Pre- and postnatal yoga is an embodied approach to supporting the physical and emotional transitions of pregnancy, birth and the postnatal season. It brings together touch, movement, breath, positioning and elements of yoga to help you develop a deeper awareness of your body and the ways it can move, soften, strengthen and find support.

It is not about preparing the body for birth as though there were one particular way it needs to perform. It is about creating familiarity with your body and learning to trust its capacity to adapt.

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During pregnancy, the body is constantly changing. As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts, your posture adapts, and your muscles, joints and pelvis respond to new demands. Bodywork offers a space to slow down and become curious about these changes, while learning practical ways to support yourself through pregnancy and birth.

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At The Line Between, pre- and postnatal bodywork is part of the broader birth support I offer. These sessions are an opportunity to experience your body rather than simply receive information about it. Through movement, touch and guided exploration, we create a deeper understanding of what feels supportive, comfortable and natural for you.

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What it can support

Bodywork can support mobility, strength, relaxation and body awareness throughout pregnancy and the postnatal transition. It can be particularly helpful for areas of common discomfort, including the lower back, hips, pelvis, shoulders and neck, as well as for the physical changes that accompany a growing belly and changing posture.

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Movement and yoga-based practices can help maintain mobility and connection with the body, while breath and restorative positions can support nervous system regulation and create opportunities for deeper rest.

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The work is also about learning what feels good in your own body. There is no universal sequence that every pregnant person needs to follow. Instead, we explore different movements and positions and notice what creates more space, ease, stability or comfort for you.

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Learning movement for birth

One of the most valuable aspects of this work is becoming familiar with movement before labour begins.

Together, we explore positions and movements that may become useful during birth, such as standing and leaning, swaying, pelvic circles, supported squats, kneeling, hands-and-knees positions and side-lying. We explore different ways of moving that can support comfort, mobility and space within the pelvis.

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Elements of prenatal yoga can be woven into this exploration alongside mobility work, breath, gentle strengthening and restorative movement. The intention is not to memorise a sequence to follow during labour, because birth rarely follows a sequence.

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Instead, you are building a vocabulary of movement that you can draw upon instinctively. You become familiar with shifting your weight, moving your pelvis, changing positions, creating space and using your breath while moving through sensation.

When labour arrives, these movements are no longer completely unfamiliar. Your body has already experienced them.

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Working with your body, rather than against it

There can be a tendency during pregnancy to think of the body as something that needs to be managed, strengthened or corrected. I approach it differently.

Your body is already adapting. The work is about supporting that adaptation and helping you understand what your body is communicating.

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Sometimes this may mean strengthening an area that needs more support. At other times, it may mean releasing tension, exploring a different way of moving or finding a position that allows the body to rest more comfortably.

Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is simply slow down enough to feel.

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This becomes particularly meaningful as birth approaches. Learning to move with sensation rather than automatically resisting it can become a powerful form of preparation. You begin to develop an understanding of how your body responds to intensity, movement, stillness and support.

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Postnatal bodywork

After birth, the focus changes.

The body has undergone an enormous physical experience and needs time, nourishment and support to recover. At the same time, the demands of newborn care can place new strain on the shoulders, neck, back, wrists and pelvis. Feeding, carrying and spending long periods in one position can create new patterns of tension and fatigue.

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Postnatal bodywork offers a space to be supported while gradually reconnecting with your body.

Touch, gentle movement, breath and yoga-based practices can be adapted to your stage of recovery. The intention is to gently restore mobility, awareness and strength without rushing the process or placing expectations on how quickly you should recover.

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The focus is not on returning to the body you had before pregnancy. It is on getting to know and support the body you have now.​ A body that has changed. A body that has carried and birthed your baby. A body that continues to recover while simultaneously being asked to care for someone else.

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What we explore together

Each session is different and shaped around where you are in your pregnancy or postnatal recovery. Depending on what you need, we may explore gentle yoga and mobility, positions for comfort during pregnancy, movements that support pelvic mobility, birth positions and ways of moving through contractions, breath and nervous system regulation, supported rest and restorative positions, or gentle postnatal strengthening and reconnection.

We may also explore practical ways to reduce tension created by feeding, carrying and the physical demands of early motherhood.

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There is no fixed protocol. Each session is a conversation between your body, your experience and the tools I bring.

You are not expected to achieve a particular shape, complete a sequence or push beyond what feels right. We work with what is available to you on that day.

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An embodied approach to birth preparation

Birth preparation does not have to live only in the mind.

Knowing about different birth positions is useful, but experiencing them in your own body is something else entirely.

These sessions give you the opportunity to explore before you need it. You can discover how your pelvis moves, how you like to be supported, which positions create relief, how movement changes sensation and how your breath can accompany you through intensity.

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The aim is not to control your birth or to prepare you for one particular outcome. It is to give you more familiarity, more options and greater trust in your ability to respond to what arises. And when birth is over, that same relationship with movement can continue into the postnatal season, gently and gradually, as your body finds its new balance.