Yoga - Pilates - Gyrotonic - Qigong - Meditation - Osteopathy - Acupuncture - Cranial - Massage - Shiatsu - Reflexology - Grinberg - Coaching - Homeopathy/Herbalism - Nutrition - Somatic Movement

Kirsten (our Craniosacral Therapist ), Uby (our Acupuncturist) and Sue(our Homeopath) are here to help you with the special needs and problems that conception, pregnancy and birth bring. Read about how you can benefit from their treatments in the paragraphs below.

To keep your body in shape and strengthen it for the process labour but also in order to face the birth process and motherhood with a relaxed and balanced mind we offer Pregnancy Yoga as well as Pregnancy Pilates.

Homeopathy for Labour
Homeopathic remedies are a safe and natural way to gently boost the energy levels of the body and can be very helpful to help you cope better with your labour.
The homeopathic childbirth kit contains remedies for difficulties that can arise during labour such as slow cervical dilation, irregular contractions, exhaustion, nausea, pain, shock and anxiety.
The remedies can be used in hospital or at home alongside any medical procedures or on their own. They are invaluable after delivery to speed up healing and to help your body recover fully.
In a birth preparation session with your partner you can learn how to use the remedies during labour. The kit is then loaned to you with a detailed leaflet of instructions.
Our Homeopath Sue is happy to answer any questions you might have. For bookings please call the Light Centre. For more imformation click Homeopathy.

Pilates for Pregnancy
Whether you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant, PILATES is an ideal form of exercise to prepare you both physically and mentally for the whole experience, including the birth. As well as strengthening and toning your body safely, gently and specifically, PILATES will teach you to relax, develop skills useful during labour and create an awareness of your body and it’s needs – not to mention laying the foundations to recover your figure after the event!

1:1 or 2:1 one hour sessions available on Tuesday mornings at The Light Centre or at a venue convenient to you to fit in with your time restrictions.

For the contact details of our pregnancy pilates teacher Ann and and bookings please click here.

Pregnancy Yoga
Conscious pregnancy Yoga focuses on specific kriyas, meditations and breathing techniques to help you prepare for labour, birth and motherhood, whilst increasing your health, self-confidence and sense of well-being in pregnancy.

Right from conception through to the birth, it increases your vitality and reduces stress levels as well as making you feel close to your growing baby long before he/she is born.

Pregnancy Yoga classes give you the chance to spend time with other pregnant women and it is always comforting to be around others who are experiencing the same changes and feeling as you.

Find out more about Pregnancy Yoga and your teachers Joy and Katy

Zen Shiatsu for Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of transformation and shiatsu can support women in this special time. It facilitates to tune in and listen to the body, reduce stress and creates a space to enjoy and integrate all the changes. As well as strengthening the mother’s body and mind, it supports the baby by directing energy to the uterus.

Shiatsu can address many of the common ailments of pregnancy, labour and early motherhood. It can ease morning sickness and heartburn, loosen tight shoulders, help to strengthen the spine and pelvic girdle, and generally revitalise.
Shiatsu can also help to balance emotional states, bringing a sense of calm and ease, build up confidence in the body, intuition, and establish a bond with baby early on.

Zen Shiatsu massage is a form of bodywork originating in Japan and is given on a futon with the person fully clothed. A shiatsu session is deeply relaxing and a great way to nurture and cherish both mother and baby.
click here for client feedback

Sibylle, herself a mother of three children, did her post-graduate training in Bristol with Suzanne Yates, author of “Shiatsu for Midwives”. She is also registered with FENDANT The Federation of Antenatal Educators.

Click here for clients feedback. is what her clients say:

 

Maternity Reflexology
Joyce offers maternity reflexology which is highly effective in reducing stress and promoting a deep sense of relaxation.  It helps to create a natural balance of hormones, allowing optimal conditions for conception, pregnancy and birth. 

A treatment can help ease any minor ailments of pregnancy and reduce the toxins in the body. Ideally weekly sessions (or at least every other week) are recommended.
 

McTimoney Chiropractic for Pregnancy
The McTimoney technique is a relatively gentle, whole-body form of chiropractic that is especially suitable for expectant mothers, babies and young children.
McTimoney chiropractic makes up around third of the chiropractic profession in the UK. The adjustments used to correct misalignments in the body’s structure are delivered at very high speed with immediate release, making them comfortable to receive.

How can it help before pregnancy?
Chiropractic treatment affects the nervous system, which governs all body functions, including reproduction. Nerves from the brain travel down the spine before exiting at various levels to innervate (control) various parts of the body. The nerves that supply the reproductive organs exit via the lower back, so if your lower back is misaligned (you may feel this as back pain) this vital nerve supply may be compromised, affecting your fertility.

How can it help during pregnancy?
Pregnancy places an extra mechanical burden on the body, especially in the later stages. This can normally be remedied with chiropractic treatment, which involves adjustments plus soft tissue work.
A long-standing problem that the body has compensated for over years may present during pregnancy. Pregnancy provides an excellent opportunity to address chronic problems because the action of pregnancy hormones makes the body more ‘pliant’ and amenable to treatment.
Significantly, chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work during pregnancy will improve the chances of the baby being in an optimal position for birth, and ensure that the woman’s pelvis is aligned so that there is an increased chance of a natural delivery.

How can it help a baby?
Some births are difficult or require medical intervention and this may cause trauma to the baby (as well as the mother!). Such trauma (such as skull compression, misaligned neck, misplaced shoulders or hips), may be apparent only on a subtle level. There is an increasing body of evidence which indicates that early correction of birth-related misalignments can help with colic, sleeping and feeding difficulties, most forms of plagiocephaly (mis-shapen head) and also with the recurrent ear, nose and throat infections commonly associated with early life.

How can it help a child?
As a child grows it experiences knocks and tumbles that may not constitute a trip to the hospital, but can set up weak points that may pre-dispose the child to musculo-skeletal issues in later life.
A problem, such as a ‘growing pain’, a fine or gross motor skill lag, or a social or behavioural problem, may be due to compromised nervous system. If these problems are addressed early on in life, long-term problems can be forestalled.
Chiropractic care for children involves the monitoring of your child’s development at key milestones and helps to make sure your child’s nervous system is operating as well as it possibly can.
Since qualifying as a Chiropractor, Jane has expanded her under-graduate studies to include treating pre-and post-natal women and children. These studies include the following courses/qualifications in chiropractic paediatrics: 

Certificate Course in Chiropractic Paediatrics (Neil Davies DC FICC) 2005-6
Helping Your Patients Achieve a Natural Birth (Penny Nelmes BPhil DC FCC (Cranio) FMCA 2007
Adjusting the Patient and Neonates (College of Chiropractors Paediatrics and Craniopathy Faculty) 2008