Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked
questions
The questions I am asked most often, answered plainly. If yours is not here, do get in touch and I will answer it properly.
Pregnancy yoga
From 12 weeks to delivery and beyond
When can I start pregnancy yoga?
You can start pregnancy yoga from 12 weeks, or from your first scan. Most women join in the second trimester, once early nausea has settled, though there is no wrong time. Classes are open right through to delivery, and many students practise until the week they give birth.
Is yoga safe during pregnancy?
Yes, when it is taught by a teacher trained in prenatal yoga. Pregnancy yoga is specifically adapted for the changing body: no deep twists, no strong backbends, no lying flat on the back after the first trimester, and no positions that compress the belly. If you have a high risk pregnancy or any complications, check with your midwife or consultant first.
Do I need to have done yoga before?
No. Many women come to yoga for the first time during pregnancy. Classes are designed for complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners, and everything is explained as we go. The practice meets you where you are now, not where you were before pregnancy.
What should I bring to a pregnancy yoga class?
A yoga mat, comfortable clothing you can move in, and water. Props such as bolsters, blocks and blankets are provided in studio. For online classes, have two blocks or firm cushions, a blanket and a bolster or rolled duvet to hand.
Which poses should I avoid during pregnancy?
Avoid deep twists, strong backbends, lying flat on the back from the second trimester onwards, and anything that compresses the abdomen. Take care with wide-legged positions if you have pelvic girdle pain. Any pose that puts the head below the heart should be held for no more than about three breaths later in pregnancy.
Can pregnancy yoga help with back pain?
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons women come. Gentle spinal movement such as cat-cow, supported forward folds and hip releases all ease the load on the lower back. Because back pain in pregnancy is very often rooted in the hips, releasing the hips usually brings the back with it. There is a full guide to the poses here.
Will pregnancy yoga help me in labour?
The breathwork is the part that carries over most directly. Learning to lengthen the exhale gives you something to return to during contractions, and it works because the body remembers what the mind has practised. Squatting and hip opening also build strength and space for birth. The Golden Thread Breath is the technique I teach most often for this.
Can I practise if I have pelvic girdle pain or SPD?
Often yes, but the approach needs to change and some poses will not be suitable. Please work with a women's health physiotherapist alongside your practice, and tell me before class so I can adapt it for you.
When can I start postnatal yoga after birth?
Usually from around six weeks after a straightforward birth, and later after a caesarean, once you have had your postnatal check. Gentle breathwork and pelvic floor work can begin earlier. Always take your midwife or GP's guidance on timing.
Is online pregnancy yoga as good as in person?
For most women, yes, and it removes the two biggest obstacles: travel and timing. You get the same adapted practice at home, at a time that suits you. In person classes offer hands-on adjustment and the company of other pregnant women, which many find just as valuable as the yoga itself.
Private yoga
Chelsea, Fulham, Notting Hill and Kensington
Where do you teach private yoga?
Across West London, principally Chelsea, Fulham, Notting Hill and Kensington, and online via Zoom anywhere in the world. I also teach at The Nook, my studio on Bracklesham Bay in West Sussex.
Do you come to my home?
Yes. Most private clients practise in their own home, which is usually the easiest option and means no travel at either end of your day. I can also teach at a venue of your choice. All you need is enough floor space to lie down with your arms outstretched.
How long is a private session?
Sixty or seventy-five minutes. Sixty suits most people practising regularly. Seventy-five gives more room for breathwork and a longer rest at the end, which is worth it if you are coming for stress as much as for movement.
How much does a private yoga class cost?
Pricing depends on location, session length and whether you book singly or as a block, and blocks work out more economical. Do get in touch and I will send you the current rates the same day.
Can I book a private class for two or three of us?
Yes. Small group private sessions work beautifully for friends, family or colleagues, and everyone still receives individual attention. It is also a more economical way to practise privately, since the cost is shared.
What style of yoga will we do?
Whatever suits you. I teach slow flow, yin, power and pre and postnatal yoga, and a private session is shaped around your experience, your goals and how you feel on the day. Many clients move between styles from week to week.
What do I need for a class at home?
A mat and a little floor space. Blocks, a bolster and a blanket are useful but not essential, and cushions and a folded duvet do the same job. I bring props for in person sessions in London.
How do I book?
Send me an enquiry through the private yoga page or the contact page, telling me roughly where you are and what you are looking for. I reply within 24 hours.
Still wondering something? The Journal goes deeper on pregnancy back pain, hip pain, breathwork for labour and why savasana matters more than most people think.
Private and pregnancy yoga in your own home across West London, or online. Fifteen years of teaching, shaped around wherever you are today.
Get in touch