About
Amelie Cresswell,
pregnancy yoga, postnatal yoga for mum and baby, women’s yoga instructor and doula
I’m so glad you found your way here.
And that you’re curious about how specifically-tailored yoga or doula support might make a positive difference to you right now.
Pregnancy, birth, early motherhood, the sometimes very long journey to get there, and the journey ‘beyond’ are all such unique times in a woman’s life.
A real rollercoaster, for the body, the mind. Your life!
From the sickness, tiredness and anxiety of the first trimester, to the heaviness and sore hips of the third. The daunting unknown of giving birth. The chaos and exhaustion of early postpartum… and motherhood! And for many more of us than people might realise, the long, difficult path to try and get to this point when we might finally hold a baby in our arms.
I get it. Because I’ve been there. Every step of the way.
My story
I first truly came to yoga in 2012 when expecting my first baby, and everything about it felt new and weird and a bit daunting! But attending pregnancy yoga classes completely transformed my experience. Week after week, I discovered how to support my changing body, address these aches and pains, calm my anxieties (which I had never managed to tame) and connect with my baby… It enabled me to truly enjoy my pregnancy right up and past my ‘due date’, and feeling completely serene and prepared about giving birth too!
And after ‘crash landing’ in motherhood (I had been prepared for birth, but not really for what comes after!) it was again yoga, and early mum & baby nurture practices that helped me heal my changed body, feel more rested when sleep was so scarce, connect with my little girl and trust my fragile mother’s instincts.
And ultimately, gradually, feel like myself again.
A practice that has continuously supported me ever since, as I went forward into another (long-awaited) pregnancy, and riding the joys and demands of motherhood, and the rollercoaster of women’s health too!
So much so that I decided to make this my work, my purpose. Using my personal experience, all the experiences of women I have encountered and supported so far, and many years of specialist training and education in the perinatal and women’s health field, to hold this very special space for you, and help you find calm, ease, understanding and trust in your body, baby and yourself, throughout conception, pregnancy, early motherhood, and beyond.
What’s different about my approach?
Yoga, and so much more…
My yoga classes offer a unique blend of classic and adapted yoga poses, together with fluid somatic movement, breathwork, therapeutic exercises, restorative poses and guided relaxation, as well as integrated baby practices in all mum & baby classes.
Each class is carefully crafted to be of the greatest benefit to you at the specific stage of life you’re at, and always taught in a mindful, accessible and trauma-informed yet
light-hearted way.
You don’t need to have any yoga experience, be flexible, or to wear fancy yoga pants (unless it makes you feel good!).
… in an informative and empowering way…
It’s not right you should know your phone better than your own body, pelvis, pelvic floor, or baby. And for me, this requires both knowledge (i.e information that we process with our mind), and embodied knowing (understanding with /through your body).
All my classes and workshops aim to equip you this crucial knowledge & knowing in an accessible & practical way, designed to leave you feeling confident & empowered about your body, birth and baby.
Expect themes weaved into sessions, visual tools & props, plenty of body explorations for you and your body, as well as take-home tips & resources to support you between and beyond classes.
… always with some personal attention
To me, you will never be just a body on a mat.
In all my classes, group or 1:1, I deeply care that you feel seen and heard (if you feel comfortable to), can connect with others, and receive the guidance you need so the practice best supports you and your needs, as you are today.
That’s why I teach most of my group classes in blocks, and why most classes start with a sharing time.
Giving you lots of opportunities to chat, connect with other women, and ask questions, so that you can receive the personal attention you deserve (and which I know makes a huge difference in yuor experience).
“Amelie's warmth, expertise and humour
make her classes informative, grounding and, above all, relaxing and enjoyable at a time when everything is in flux. My only regret is not having started sooner! ”
— Komal Parekh
Trainings, qualifications & specialisms
200hrs trauma-informed somatics yoga teacher training with Barefoot Body, certified by Yoga Alliance
Birthlight Yoga for Pregnancy & birth with Dr Francoise Freedman
Birthlight Postnatal Yoga
Birthlight Baby Yoga Practitioner & Teacher Trainer
Birthlight Yoga for Fertility and Early Pregnancy
Fertility Yoga training with Cherie Lathey & Diane King, Yogamama
IAIM UK Certified Instructor in Infant Massage
Birthlight Yoga to support breastfeeding
Birthlight Yoga for Diastasis Recti
Yoga for Digestive Health - Charlotte Watts
Somatics for Yoga Teachers - Charlotte Watts
Mindful strength for access & variety - Barefoot Body
Finally Pregnant Yoga Class Leader (Yoga after infertility & baby loss / Yoga for long awaited pregnancies)- Co-created with Cath Strawbridge & Simone Douglas-Martin