As a breathwork and yoga teacher my learning has been deeply rooted in how the mind and body can be profoundly altered by conscious breathing and specific stretching movements.

In pregnancy, with the combination of physical changes taking place in the body and the amount of new information and experiences to consider for the mind, it is likely that we will be unconsciously holding tension in the mind and body.

Conscious breathing is a highly accessible practice and has so many benefits in pregnancy:

• The act of breathing deeply and slowly sends more oxygen to the growing foetus and improves your whole system, changing hormonal flow and thus the baby calms, too
• Conscious breathing brings a sense of awareness and, in this, particularly in the afterglow, when I ask that you take two minutes to be still, calm and gentle, it is an opportunity to deeply connect to the child within you
• You will find you have more energy for your day and your mood will be good
• The breathwork facilitates better sleep. Finding calm also helps to manage blood pressure
• It is a personal practice, if you will, and my hope is that you find this for yourself by making space in your day, taking downtime away from screens and other stressors
• Breathwork in pregnancy allows you to be calm and centred, making a very real difference to the child inside, your sense of yourself and how much you can enjoy being pregnant