Exercises provide aid to mums-to-be

By BARBARA WARD

Giving birth should be a happy and positive experience, but for some women it can be a worrying time.

There is a way, however, that they can give themselves more confidence.
Janey Harvey (36) of Charles Street, Newark, runs classes in Active Birth where a combination of yoga and exercises is used to strengthen and tone the body during pregnancy in readiness for the birth.

She says: “All exercises are safe and gentle and provide pregnant women with an awareness of their bodies and what they are capable of.

“As the classes progress, confidence and ability grow so that the women instinctively feel prepared when the time comes.”

Janey, who comes from Navenby, but lived and worked in London for several years, had her first child, Lily, in 1999.

She says: “I was terrified of childbirth when I first found out I was pregnant. I did some research and came across the Active Birth Centre in London.

“I took their classes. They made me think more about my body and the preparations I could make for childbirth.”

Because it was her first child, Janey had to have a hospital birth, and although the labour took 36 hours, she felt she gained a lot from the classes.

“I had a water birth and had no pain relief other than gas and air. I felt really positive about the experience.”

When Janey had her second daughter she had a home birth, and Nina, now three, was born within six hours.

After Nina’s birth, Janey decided to train at the Active Birth Centre and with the movement’s founder, Janet Balaskas.

The exercises at the classes are derived from yoga positions and can be used to alleviate back pain and many of the other aches and pains associated with pregnancy. The exercises also increase flexibility and can be used to move the baby so it is in the ideal position for birth.

Classes cover physiology, preparation for birth, labour positions and aftercare.
Janey, who currently works one-to-one with mums-to-be in their own homes, is hoping to set up a series of group classes once she has found a venue.

Classes will last just over an hour and a course will run for six weeks. The ideal time for pregnant women to join a class is at 30 weeks.

Classes cost £8 each in a group setting and £10 for a one-to-one session.
Janey also runs couples’ classes for pregnant women and their partners, usually a couple of weeks prior to the due date.

These cost £15 and include how the partner can help the woman in labour.

As well as promoting Active Birth classes, Janey, who was an editor and writer for BBC Worldwide Publishing, continues to work freelance.

She sees her classes as complementing NHS parentcraft classes.

“Active Birth is not anti-pain relief, but what we try to do is give women the tools to use in birth so that they are confident that any medical intervention is absolutely necessary.

“Women who have had an active birth often comment on how empowered they feel afterwards because they did everything they could — whether the birth was natural, with epidural or C-section.”

Janey is quite happy for women to try out a class before committing to a block booking. At present she is collecting names for classes (day and evening). For further details contact 07947 072550 or email janey.Harvey@ntlworld.com

Janey Harvey with a model of a pelvis she uses for demonstrations in Active Birth classes.
 

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