The Yoga, Bellies & Babies Podcast

In this heartfelt episode, I open up about my experience giving birth to twins in a hospital setting using hypnobirthing techniques during an induction. After using hypnobirthing for my previous births, including an induction with my first and a home birth with my second, I faced a new challenge: applying these same techniques to a twin birth classified as "high risk." I share candid details about...

Feeling completely drained? Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, or simply looking for ways to boost energy or embrace deep rest, this episode is for you. Join me as we explore 5 simple yet powerful yoga practices to ease exhaustion and leave you feeling supported and recharged. These poses are designed for all stages of motherhood and will help you find balance no matter how busy or tired you fee...

If you’ve ever wondered how long you’ll breastfeed, or if breastfeeding feels like it could be too challenging, you’re not alone. Whether you're preparing for your first baby or anticipating life with twins, breastfeeding can feel overwhelming, especially when questions and doubts start to creep in. When I was pregnant with my twins, I faced similar questions, even though I’d breastfed my older tw...

This week’s episode is an open and honest with a fellow prenatal & postnatal yoga and hypnobirthing instructor, and a Mama, Daria. Whether you are pregnant or have already given birth, this episode is for you! Daria opens up about her approach to teaching Yoga and her personal experiences during pregnancy and postpartum. We dive deep into her journey with prolapse and how it shaped her postpar...

They say it takes a village to raise a child. In one of my Facebook support groups, someone shared some research that pointed that it takes an average of 4 adults to raise and nurture 1 child. 4 adults per child! That’s why I’m not surprised that now, as a mother of four, I’m experiencing firsthand the curiosity from others about how I manage it all. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain t...

This week we discuss safety during childbirth with Gina Mundy, an attorney specializing in childbirth cases. For over 20 years, Gina’s focus has been investigating and analyzing mistakes that arise during labour and delivery. She has spent countless hours meticulously scrutinizing childbirth cases, conducting interviews with delivery teams, and thoroughly examining medical records to gain an in-de...

*Trigger warning: this episode talks about adoption and trauma * Step into the warmth of a truly special episode this week. Join us as we delve deep into the remarkable journey of Adisti van Os. Born in Indonesia and adopted into a Dutch family at just three months old, Adisti generously shares her deeply personal narrative of adoption, exploring the profound dynamics of the mother wound and her u...

Have you ever had these thoughts? ‘’How am I supposed to practice Yoga with a baby who I’m constantly feeding’’ Or ‘’ I went to postnatal yoga with my baby and spend more time feeding my baby that in actual poses’’ I’m here to challenge those thoughts and reshape your perspective on integrating yoga into your life with your baby. This episode is not about how to practice yoga with a baby around, b...

Confused about the myriad types of health coaching? Overwhelmed by the multitude of buzzwords surrounding women’s health? Carry a feeling of shame or physical pain during your cycle? You're not alone. Join Iris Josephine Verstappen as she demystifies the terms and complexities. In this episode, Iris guides us on a profound journey into the sacredness of our bodies and cycles, while empowering us t...

After bring on a 6 month hiatus, I’m thrilled to bring the Yoga, Bellies & Babies Podcast back! It’s been a busy few months, from being pregnant with twins, bringing them into this world and adjusting into our new life. Today, I'm diving back into the podcast by reflecting on the whirlwind of emotions and challenges I've experienced over the past 12 months. Whether you're expecting or have rec...

Birth stories are powerful. I’m refraining from labelling them as positive or negative, as it comes down to how the birthing person feels. What for one person might sounds traumatic, for the other might be beautiful and empowering. I will keep the word powerful, because every single birth story is indeed powerful. Regardless of the type of birth. It’s a birth! The reason they are powerful is becau...

***Trigger warning*** This episode contains information about a miscarriage. Welcome to this episode with the wonderful Tove Palmgren, a Yoga teacher of over 34 years and a mum of 4. Tove is one of those women who gave birth to all her children without pain-relief. This episode is NOT about judging women who use pain relief or who don’t, the point is, she did it back when there was no such thing a...

Yoga is often associated with stretching. It’s the classic ‘’Yoga is about being able to touch your toes’’. Many of us often start going to yoga classes for the physical benefits, only later to find there is so much more. 10-20 years ago, we would say things like ‘’Yes I do yoga, but I don’t go for the spiritual stuff like the ooomms and stuff, I go to move and sweat’’. And let’s face it, we all k...

Last summer, I found myself asking my mum, "Is this peri-menopause?". I was having lots of hot flushes and sweating. Her response was, "No, you’ve forgotten what Spanish summers are like and you're breastfeeding!" She might have been right. Who knows? This summer I’m pregnant, and my body is going through something else! However, I’d rather be prepared for peri-menopause and learn how to manage th...

After becoming a mother. I found myself at a loss when faced with the typical ‘’So, what do you do?’’. Yes I was still ‘’doing’’ my professional job, but I was also doing a lot more! I had to re-evaluate what this meant for my purpose and identity. Fast forward 5 years and much soul-searching and therapy, I now run an online yoga business and am a podcaster. To get started on this new journey, I j...

I recently completed the KGH Hypnobirthing Teacher Trainer Course. I choose the KGH method because back in 2018, someone lent me the KGH Hypnobirthing book whilst I was pregnant with my first child. My husband and I read it from cover to cover, loved everything about it and were convinced we were ready for a magical ‘’hypnobirth’’. For many reasons, the birth was not at all as expected! Realising...

You´ve probably heard of Naturopathy and Herbalism, but have you wondered what´s the difference between them? Or how they can support women’s health? Perhaps you’ve googled things like: Herbal teas to avoid during pregnancy Natural remedies for period pain How to get labour started, the natural way! And even though Google (or chatgpt!) may have the answers for you, nothing beats asking an experien...

Maternity Leave. Two words that carry immense power. Evoking different emotions depending on the stage of life one finds themselves in. I have personally experienced maternity leave twice, while enjoying the comfort of a stable job. However, this time around as a business owner, the experience is vastly different! The challenges faced by freelancers and entrepreneurs regarding maternity leave are...

Pregnancy is not an illness and pregnant people are not patients. We are normal people, who happen to be carrying and growing another human being inside of us. And yes, it’s not easy! The physical demands on the body are significant. But in a normal, healthy pregnancy, one can pretty much carry on doing what one was doing before being pregnant. My brain knows this, yet when I see videos of pregnan...

In this episode, I'll be answering the most common questions about postnatal yoga. I’d like to first clarify this is not a comprehensive postnatal yoga guide. I will give you an overview of the type of poses and asanas you can practice week by week. For more details and a personalised Yoga practice, I recommend finding a yoga teacher who can adapt to your needs. In this episode, I’ll be addressing...

‘’I was falling asleep, sitting up in my bathtub in the middle of labour!’’ How did I get to this blissful state during labour? How was I drug free and falling asleep in between rushes? During my first pregnancy , we attempted a home birth. We read a hypnobirthing book, hired an inflatable bathtub and thought we were all set. It didn’t work the way I planned. For many different reasons, and one in...

Are you curious about healing? As a scientist and a yogi, I definitely am! Since becoming a mother, the importance of healing has gone past my own needs but also to family´s and my children’s too. This week’s guest, is indeed a professional healer, Sonal Karamchandani (even though she will correct me to say that everyone is a healer!). Sonal Karamchandani is an alternative spiritual healer and a l...

I’m tired. I didn’t sleep well. These are the two most common answers I hear from my students when I ask them how they are. They’ve been my top answers too, especially in the recent years. Why are we always tired? And, most importantly what can we do about it? To answer my many questions on sleep we have this week’s guest, Simone van der Heide. Simone is a health coach, specialised in sleep. She i...

Be authentic. Find your purpose. Prioritise personal growth. The message is clear, keep improving yourself. How do you do this, AND be content with where you are, at the same time? I invited Jana Puisa, to come in and firstly, explain these fancy terms, which are buzz words thrown around a lot, and secondly to tell us why they’re important and how to use them in daily life. Jana Puisa is a certifi...

‘’Congratulations on your baby! When are you going back to work?’’ That’s usually one of the first questions you get as soon as you have a baby. Motherhood and work. Because being a mother (or father) isn’t work right? Sarcasm aside, it’s a serious and important question. Although, often not delivered at the appropriate time or by the appropriate person! We need to remember there are opinions on e...