Tamara Cleaver - Doula & Yoga Teacher

03/24/2026

Dear friends,

For those who have been with me in this space for the past 14 years, thank you! I am so grateful for your love and support.

Please feel welcome to connect with me at Rare Bird Holistic where I’ll be shifting my on-line presence.

Big doula hugs!
Tamara

Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛

Happy Friday! ✨

A note to let you know that I’ll be making some changes to this space soon.

In order to be more gentle with myself, with my time, and with my energy, I have decided to shift my online presence over to my yoga page Rare Bird Holistic .
I am still actively working as a doula, with this being my 14th year of supporting folks through the spectrum of pregnancy, childbirth, the fourth trimester … and beyond.

I love this beautiful work, and believe that my yoga practice has deepened my devotion to the doula path.

Yoga is a pathway to autonomy, to choice, and to embodiment.
There is a depth of wisdom to be found within the invitation to move, to breathe, to feel, to connect, to return home to our bodies.

I am so excited for this evolution as a doula, as an educator, and as an aspiring yoga therapist.

I invite you to join our heart based community, for inspiration, encouragement, guided meditations, yoga videos with my cat on the mat, and poetry… there will always be poetry. 💛

Over at Rare Bird, you’ll see some small changes- including an update to my page name- as I begin to integrate my doula practice into the space.

Sending love & gratitude your way,
Tamara Xo








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛Holistic

03/13/2026

Happy Friday! ✨

A note to let you know that I’ll be making some changes to this space soon.

In order to be more gentle with myself, with my time, and with my energy, I have decided to shift my online presence over to my yoga page Rare Bird Holistic .
I am still actively working as a doula, with this being my 14th year of supporting folks through the spectrum of pregnancy, childbirth, the fourth trimester … and beyond.

I love this beautiful work, and believe that my yoga practice has deepened my devotion to the doula path.

Yoga is a pathway to autonomy, to choice, and to embodiment.
There is a depth of wisdom to be found within the invitation to move, to breathe, to feel, to connect, to return home to our bodies.

I am so excited for this evolution as a doula, as an educator, and as an aspiring yoga therapist.

I invite you to join our heart based community, for inspiration, encouragement, guided meditations, yoga videos with my cat on the mat, and poetry… there will always be poetry. 💛

Over at Rare Bird, you’ll see some small changes- including an update to my page name- as I begin to integrate my doula practice into the space.

Sending love & gratitude your way,
Tamara Xo








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛Holistic

03/11/2026

Here is some research on the positive outcomes of upright positions during active labour.

We practice building strength in upright shapes every week in our Yoga For Birth preparation classes.

“Another study has confirmed ..a clear association between upright positioning during the active second stage of labour and increased rates of physiological birth.” (Tinker et al 2026)

We know from previous work that a few studies have found advantages such as shorter duration of labour, less use of epidural analgesia (EDA), and a lower risk of caesarean section in women without EDA adopting upright positions compared to recumbent positions in the first stage of labour. (Kjeldsen et al 2025)

And another team of researchers recently set out to, “...observe the proportion of time nulliparous women spent in upright and supine positions during the active second stage of labour, and to explore associations with birth outcomes.” (Tinker et al 2026)

They found that, “Women who birthed physiological more frequently adopted all-fours position or used a birth stool, whereas those who had an instrumental birth were more often in semi-recumbent or lithotomy positions.” (Tinker et al 2026)

“For every 10% increase in time spent in upright positions during the active second stage, the likelihood of physiological birth increased by 26%.
Conversely, each 10% increase in time spent in a supine position there was a 30% increased likelihood of instrumental birth.” (Tinker et al 2026)

Find the original study at https://www.womenandbirth.org/article/S1871-5192(26)00025-9/abstract

Shared from Dr. Sara Wickham 💛









Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛yoga.therapy

03/11/2026

“For every 10% increase in time spent in upright positions during the active second stage, the likelihood of physiological birth increased by 26%.
Conversely, each 10% increase in time spent in a supine position there was a 30% increased likelihood of instrumental birth.” (Tinker et al 2026)

03/09/2026

International Women’s Day. 💛

I spent Sunday within the company of women for whom I deeply respect and admire.

I had tea and a lovely conversation with Andrea of Lagoon Prenatal about perinatal wellbeing, and the weaving of doula care into professional healthcare settings. Doula work is the highly skilled craft of caregiving, and I’m very excited by the idea of this kind of collaboration.

Later on, I picked up my friend Roxie for more doula chats, and together we attended Danielle’s beautiful Sunday evening class at Ajna Yoga.

During our practice, Danielle invited us to work in pairs, to make simple requests of one another, and to respond to the request with the word “No.” It was really interesting to see how the boundary of “No” landed within our bodies as we said it.

We also did some reflective writing with the prompt of “ Here is what I will no longer carry. “

Here is what I will no longer carry. My answer is nuanced and multi-layered, and will deserve its own post, at some point.

It was a powerful practice, followed by some gentle movement, breath, and rest. Exactly what I needed.

Here’s to all of you who create space for others. Doulas, teachers, mentors, midwives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunties and grandmothers.

May we all feel deeply held, heard, and acknowledged.
I am grateful to be among you. 💛








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛yoga.therapy

03/06/2026

Acorn Perinatal Care has spaces available for September and October!

www.acornperinatalcare.com

Looking for pregnancy care? Acorn Perinatal Care has spaces available for September and October! www.acornperinatalcare.com

03/03/2026

“ Birth is not a cerebral event; it is a visceral-holistic process which requires all of your self—body, heart, emotion, mind, spirit. ”

~ words : Birthing Ourselves into Being 💛

Yoga For Birth begins on March 3rd. All pregnant folks are welcome to join for this movement based educational series.

More info and registration in my bio 💛








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be 💛

02/24/2026

In this yoga series, we’ll explore the connection between body, mind, breath, and the nervous system, and how they collectively support our pelvic health.

A healthy pelvic floor is one that is fully integrated and responsive – one that can be strong & engaged when needed, and also soften & rest when the work is done. This class will focus on nurturing that awareness.

Through somatic movement, breath awareness, and guided meditation – we’ll release, relax, build strength & resilience – in support of our whole being wellness.

You can expect a fun and informative class, with self compassion as the heart of our practice – inviting us to move gently with deep care, as we honour wherever we are on the journey.

Instructor: Tamara Cleaver
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:15pm, March 4- April 8
Investment: $144

Sign up through the link in our bio- yoga studio or dm with questions.

02/08/2026

Family Day weekend came early.
Here in my hand, remnants of grandson magic. 💛

Coming soon, a new Family Yoga class through Cedar Hill Recreation. Stay tuned for more information!

Tamara xo








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛yoga.therapy

02/01/2026

The Ajna yoga community means so much to me. 💛

This is where I began my journey as a student teacher in 2018, and where I continue to learn, grow, and share through the wisdom of yoga.

I am so excited to offer a 6 week Pelvic Floor Yoga series at beginning on March 4th!

Each week we’ll move, breathe, create connection and build awareness of the pelvic floor- in support of our whole being wellness. You can expect a fun & informative class, with self compassion at the heart of our practice. 💛

For more info and registration, check my bio, or go to the Ajna Yoga website.

12/21/2025

💛

Let them see you rest. Let your children see you rest. Let them see you lay down in the middle of the day while they play beside you. Let them see that love is not proven through endless giving. Let them see it’s safe for them to rest too. Let your mother see you rest. Let her see you sit down with a cup of tea even though there are unwashed dishes and laundry still to do. Let her see you break the cycle that shaped her - the one that taught her that her worth is found in doing. Let her see it’s safe for her to rest too. Let your friends see you rest.
Let them see you without makeup, without plans, without manically cleaning the house before they arrive. Let them see it’s safe for them to rest too. Let your colleagues, your clients, your inner critic see you rest. Let them see it’s safe for them to rest too.

~ 💛








Nest. Rest. Breathe. Be. 💛

12/16/2025

Yoga with Tamara at Braefoot Park Centre. ✨

These therapeutic and holistic yoga practices are excellent for prenatal wellness, birth preparation, and postnatal healing.

Kick off the new year in a mindful way with sessions starting January 6, 2026 💛

🧘 Yoga - Pelvic Floor
Tuesdays, from 6:15 to 7:15 PM
Braefoot Park Centre
8 week series $96
Course 150545

🧘 Yoga- Prenatal and Birth Preparation
Tuesdays, from 7:30 to 8:30pm
Braefoot Park Centre
8 week series $96
Course 153178

Learn more and register today at saanich.ca/register ✨