Midwife-Yoga Teacher, Fay Lodge
Hello, I’m Fay! I am a practising midwife and independent prescriber as well as a registered pregnancy yoga teacher and KGH hypnobirthing teacher.
I started my training to become a midwife in 2007 and very quickly found my passion was for promoting and enabling normality during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. I fully believe that by empowering women to trust in themselves and their bodies’ capabilities, they can achieve a fulfilling birth experience that is more likely to follow a natural course without the need for medical intervention.
After qualifying I worked full time for over 5 years, supporting women and their families, attending home and birth centre births while studying for a MSc in Midwifery. I completed this in August 2015 with a systematic review published in the British Journal of Midwifery on how maternal position at birth affects the rate of perineal trauma, focusing on natural, upright birth positions.
My yoga journey began around 6 months earlier with my first Ashtanga Vinyasa class, where I fell in love with the practice. Over 18 months my practice gradually increased to six days a week with a burning desire to find out more about the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of yoga. I soon began to see how these benefits were transferable to other aspects of life, especially pregnancy and birth. I have studied yoga in the UK, Spain, Japan, India and Sri Lanka and collated knowledge from teachers around the world. I completed a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in India in 2018 and in Spain in 2019, and the 85hr Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training in the UK in 2019.
I have found the practice of yoga during pregnancy has many benefits. Asana strengthens the core muscles used to support the abdomen and pelvic floor; especially important during pregnancy, for labour and aiding a quick recovery following birth; while the practices of pranayama and meditation provide techniques that can be utilised to help women remain calm and relaxed. This is proven to reduce pain from contractions by encouraging the release of endorphins and to aid the progress of labour by the release of oxytocin.
I believe that through the use of antenatal education, preparation and empowerment, women can lose their fear of childbirth and enjoy this most powerful and extraordinary time in their lives. I have supported many women to achieve a positive pregnancy and birth experience and look forward to sharing this special time with you.
Namaste
