In this workshop, we will have focus on childbirth as a natural process. We will teach what the pregnant woman can do herself and together with her partner through the pregnancy to prepare her body and mind and also train for labor and birth. The couple will learn great tools that can give natural pain relief, better contractions and easier labor and birth for the baby and mum.

The pregnant woman will train on how she during labor can keep a calm mind, feel safe, and be here and now, aware of her body and breathing. She will train on relaxation, «let go», breathing, meditative sound and to follow her intuition and her needs.

We will teach pregnant yoga, Rebozo sifting (shake the woman’s belly softly) and Spinning Babies exercises that can help the woman’s body to become more flexible and soft. And we will use the gravity force in physical movement and active birthing positions. All of this can help the unborn baby to get into a better position in mum’s pelvis, so that the labor and birth can become easier and faster.

The partner will learn how to be here and now, have inner peace and feel safe, and be a patient and lovely protector for mum and baby. Then the woman can easier let go of mental control, so that there is less chance that the labor will stop. The partner will also learn to give birthing massage and acupressure and to give support in active birthing positions.

Another main focus area in the workshop, is to strengthen the bonding between the baby and the parents before, during and after the birth, and also the contact and communication in the parents relationship.

We will teach about how to get the best breastfeeding start and how to use different baby carriers.

This workshop is for couples with due date between June and September.

We will train on:

Pregnant yoga
The Spinning Babies method and Rebozo sifting
Physical movement and Active birthing positions
Birthing massage, taoistic strokes and acupressure
Relaxation exercises, breathing and meditative sound
Contact with the baby in the womb
Communication exercises for the couple

Theoretical teaching about:

How to get a good Pregnancy and Birth
Letter to the midwife/hospital
Waterbirth, hospital birth, home birth
The start and phases in labor
What will help the body to produce the birthing hormones
Natural induction, contraction stimulation and pain relief
Chemical induction, contraction stimulation and pain relief
Complications in labour and birth
Bonding, Breastfeeding, The Post partum period
Nutrition in the pregnancy and the post partum period

About workshop leaders

Gry Aksnes has been working as a therapist and workshop leader since 1981 and as a doula (birth helper) since 1994, and she runs DOULASENTERET in Oslo (www.doulasenteret.no). In 2009 she started DOULASKOLEN i Oslo ( www.doulaskolen.no ), where she is the main teacher and principal. Gry has taught Natural birth workshops and other birth preparation workshops for many years. She has also taught about natural birth and the doulas tools to midwives and nurses in several hospitals.

Gry has been teaching about baby massage and the post partum period both in DOULASENTERET and in many health care centers, and she has been teaching about "kind touch" in Kindergardens. She has 3 daughters, and had waterbirths at home. Gry is educated as massage teacher from Nordlys Centret (Denmark). She also has education from Twin Lakes College of the Healing arts (USA), Axelsons Body Work School (Oslo) and Moreno Instituttet (Oslo), and several workshops in the Spinning Babies method (www.spinningbabies.com), and many other workshops and conferences about pregnancy, childbirth and childhood.

Eva Hjelden is educated as a yoga teacher with Womb yoga led by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli. The education is based on yoga therapy and is safe for all pregnant women.

She also did the 2 year part time education in DOULASKOLEN i Oslo , and has become a doula (birth helper), workshop leader and therapist.

Eva is educated as a dancer in contemporary dance, as an aromatherapist at «Norsk Aromaterapiskole» (Oslo) and Ayurvedic health care practitioner in «The Ayurvedic Institute» (New Mexico).

She works as a yoga teacher, workshop leader, therapist and doula, and is a teacher in DOULASKOLEN in Oslo. She has a son that was born in 2008.

Schedule

Thursday 21. May = optional day

If you want to come a day earlier and calm down by receiving massage treatments and be outside in the beautiful nature, Nøsen offers a discounted price of 1700 kr for the couple for a night with a full board. Contact Nøsen directly to book an extra night.

Friday 22.May

17.30 - 19.00 Introduction, Awareness exercise, Pregnant yoga.
19.00 - 20.00 Dinner
20.00 - 21.00 Relaxation and breathing, Contact with the unborn baby, Conversation for the couple.

Saturday 23.May

09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast
10.00 – 12.00 Awareness exercise, About the labors start and phases, Natural birth, Active birthing positions, Birthing massage.
12.00 – 13.00 Freetime in nature.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 16.00 Relaxation, Meditative sound, Contact with the unborn baby, Conversation for the couple, Pregnant yoga.
16.00 – 16.30 Smoothie, fruits, healthy snacks
16.30 – 19.00 Acupressure for childbirth. Birthing massage in active birthing positions. Rebozo-sifting.

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner

Sunday 24.May

09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast
10.00 – 12.00 Awareness exercise for use in labor. About water birth, hospital birth, home birth, complications in labor and birth, natural and chemical induction and pain relief. Physical movement and birthing dance. Pregnant yoga.
12.00 – 13.00 Freetime in nature.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 16.00 Relaxation, Meditative sound, Contact with the unborn baby. About the partners role, Spinning Babies exercises, Rebozo sifting.
16.00 – 16.30 Lentil-vegetable soup
16.30 – 18.00 Birthing massage in active birthing positions. About the post partum period, bonding, breastfeeding, baby carriers. Conversation for the couple. A last sharing in the circle of pregnant couples and unborn babies.

Optional items:

Pregnant massage

Pregnant massage is a holistic, harmonizing, relaxing and very comfortable treatment. We use slow pace and medium pressure.

The treatment can help for muscle tension, pain, the blood circulation and edema, and can also help you to be more aware of your body and breathing, be here and now and let your head be calm. In this way you can let go of tension in your body, and get deep inner peace and rest, and also get help with insomnia. This is important as birth preparation, and the unborn baby can also enjoy the treatment.

Massage for the partner

The massage is a holistic, harmonizing, relaxing and very comfortable treatment in a slow pace.

The treatment can help for muscle tension and pain, and can also help you to be more aware of your body and breathing, be here and now and let your head be calm. In this way you can let go of tension in your body, and get deep inner peace and rest, and also get help with insomnia.

Therapists: Gry Aksnes, Eva Hjelden

60 Minutes kr.1000, 90 Minutes kr.1350, 120 Minutes kr.1600

More information and to sign up before 19.May: gry.aksnes@gmail.com , Mobile phone (+47) 95870103 , www.doulasenteret.no