AROUND BIRTH & BEYOND

women's health worldwide

Around Birth

women's health worldwide

earth mother figure made of grass

'Ingrid, your classes were the best yoga classes in the world, they were informative, fun, helpful, interesting, warm and engaging. Through them I gained confidence in myself, my body and my baby and for this I cannot thank you enough.' Carrie & little Robyn - - - 'I highly recommend Ingrid's pregnancy yoga & birth preparation classes to both my NHS and private expectant mothers. Ingrid's classes are an excellent way to stay healthy in mind and body throughout pregnancy and to be well-prepared for birth.' Dr. Claire Mellon, GP & Obstetrician - - - 'I wanted to thank you for the breathing techniques you taught me which proved invaluable and for giving me the confidence I could do it without an epidural, by trusting myself and my body. Six days later, I feel great, I was lucky I did not have any tearing whatsoever and that labour was quick and super effective. Recovery has been second to none. I want to thank you again for all your support and your great yoga classes!' Liana - - - 'Thank YOU Ingrid, you're one in a million. The breathing techniques you gave us in the last relaxation got me right to 10cm easily! Remarkable. So delighted to have birthed a breech baby avoiding a c section.' Natalie

 

News

Pregnancy | Women’s Rights | Current Events
Public Health | Publications & Films | Thoughts

This section contains ideas worth sharing.

We all stand on the ‘shoulders of giants’ that have walked the path through life before us – may that be in terms of ideas, insights, teachings, research or conclusive evidence. I encourage you to read or view them and make of them what you want and if at all possible act on them in whichever way you can. Please also visit Links and Research.

Life carries a 100% fatality rate – before we leave we all can add our contribution to ensure that the generations following ours are born and raised in a world worth living and sharing.

 

Pregnancy

Pregnancy yoga helps to decrease frequency of labour induction, decrease pain, shorten second & third stages of labour and lower the percentage of cesarean section birth.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28438273

 

Pregnancy yoga reduces anxiety, depression and enhances well-being.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S174438811300042X

 

Pregnancy yoga may improve current mood and may be effective in reducing postpartum depressive symptoms.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388114000127

 

Ina-May Gaskin is the only midwife who has had an obstetrical manoeuver (for shoulder-dystocia) named after her: ‘The Gaskin Manoeuv er’. In 2011 Ina-May was awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize the Right Livelihood Award for her outstanding achievements in midwifery. Her TEDx presentation Reducing Fear of Birth is a MUST SEE:

 

Saraswathi Vedam: Home or Hospital? Holding the Space for Human Birth. Professor of Midwifery Saraswathi Vedam's inspiring TEDx talk on 17th December 2013 about safety of birth place, privacy and dignity: youtube.com/watch?v=o5V723E9wvE


Birthlight Intercultural Inspirations. Medical anthropologist Dr. Francoise Barbira-Freedman conducted extensive research among the Peruvian Indians the Yakumamai. Her vast contributions in the perinatal field are inspired and driven by her commitment to support the conservation of traditional knowledge within its original context. Watch the whole series (7) on YouTube, find the first three links here:

Birthlight Yoga Dance for Pregnancy: Introduction

Birthlight Yoga Dance: Ethnic Dance Forms & Pregnancy Yoga

Birthlight Yoga Dance: The Elephant Dance

 

Ingrid Lewis at the Birthlight 'Light on Parenting' Conference May 2012 youtube.com/watch?v=s1rgCFP5d-o


Dr. Amali Lokugamage The presentations by the outstanding obstetrician & gynaecologist Dr. Amali Lokugamage are a MUST SEE. Dr. Lokugamage’s insights are thought provoking and inspiring. Her contributions to safer motherhood are immense. Her book ‘Heart in the Womb’ is available from Amazon. Please watch following the links below:

The Heart in the Womb book presentation
The Costs of Institutional Births - Wake Up Call For Obstetricians
Obstetric Violence & Human Rights
Amali interviewed by Suzanne Arms


Anna Verwaal's From Womb to World
Thought provoking deep insights into 'early imprints'. The effects of how we were conceived, our time in the womb, our birth and the earliest few hours after childbirth have on shaping our health and life.
tedxtalks.ted.com/video/From-Womb-to-World-Anna-Verwaal

 

Women’s & Children’s Rights

GET INVOLVED – help break the chain of violence in the world. Visit, join, support, donate, sponsor, write, share, rise and dance.

 

Help End Sexual Violence Worldwide
In the words of Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Angelina Jolie): “Stop seeing rape as an inevitable byproduct of war and blame the rapists, not the victims. It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There is nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It is nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power. It is done to torture and humiliate people, and often to very young children. We must send a message around the world that there is no disgrace in being a survivor of sexual violence, that the shame is on the aggressor.”
gov.uk/government/topical-events/sexual-violence-in-conflict
bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27844094 

 

Women's Rights Worldwide - have a look and if you can help crowdsourcing data.
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2014/feb/04/womens-rights-country-by-country-interactive


Women for Women International
Excellent organization helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. Sponsor a sister if you can. Thank you.
womenforwomen.org.uk


Eve Ensler- One Billion Campaign
A global campaign to end violence against women, rise for justice and promote gender equality. Help this worthwhile cause if you can. Thank you.
onebillionrising.org/about/campaign


One Billion Rising film
A short film by Eve Ensler & Tony Stroebel to end violence
against women. Caution: may be upsetting viewing!
youtube.com/watch?v=gl2AO-7Vlzk


Learn The ‘Break the Chain’ theme song
youtube.com/watch?v=fL5N8rSy4CU