I’m chatting to Aisling Vlasto for a special episode to help pregnant and new mums who may be feeling anxious due to the current COVID-19 health crisis. The idea is to have a few short episodes with health and wellbeing experts sharing advice and techniques to help people to manage while we are all on lockdown.

Ash is a yoga teacher specialising in pre and postnatal yoga and yoga therapy for anxiety.

In the episode Ash talks about her own experiences with anxiety during pregnancy and postnatally. Ash shares some techniques that she uses as an emergency wellbeing toolkit for times she is feeling anxious and worried. These techniques are:-

-        1. The elongated exhale. Take a deep breath in through your nose, then slowly exhale through the mouth for as long as you can. Try to visualise a golden thread pouring out of your mouth and all your worries and fears being blown away.

-        2. Physical movement. Alternative between a fast sequence and relaxation. There are pregnancy and postnatal safe examples on Ash’s IGTV. This technique of alternative between fast and slow can lower blood pressure and feelings of anxiety. It can also release us from fight or flight when we are feeling anxious.

-        3. Ujjayi breath – helps when you are struggling to sleep which often comes with anxiety. Mimics the sound you make when you are sleeping.

-        4. Go for a walk if you are able to. Ash gave information about how to walk mindfully to be present in the moment and reduce feelings of worry and anxiety.

This episode was created with pregnant and new mums in mind. However, these techniques are useful for anyone who is feeling worried and anxious due to COVID-19.

I really help you enjoy the episode. If you do then please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and share with a mum who might find it useful. This really helps to spread the word about the podcast and get it in front of as many women as possible.

Where to find Ash

https://www.instagram.com/thelovelywellnessco/

www.thelovelywellnesscompany.com

We have Rosie Gilderthorp on the podcast today.

Rosie is a clinical psychologist and uses compassion focused therapy, a type of therapy that reminds you that 99% of what happens is not your fault.

Rosie also teaches hypnobirthing and is passionate about supporting people during pregnancy.

Rosie shared some really useful insights and tips to help people through the current COVID-19 health crisis. Rosie talks about focusing on what is in our control. She also shares two really helpful techniques; the first is really going to help anyone who is struggling to adjust to being stuck at home and the loss of freedom that comes with that; it will help you to focus on what you do have control over and how you can still do things that bring you joy.

The second technique is the ACT technique that helps you to relieve the feeling of a difficult emotion that you have no control over.

This episode is focused towards pregnant and new mums but these techniques will help ANYONE who is struggling to adjust to life at the moment.

Rosie also shared information about a Facebook group that has been set up to provide people with an emotional health toolkit, specifically to help people through the COVID 19 crisis. There are 40 psychologists in this group contributing their best work to help people during this time. 

I really help you enjoy the episode. If you do then please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and share with a mum who might find it useful. This really helps to spread the word about the podcast and get it in front of as many women as possible.

Where to find Rosie

https://drrosie.co.uk/

Today I’m speaking to Stephanie Riley, Stephanie has three children, was a nurse, is now a trained yoga instructor and she is also training to be a doula.

Stephanie and I chatted about her experiences with having twins. Stephanie talked about how she anticipated for it to be really tough having twins and was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t find the initial first months as hard as she had expected.

However, Stephanie found it more difficult as the twins got older and were on the move. Stephanie also found it really difficult to adjust to having three children; she had her third when the twins were only 22 months old.  Stephanie said she felt she wasn’t coping and felt like a failure after having her third baby. She also experienced some postnatal anxiety.

Stephanie started some self care practices to help her to get through this difficult time and she now feels better than ever.

We cover loads in this episode, Stephanie was a really amazing guest. We talk about the unrealistic expectations we all put on ourselves as mothers, giving ourselves up to motherhood and accepting that everything is going to change, how self care and taking time for yourself can make such a massive difference to the way you feel, Mizan therapy, closing the bones ceremonies and the importance of being gentle to yourself.

One of the best bits of the conversation took place after I’d stopped recording and Stephanie was talking about how through her doula work she wants to support as many mums as possible to realise they are bloody amazing. Stephanie is amazing and I hope you love this episode as much as I do. 

If you'd like to follow Stephanie you can find her on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/stephanie_riley_llinares_/

I've also created a free download of 5 quick self care tasks you can carry out if you need to give yourself a bit of TLC. Grab it here. 

Download it now!

Today I’m speaking to Nicola Goodall and we will be talking about the first 40 days after birth, the traditional practice of resting after giving birth. Nicola talks about the benefits of this and how women can incorporate some, if not all of these practices into their lives.

This episode is packed will wisdom and really practical tips about how women can take care of themselves during those first few days, weeks and months after birth. If you are pregnant, planning more children or even if you know anyone who is pregnant and want some helpful tips about the best ways to help them I really think you are going to find this episode so useful.

I’ve also created a really helpful cheat sheet which is a one page download outlining the basic things any woman can incorporate into those first 40 days after birth to make sure they are as well rested and cared for as possible. Get that at maisienicholls.com/40days

Tricia started her journey towards supporting parents after she experienced postnatal depression and anxiety after two of her pregnancies. Tricia felt she did not receive the support she required quickly enough and she co-founded Juno Perinatal Mental Health Support in 2015 to support mums with perinatal mental health issues.

Tricia is also an EFT practitioner with a focus on supporting parents who have experienced birth trauma; Tricia also trains others to support parents who've experienced birth trauma. She also has a monthly membership called Overcome the Overload where she uses EFT to help stressed out mums relax and enjoy motherhood more.

Tricia is really focused towards helping parents navigate parenthood in a gentle supportive way. She has loads of really practical and helpful insights to share during this interview so I think you're going to love this episode.

In this episode we talk about Emma’s experiences with postnatal depression, how Emma wishes she had rested more after birth and also how Emma set up the wellbeing zine for mums as she felt there was not enough out there to support mums wellbeing.

Welcome to the postnatal podcast. In this episode I explain why I started the podcast, what it's about and what you can expect in the coming episodes.

I really hope you love it.

 

Maisie x