growing baby."

Through-out the 40 weeks of gestation a mother’s body takes an incredible journey to support, nourish and nurture her growing baby and therefore it is vital she takes care of herself. Yoga is a gentle way the mother can keep herself active, supple and help to alleviate any common pregnancy symptoms, whilst also helping to prepare her body and mind for labor and child birth.
The practice of Pre-natal yoga gives her the opportunity to create a world (her body) for her baby. One which is healthy and peaceful, by taking time out of her daily routine the mother-to-be can simply be with her growing baby and unite with her unborn child through the mind, body and breath.
Whether new to yoga or a regular practioner a mother-to-be can enjoy all the benefits of Prenatal Yoga.

My classes are theme based focusing on the deveoplmental changes of the growing child and the phyiscal and emotional changes of the mother-to-be. Weaving these into the practice unites the mother-to-be with her growing child through the mind, body and breath, whilst she embraces all stages of her pregnancy and prepares her body and mind for the birth and the role of mother-hood.

Finding equanimity

I also offer workshops for the mother-to-be and her birthing partner to explore ways to assist an active and natural birth.

I have been instrumental in pioneering Prenatal Yoga Classes in Northern Thailand.

Here is what some of my students say about my classes:

Mel is really fantastic. Since she has three children of her own, she knows what it’s like to be pregnant and to go through labor, and she really brings this experience to bear in her classes. She provides lots of information and reassurance about pregnancy and childbirth which is extremely helpful and comforting especially for first time moms. Her voice is calm and soothing, and she really helps calm and relax you despite the worries of pregnancy or regular life that you might be dealing with before you come to class. She is great at adjusting the class to the needs of the women there–either more strenuous with some vinyasa flow and squats, or more focused on grounding, stretching (like opening hips and legs to prepare for birth), relaxing, and mental prep for childbirth. I always find that her class is very nice personal time to spend with the new baby and connect with him. It’s also very clear that Mel loves what she does. She loves teaching yoga and loves teaching prenatal yoga in particular. Especially for expats living in Chiang Mai,  who are often far away from their families and friends, the support and friendship Mel provides all of her students can be tremendously encouraging during the emotional journey of pregnancy.   Laura V