My latest arrival is Treecalm baby massage! Combining the Birthlight approach to baby massage with gentle stretches and relaxation for both parents and babies as well as tips and techniques for lifting, carrying and settling babies that will give you a precious toolkit for life with your new baby! Massaging babies regularly can help parents … Continue reading New: Treecalm Baby Massage
Spring is such a wonderful time! But does anyone else feel a sense of dread at the words " spring cleaning"? As a busy Mum, i barely find time to do eseential cleaning ( ie slightly more than using baby wipes to swipe the worst bits...) , and i dont imagine my Tots would agree … Continue reading Spring Cleaning without actual cleaning!!
Before i had a baby i couldnt help wonder if all those people telling me " just you wait" / " you will never sleep again"/ " you wont be able to do that any more" etc.. were right and i would have to give up my love for yoga, relaxation and meditation When i … Continue reading Ways to relax with your baby!
Treetots has relocated to Sunny South Devon! The Tots and I have been here for 2 weeks now ( I actually grew up here but have been in the North West for 20 yrs!) I am currently researching the area, aiming to have classes for both babies and toddlers up and running in September. These … Continue reading Hello South Devon!
Big changes are afoot! Treetots Yoga will be uprooting and moving to South Devon at the end of June. Classes are still running as normal for now, and I am still taking massage bookings for this month. Final class dates as follows: Knutsford Toddlers and Babies: Weds 12th June. (Baby class moves to Tues 10am … Continue reading Treetots is Uprooting!!
A quick answer that will be relevant to most of the Mums who come to or are thinking of coming to my classes, is ANY amount of yoga can be hugely beneficial! If you can come once a week you will learn a lot, you will use some of it at home, and some of … Continue reading How much yoga is enough yoga?
Reposting this for Tracey (: My baby boy was born on Wednesday 28/12/11 at 10.10am , weighing 7lb 2oz. He is my second baby , my little girl was born in March 2010. I was 9 days over my EDD. I woke up at about 8am and said to my partner 'Im going to be … Continue reading My baby boy’s birth story.. Again!
There are an ever growing array of classes and activities out there to take our little people to. So what makes my classes unique? A Treetots Yoga class includes yoga for you, yoga for your baby, but most importantly, yoga you do together! Birthlight yoga is all about enhancing opportunities for joyful bonding between mums … Continue reading What makes Treetots Yoga mum and baby / toddler classes unique?
I put a series of 3 factsheets together alongside Sally Scott, Chiropractor, as we felt Mum were not always given good advice about common aches and pains. Its well worth reading all 3- most of us will have tension in all these areas at some point postnatally! New mother’s neck and upper back pain: Neck … Continue reading Quick Guide to postnatal neck and upper back pains: avoid and ease them!
I think everyone's feeling the shifting of early Autumn to mid- Autumn now. The leaves have suddenly fallen from the trees I have been admiring on my drive to nursery/ work - the glorious golden Limes on Mauldeth Rd, the magnificent orangey Horse Chestnuts in Hale Barns, and the sprinkling of stunning red trees and … Continue reading Connecting with Autumn, openness to change.
I recently write a guest blog for someone and although it took me a while to get round to it i really enjoyed it. I have been really lax on the blogging recently and I now realise its because of the iPhone! Since i got mine i hardly go on my computer! Plus my 'e' … Continue reading The Blogging muscle!
I'm reposting this after almost 9 months, both to celebrate my baby boy having been outside the womb for as long as he was in, and because someone asked me to repost! Enjoy (: My baby boy was born on Wednesday 28/12/11 at 10.10am , weighing 7lb 2oz. He is my second baby , my … Continue reading My baby boy’s birth story: 28/12/11
Our little people have so much to teach and show us if we are receptive to it. Reflecting on todays expriences i realised my Tot, who is 2 yrs and 4 months, has shown me: 1. Memory!- I took her to my toddler class today along with my baby aged 7 months, who i normally … Continue reading Toddlers and yoga
One of the Hale mums asked me this morning "what are the benefits of baby yoga?"- a very good question that left me floundering in a sea of information and enthusiasm!! So, here goes: Why baby yoga is brilliant: Reason 1! For newborn- 3 mths, baby yoga helps establish good head control by giving you … Continue reading Why Baby yoga is brilliant! 10 reasons:
Here is my beautiful new logo! Thanks to Daniel Halsall who designed it. I cant seem to display it v well on the website so while i try different ways here it is in all its beauty....! Coming soon: Treetots Yoga tshirts for little people!
Any Mum with a young child will know it is a challenge to find time for yourself. Practicing yoga with your little one is a great way to enhance your wellbeing as well as having fun with them. Another way is to do some yoga with your baby in a sling/ wrap/ carrier! (Also known … Continue reading Yoga while babywearing! Some top tips!
So, my home- based yoga retreat has ended! I didnt get to blog on the last 2 days, due to being , well exhausted, busy and pretty tied up with the baby and Tot! BUT! I was reflecting on the last 3 limbs of the 8 limbs of yoga: Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi … Continue reading 8 Days of living yoga: Days 7, 8 and beyond!
Pratyahara: 'withdrawal of the senses'- I really wasnt sure how i was going to tackle this one today, Easter Sunday, chocolate all around; right now my senses are involved in sucking a Thorntons chocolate with honeycomb pieces, and i am not really ready to withdraw from it!! Luckily, with my OH being home, we went … Continue reading 8 Days of Living yoga: Day 6: Pratyahara to Dharana
I have learned so much about Pranayama from Uma Dinsmore- Tuli's brilliant book 'Mother's Breath'; in here she talks about her own journey as a parent and how she came to realise that parenting was actually part of her yoga practice. She also talks about the lack of attention given in previous yoga texts, to … Continue reading 8 Days of living yoga: Day 5: Pranayama to Pratyahara
Well hello from my home-based yoga retreat! I decided to reflect on each of the 8 limbs of yoga over 8 days of the Easter week, and see if it was possible to have a yoga retreat type experience while going about my normal life with my 3 month old and just turned 2 yr … Continue reading 8 days of living yoga: Day 4: Asana to pranayama
Today has been a pretty peaceful day! So, the aspect of Niyama that has resonated most with my experiences today has been: Isvara Pranidhanam: a life of dedication, of offering everything to God/ to humanity. Dedicating my life to humanity is not something i can really say ive mastered in one day! But in my … Continue reading 8 Days of Living Yoga: Day 3 : Niyama to Asana.
Well, i have to say that even saying i was going to do this seems to have elevated my day a bit! Last night the Tot woke up a couple of hours after i went to bed and didnt go back to sleep for ages; but then with 2 sleep-dodging little ones in my bed … Continue reading 8 Days of Living Yoga: Day 2: Yama to Niyama
I haven't been blogging, tweeting or FBing recently, you may have noticed! Life as a Mum of 2 littluns has its challenges, particularly as I'm mostly on my own at the moment, my OH is working away for 6 months and only comes home now and again. Evenings have mostly been about putting them to … Continue reading 8 Days of Living Yoga: My Challenge!
Having a long cuddle with your baby, letting them fall asleep on your chest, giving them skin to skin time...all things which can seem like an indulgence after the first few weeks of your baby's life when you have things to get on with! But this is all possible whilst still getting on with your … Continue reading 10 Beautiful Moments with your Baby: 7: Wearing your baby!
Due to a couple of cancellations i now have spaces in the March- April block at both Hale (Tuesdays 11-12.30) and Sale (Fridays 10.30-12). These classes are for babies from 2 months up to fully mobile.You can try your first class before deciding whether to sign up for the rest of the block. Please contact … Continue reading Spaces available at Sale and Hale Baby Yoga! For postnatal Mums and babies
Sometimes having a baby feels like really hard work; let's be honest! They need you to fulfill their every need- they cant understand if they have to wait for you to get fed/ cuddled and if they do they cry! Alot! Sometimes i feel a flash of guilt when i am enjoying my baby being … Continue reading 10 Beautiful Moments with your baby: 6. Ahhh they’re asleep! (a 10 min yoga routine!)
Isnt it lovely when they release a giant trump, burp or pooh?! You feel so pleased for them and so relieved! Its a big noise to come out of a small body isnt it?! It always amuses me how well Mums (and dads) take it when babies are sick on them too- it does happen … Continue reading 10 Beautiful Moments with your baby: 5. Your joy at their bodily functions!!
NOW REBOOKING FOR NEXT BLOCK, V FULL CLASSES SO CONTACT ME ASAP IF YOU WANT A PLACE!! Looking forward to returning to teach this block and meeting all the lovely new Mums and babies as well as catching up with the familiar faces!(:(:
Even newborn babies are attracted to faces- they will even be attracted to look at a basic image of a face -two holes and a line! The wonder and innocence in my 5 week old's face as i moved my face from side to side over him as he lay on the floor during a … Continue reading 10 Beautiful Moments with your baby:4: Their eyes following your face!
Like the moment when you realise that they were fussing but all they needed was to be held by you; or when you breathe out, relax, and discover that they have relaxed too; magic!
At its most perfect when they are very newborn! That smell goes beyond the cerebral straight into your soul doesnt it?! And stroking your cheek over their head- the softest , loveliest feeling ever!
Lets not pretend that every moment with a baby is blissful; having just had a bout of mastitis combined with disturbed sleep caused by fever, wriggling toddler and grunting baby combined, I have not been feeling blissful lately.. but even when you are finding things challenging, there are always moments of perfection to be found. … Continue reading Ten beautiful moments with your baby: 1. Little noises in your ear!
I'm reposting this after almost 9 months, both to celebrate my baby boy having been outside the womb for as long as he was in, and because someone asked me to repost! Enjoy (: My baby boy was born on Wednesday 28/12/11 at 10.10am , weighing 7lb 2oz. He is my second baby , my … Continue reading My birth story! 28/12/11
There are limited spaces in the Jan- Feb block still available. This class is a lovely way to start the New Year booking in some quality time with your baby, and will leave you feeling refreshed in time for the weekend! Class is suitable for younger babies from approx 2 months, as well as older … Continue reading Spaces still available in Sale (Cheshire) baby yoga class , Fridays.
Hale class will restart Tuesday 10th Jan, 11-12.30 at The Balance Studios. 5 week block finishing 7th Feb. £46. Please see 'classes- where and when' for more details and email me to sign up/ enquire. Sale class will restart Fri 6th Jan, 10.30-12 at The Light of Hope Centre. 6 week block, finishing Fri 10th … Continue reading New Year 2012 baby yoga classes in Sale and Hale, now booking!
One of the most satisfying aspects of my teaching baby and toddler yoga is seeing parents let go and relax around their little ones. This is a thread that i try to have running through the whole class , not just the relaxation part at the end. For me, relaxation comes into play in many … Continue reading Foundations of Calm: relaxing with your baby / toddler
Its really easy to let bad postural habits creep in when you have been pregnant, then carrying and feeding a baby, falling asleep in odd positions, lifting a car seat (surely the worst piece of equipment for Mums backs!) and then that baby gets bigger and heavier and more demanding! No wonder lots of Mums … Continue reading Posture for parents: regaining ease of movement in handling your little one!
I hope the original author will forgive me paraphrasing her work. Uma Dinsmore- Tuli is a yoga teacher and author of 'Mother's Breath', a beautiful book about yoga and Pranayama in relation to pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. I re-read a chunk of this book last night and this part resonated into todays thoughts. … Continue reading Yogic perspective on parenting and surrendering to instinct.
One off block of 5 sessions starts Fri 4th Nov 2.15-3.15pm Firswood Community Centre, M32 8QS (By Longford Park) £35 for 5 weeks. Additional children welcome (charged at 50%). Stretch, Move and Relax Together! Contact me for further info and to book (advance booking only). Hope to see you and your amazing little one/s there!
The following exercises which utilise the pressure and straightness of the floor to your advantage!, can be done to relieve some common aches and pains of both the pregnancy and postnatal period. You should only practice yoga guided by a qualified teacher , please use as a guide only. Please be very gentle if you … Continue reading The floor is your friend!
I spend a fair amount of time teaching Mums to relax their bodies, improve their posture and breathe deeply, as well as showing them ways to lift, hold, swing, roll and soothe their babies without strain. So you would think that i would be the first to notice if i was putting strain on my … Continue reading Holding and lifting your baby/ toddler without strain
This morning, running late for my class after waking up later than planned, then finding time for yoga practice but not leaving time for getting myself and little one ready.. i found myself snapping at my little girl as she pulled the biscuit packets out of my class supplies and wandered off with them! To … Continue reading Be kind to yourself!
I am lucky enough to be writing this from my holiday in France, where the September sun has already worked its magic on me and my family. Doing yoga in the sunshine has been a real tonic for me and my little one! Experiencing the effects of the sun, as well as the peaceful countryside … Continue reading Sunshine! Its not too late to top up!
In baby and toddler yoga classes i like to work with humming sounds. My pregnancy yoga teacher, Sarah, first introduced me to the idea of humming as being 'sound healing' that works for both mum and baby, and it's an idea i have integrated into my practice and my daily life ever since. At the … Continue reading Humming, and ‘Ohm’! Great for you and your little one…so what does it mean?
Was hoping for an early start before the baba woke up this morning to do some yoga and have some time to connect with the bump! Of course, she was in my bed by morning and awake with me so instead, we had a lovely session together. Our morning yoga sessions go something like this: … Continue reading Family yoga!
By the way- the winner of the mat was Jo from Bramhall, great choice Jo the pink's my favourite too! Happy yoga!
Rolling and spiralling are key movements in Birthlight baby and toddler yoga. This is not just because they are fun, which they are, but because rolling is very beneficial for our babies and toddlers, and spiralling can help to protect parents' backs from strain when lifting little ones. These movements stimulate the Vestibular system- … Continue reading We love Rolling!!
Holding babies upside down is a key element of Birthlight baby yoga! We progress gradually, ensuring both parents' and babies' confidence and physical readiness, from gentle rocking and short, supported inversions..by the time they are toddling we are skydiving together, encouraging them to turn themselves, and giving them a really good look around while upside … Continue reading Tumbling and Flying with your baby / toddler!
Your chance to win a beautiful jewel coloured mat (pictured below!) in your choice of colour, by SIMPLY!: 1. Subscribing to my blog- via my website, click on 'Sign me up' on RHS OR 2. Following me on Twitter- via my website, click on 'Follow' on RHS, if you're not already on Twitter this should … Continue reading Win a gorgeous Yoga Mat!
Chorlton Class@ The Yoga Rooms, Jan- Mar 2011: "It was a nice bonding activity for me and baby, an opportunity to meet other Mums , and relaxation and gentle exercise for me. A really good course, even better than i expected, especially liked rocking moves, and how to hold and lift baby safely. A really … Continue reading Baby Yoga Testimonials / Feedback
