henrietta@cocoonandbloom.co.uk
Maidstone | Medway
MIDWIFE LED CLASSES FOR AN EMPOWERED START TO PARENTHOOD
AQUANATAL EXERCISE IN PREGNANCY
Classes take place on:
Sundays at 20:00 at Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa, Chatham
Booking is essential.
£80 for a 6-week block
These midwife led Aquanatal classes combine a safe level of exercise in pregnancy with the supportive effect of water, whilst also being fun. This perfect combination helps to prepare you mentally and physically for labour, boosts your stamina for daily life and labour, helps you keep fit in pregnancy, and can improve your posture, balance, and abdominal and back strength. This can all take place whilst the support of the water decreases the stress on your joints.
Being in the water can feel very comfortable in pregnancy, as the extra weight of your bump is supported by the water. Aquanatal classes can bring about an enhanced sense of well-being and can reduce stress levels by an increase of endorphins, and promote relaxation. Exercise in pregnancy can also boost levels of serotonin which can help to improve sleep patterns (which can be welcome relief if you are struggling to get a good night's sleep).
Through gentle cardiovascular exercise and pregnancy-appropriate stretches, improved circulation can relieve swelling to your ankles and feet, and can lead to an improved and faster recovery after birth.
Any level of fitness or swimming ability is welcome (including non-swimmers). Classes take place in the shallow-end, so you will be able to stand up at all times. Should you wish to book on to the classes, you will be asked to complete a screening questionnaire. This is based on recommendations from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as there may be pre-existing or pregnancy-induced contraindications requiring medical advice. You can access the form here: Aquanatal Screening Questionnaire. If you have any questions about whether this class may be suitable for you, please don't hesitate to contact me before booking.
You will also have the opportunity to meet other mums-to-be, helping to create a wonderful support network as you embark on this exciting journey to parenthood. All classes are midwife-led .
Classes are held at a warm spa pool in Medway (just a stone's throw from Bluebell Hill on Sundays at 20:00. Please enquire to book or join the waiting list via the Contact Page.
"I can definitely recommend Henrietta's aquanatal. It is fun and I feel perfectly safe with her guidance. Wish I could do it every day throughout my pregnancy!....you have been a lifesaver" FT
CONFIDENT BEGINNINGS
PREGNANCY RELAXATION AND FOURTH TRIMESTER PREPARATION CLASSES
1:1 workshops or courses and private group classes can be arranged at a time that suits you.
Workshops and courses are arranged throughout the year, as per demand. If you'd like to register your interest please use the contact form to get in touch.
These midwife led classes are a wonderfully empowering and relaxing addition to your antenatal preparation. These sessions can be run as a 1:1 workshop or course. If you have a group of pregnant friends, perhaps from your NCT classes or similar, a private group course can be arranged at a time that suits you. Weekdays, evenings and weekends are available.
How do you envisage your first few weeks at home with your baby? Traditional discussions in antenatal classes focus on the pregnancy, preparing for birth, pain management, and feeding intentions. However, it is important to also remember that birth is only the beginning. The day your baby is born is the day a mother and baby start their lifelong journey together, and how you start that journey is important too. Confident Beginnings classes will give you tools and information on what to expect in the first few weeks with your baby.
Research shows that having time to talk about expectations of early parenthood during pregnancy increases confidence in the first few days and weeks of becoming a mother.
During Confident Beginnings classes, we will discuss the importance of the Fourth Trimester and what to expect. We will talk about how you see your transition into motherhood, including bonding with your baby which can start in pregnancy. You will learn soothing and settling techniques for your newborn baby to help you to feel empowered in those early days. You will also learn a short baby massage routine that is appropriate to use from birth, together with remedial massage strokes that can help to ease tummy discomforts. You will learn some soothing holds that can really help to calm and relax your baby.
These classes are also about relaxation. We will discuss how you relax, and the benefits it can have on your and your baby. Each session will end with a short guided relaxation for you to really tune in with your breath, slow down and connect with your baby. Did you know that evidence suggests that when pregnancy others start to connect with their unborn baby, this has a positive effect on their baby's growing brain? We explore this further during the classes, with suggestions for how to tune in and connect with your baby during your pregnancy.
As an experienced midwife, I am also able to support you with any questions you may have during your pregnancy.
If you would like to find out more, discuss options for classes, or arrange a booking, please do get in touch via the Contact Form, or email me directly at henrietta@cocoonandbloom.co.uk.