Resources to help your journey
Scroll down to learn about books and website on yoga, pregnancy yoga, the postnatal time, women's health and find recommended practitioners
Pregnancy resources
Mother's Breath: Yoga breathing, sound and awareness practices for pregnancy, birth, post-natal recovery and mothering by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli.
Yoni Shakti (Womb Power) by Uma Dunsmore-Tuli 2014
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Home Births: Stories to Inspire and Inform (ed.) Abigail Cairns
The Father's Home Birth Handbook by Leah Hazard
Why Induction Matters by Rachel Reed
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League
Pearls of Birth Wisdom: An Inner Journey with Stories, Insights and Practices by Tessa Venuti Sanderson
AIMS.org.uk - Research and advice about natural birth
Tellmeagoodbirthstory.com - positive birth stories and buddies
Perineal massage - how to do it (you can order Weleda's perineal massage and stretchmark oil through me if you wish)
Postnatal resources
What Mothers Do: Especially When It Looks Like Nothing by Naomi Stadlen - Written from her notes of years of holding 'Mothers Talking' groups
Yoni Shakti (Womb Power) by Uma Dunsmore-Tuli 2014 - There is a chapter specifically on postnatal, but whole book is useful and fascinating
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League
Our Babies, Ourselves by Meredith Small
Three in a Bed: the Benefits of Sleeping with your Baby by Deborah Jackson
BASISonline - baby sleep research and guidance
Diastasis Recti by Katy Bowman - I can teach you Hypopressive exercises for diastasis recti, incontinence, and prolapse
MASIC - Anal Sphincter Injury support
Juno magazine - my favourite parenting magazine - full of attachment parenting, babywearing, environmental aware gorgeousness (you can order here to let them know the recommendation came from me.
Family resources
My Daddy is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids by Baron Baptiste
Yoga Pretzels: 50 Fun Activities for Kids & Grownups by Tara Guber & Leah Kalish - A box of big cards (not book)
Cosmickids - Really fun short videos of yoga stories
Recommended practitioners
General and maternity reflexology - Becca at Healing Space - I have been going to her for 10+ years
Specialist pregnancy and baby chiropractic treatment - Kelly at Dynamic Family Chiropractic - so many of my clients have benefited greatly
Post-dates natural induction and breech - Laura at Mama's Choice - ex-midwife with lots of different therapies at her disposal
Pregnancy, newborn, family shoots - Tina at Tina Cleary Photography - I've had fantastic family and business shoots with her
Pelvis-specific
First stop should be a referral to your NHS Women's Health Physio. (For faecal incontinence you can request a referral to the Colorectal clinic.)
Privately, look for your nearest Mummy MOT physio practitioner or a Holistic Pelvic Care therapist, who can do internal assessments and massage to release tightness. Most local to Reading is Sophie Geldard who trained in the technique after having issues herself. Andrea Clarke also comes highly recommended, but is further away (she also does phone consultations).
Dr Ruth Jones in Hampshire has been highly recommended to me for prolapse - a way to travel but an international expert
For womb massage, which can help with fertility, painful period cramps or checking that the uterus has returned to its proper place, locally I recommend Fiona-Jane Morley or in Essex / London Melonie Syrett.
Books
Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein (practical exercises)
Wild Feminine by Tami Lyn Kent (beautiful exercises for reconnecting)
Devices
There are pelvic floor trainers that women I know have used very successfully, but I would recommend consulting someone who can do an internal assessment before using one.
The Elvie has been recommended to me as effective and easy to use, but there are many available.
**PLEASE - if you have found something or someone useful that is not listed here, please email me and tell me about it or her.**