Valerie May Yoga, Green Lane, London (2026)

06/04/2026

Parenting is so difficult and don’t I know it, I have a teenage girl and a 12 year old boy. Caring for and guiding other humans is s**t hard. For most decisions parents must make, there is no single right answer.

Breast or bottle?

Cot or co-sleep?

Nursery or stay-at-home parent?

Baby led weaning or spoon feed?

Screens or no screens?

These are just a few of the many endless questions parents have to answer, and there’s no right answer. We weigh facts and feelings and make a decision.

So long as you are doing your best to parent with authenticity and compassion, I’m with you!

And you know what? It’s not my job to decide if you are doing your best, so I’ll just trust that you are and support you all the way.

If you ask me my opinion on specific decisions, I might weigh in with the best info I have.

Sometimes I’ll share what I chose when facing the same or a similar decision, but often I don’t. Why? You aren’t me. Your child is different from mine. The other members of your family are different people to the members of mine.

Your circumstances and life experience, may be very different from mine. So only you can be the expert on you.

It’s hard not to second-guess ourselves, especially when it comes to parenting. We are talking about the people you love more than anything in the world, after all, and you are responsible for them. The stakes seem very high.

But you know what? Those little people are extremely resilient, and the things they need most don’t require much in the way of decisions: communication, connection, and love.

So whether you whip out your b**b or your bottle in my mummy and baby yoga class. Know that I’ll always be your biggest cheerleader, as there is absolutely no judgement in my little studio.

03/04/2026

Even normal everyday things feel like they are tipping you over the edge. You have a deadline for a work project, then realise your kids school’s Easter bonnet parade was the next day and you had to create a fancy hat from thin air of Ascot standards.

You used to be able to juggle this no problem. Now your brain just doesn't seem to be working. It's so hard to figure out where to start and how to prioritise. Instead you are stalling, overthinking, stressing or doing nothing at all.

This manifests in forgetting why you walked in a room, leaving your phone in bizarre places like on top of the washing machine (I did this), putting mince in the bread bin and bread in the fridge (my neighbour did this.)

Also things are at faster pace now you've reached midlife. There's even more to manage, loads of responsibilities, decisions to make and people that need you 24/7.
If you are feeling overwhelmed in perimenopause you're not the only one.

Research shows that women in perimenopause report higher levels of stress, anxiety and mental load and that overwhelm is one of the most common experiences.

But did you know that perimenopause literally changes how much your brain can handle at once. What used to feel manageable is now too much and that is not a mindset failure.

Physiologically, oestrogen supports brain energy, focus and regulates the stress response. Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system. As these hormones change your focus drops, stress increases, and your brain has a harder time organising and prioritising.

So how you are feeling isn’t due to failed mindset or lack of willpower. Its just that your physical mental capacity has changed and you are hitting your limits and need support.

When you look at your life demands, set boundaries, create space for good nutrition, rest, movement and reducing stress, you start to feel different. Helping you sit down to those three emails and actually answer them.

If you are navigating perimenopause, follow along or get in touch as I have the best programme to support you, The MidLife Reset, an evergreen course that helps you make small shifts that really make the difference.

27/03/2026

No one tells you the early postpartum period can feel worse than pregnancy and labour…it sucks big time.

Okay so this is where the horribleness really starts, like what the heck…

The bleeding, there is so much, when is it actually going to stop?

The very thought of sun going down makes you panic!! Talk about sunset scaries rather than Sunday scaries. Baby is ugly crying ALL THE TIME.

5 hours of sleep in 3 days, its worse than being tortured. How can you sleep right now when someone needs to protect baby? What if you roll over on your baby in bed and squash them?

Terrified to actually p**p.. it feels like an Olympic sport just going to the loo because of the tearing down below.

Waddling around useless to even pick up something off the ground as your belly feels like blancmange.

Worrying your baby isn't getting enough to eat. Breast feeding is so hard. It hurts so much like daggers stabbing your ni***es. how do you hold baby There are breast pads everywhere!

Oh and also remembering to actually make sure you have enough to eat or drink because you can ruin your milk supply.

Watch out for blood clots! Infection! Post-partum haemorrhage! ….WTAF?

Years ago and in other cultures women had a support system to help them through all of this. But lets be honest most of us don't have this support like women had in years gone by, so how do we cope?

I hope my yoga class will help.

I know you won’t be arriving perfectly made up, as some serene, glowing mother floating in on a cloud of lavender oil. You will arrive as you are: leaking, aching, anxious, underslept, clutching baby who may be mid‑meltdown.

But you won’t be met with raised eyebrows and or any judgement. Babies cry, someone’s feeding, someone’s changing a nappy on a yoga mat, someone’s lying down because sitting hurts. It’s messy and real.

When you come, you get to put down the pressure and vigilance. For an hour, you don’t have to be the protector, the feeder, the fixer, the one who knows what to do. You just get to be in a soft, warm space where your body is allowed to be exactly as it is. Move gently, breathe slowly, rest, and remember that you’re not doing this alone.

25/03/2026

Trust me, I know how you feel. My first child was undiagnosed breech and I ended up with an emergency c-section. I had the perfect serene birth plan, had practiced all the yoga poses, lay on my left side every night for the best birth position but had controlled everything so much that I hadn't even considered what could go wrong. I felt completely out of control as they wheeled me along to theatre. This was not meant to happen and I felt like a complete failure!

Things don't always go the way you want. This can involve the sudden need for an induction, an unplanned c-section, getting an epidural when you thought you didn't want one, just to name a few of many potential curveballs.

Preparing for birth, gathering knowledge, building support, and feeling emotionally ready makes a real difference. It gives you a strong foundation to work from.

However, sometimes birth can take a different path than expected because birth and babies can be unpredictable.

Understanding what could happen will make you feel empowered. You won't feel like a passive participant if things change. Instead, you'll be ready to face an unexpected challenge with confidence.

My Pregnancy Yoga classes aren't about creating a particular type of birth, they're about helping you stay connected to yourself.

When plans shift, yoga gives you tools that allow you to come back to a place of clarity and calm.

You may not be able to control the setting, the timing, or the medical recommendations, but you can control your internal landscape.

How you breathe. How you soften into intensity. How you hold on to your own voice and your own thoughts.

This can be the difference between feeling like birth is something happening around you, and feeling like you are still an active participant in your experience.

But you still have access to your tools, your breath, your ability to ground yourself, your right to pause and reflect before you act.

In the moment when your plans change, and you end up with the unplanned and unwanted interventon. Yoga will bring you to realise what is most important: your baby.

23/03/2026

I mean, am I wrong?

We’ve all encountered her, so let’s talk about it.

You know you aren't supposed to compare your baby to others but you are worried he is behind in his milestones. You got triggered by that antenatal group mum who said your baby was way behind on his weight percentiles for his age and is too skinny - it really got under your skin.

Take a deep breath and remember you are not alone. Baby's development isn't linear.

Baby yoga movements are excellent to support your baby's natural physical development helping to align the spine and legs, open the chest to support breathing and massage the tummy to help digestion. It also supports the development of both sides of the brain as babies process the sensations of the movements.

In Mummy and Baby Yoga we don't force or manipulate babies into strange positions. We are baby led so we do everything at the pace of each individual baby.

Baby yoga moves are about gently opening and stretching the arms, legs and hips whilst baby is lying or sitting. Moves which gently lift, swing and roll baby help them to understand their body, spatial awareness, proprioception and balance.

One of the biggest learning experiences for mums coming to class is seeing how different babies can be. Two babies the same age next to each other can be very different in size, in how they are moving, responding, communicating and in what they need. You realise your baby is happy, healthy, active and full of beans and this helps you start to relax and let go of your worries.

Not only do we adapt everything to each baby week to week, we also ensure that the techniques and movements for parents are adapted week by week to suit each mum's individual postnatal recovery.

All babies can benefit from baby yoga practices. If your baby has any special requirements or conditions please contact me and you will be warmly welcomed into class.

Remember yoga teaches us all to be individuals, to work in our own way and in the way our body and mind needs.

So focus on the now, celebrate and enjoy what your baby can do rather than focusing on what they cannot. Be patient. Your baby will get there in their own time and in their own way.

22/03/2026

In the movies, mum feels a pain, looks down, her waters have broken. She announces "This is it!" followed by a mad race to the hospital and everyone freaks out completely.

By the time they arrive, mum is crazy screaming in pain and abusing any loved ones in sight. Her labour started with sudden, intense contractions, and escalated at roller-coaster speed.

S*x and the City: The Movie is a classic example of this in action. There's Charlotte, standing on a pavement outside a New York restaurant, giving Mr Big a piece of her mind: "I curse the day you were born!" she cries. Then next thing she says: "I think my water just broke. Taxi!"

This storyline is generic because showing the way most births actually unfold would be too boring to endure. In real life, labour usually starts very slowly, with mild contractions that very gradually get stronger.

It can take hours, or days, before the contractions are at all intense. The stretches between contractions are quiet and restful, with the mum relaxing or even sleeping. It is characterised by dim lights, stillness, and long intervals of just waiting while nothing much happens except very gentle, imperceptible progress.

But who would watch a movie like that? Although there are exceptions, the high-drama birth you see on TV is the minority.
The good news is you have so much more control over your experience than you might think. With the right preparation, tools, and mindset, you can absolutely move through labour calmly and confidently without the crazy screaming, unless you want to of course.

When you're prepared and working with your body, not against it, labour becomes something you flow through, not something you survive.

One of the most effective ways I share with my clients to stay calm and grounded during labour is to learn to control your breathing. This helps to relax you and keeps you mentally focussed. Your body then produces less stress hormone and more endorphins and oxytocin which are required for birth.

These are all techniques you will learn in my pregnancy yoga classes. Come and join me to find out more.

20/03/2026

How many times have you let something small snowball into something huge? It’s hard not to, but most of the things that happen to us daily are minor. It’s about how we deal with what comes our way.

Check out this scenario….you’re driving home from work, just about to exit the junction and someone cuts you off. He flips you a gesture, nearly hits your car as he swerves in front of you, slamming on his brakes so that you have to veer onto the shoulder to avoid hitting him. You have nearly missed your exit because this idiot is having road rage. What do you do?

A. Flustered you return the gesture back at him! You tail him up to the stop sign. He intentionally lingers to annoy you, flips you the gesture again before turning left. You beep your horn before turning right. You glance at the clock. You’re going to be late, your kids will be waiting for you. You panic, speed up the hill too fast. The school bus is letting off kids. You see it's flashing lights and slam on your brakes. The screech of your tires causes the kids to stare at you. The bus driver looks mad. You could have caused a horrible accident! But you’re going to be late. Your kids will wonder where you are!! You’ve got to hurry!

B. You wonder why he's in such a rage, you can’t control other people’s behaviour but you can control your own. You stay back as you leave the exit. You avoid looking at him as he’s waiting for a reaction from you. He takes a long pause at the stop sign and gestures again and turns left. You come to the stop sign and turn right. You glance at the clock. You’re going to be late and your kids will be waiting. You tell yourself it is ok. They are capable of walking home and letting themselves into the house. You smile, no road-rage idiot is going to get the better of you. You had a good day at work, and now you can go home and and see your kids. As you drive up the hill you slow down, and there’s the bus stopped letting off kids. You stop. When the kids are all off the bus the driver turns off her indicators and stop sign. She waves a thank you as you pass by. You’re almost home now.

So what’s it going to be? A or B? Guess what? Yoga can help teach us to choose option B...

20/03/2026

My Mummy & Baby Yoga classes are gentle, caring, fun, safe places to enjoy an uninterrupted hour or so with your baby without the worries and concerns of daily life.

Classes are specifically designed for new mums to bring your body gently back to alignment, closing those overworked areas after pregnancy and birth, and supporting your journey in recovering strength and tone in a safe yet challenging way.

Babies enjoy simple baby yoga movements suited to their development stage. There is an emphasis on having fun and to help you and your baby to communicate, bond and best of all relax.

There are so many benefits to joining classes that support you as a new parent as well as your baby. Here’s 10 reasons to join Mummy & Baby Yoga:

1. Build confidence lifting and handling your baby

Not all new parents have spent much time holding babies! Perhaps there haven't been family and friends with babies to practice with. So when your baby arrives, holding them and manoeuvring them can feel challenging and takes a while to get comfortable with.

In these classes we use different holds to support our babies safely and find the ones they most like. Some holds are really useful for tummy issues too.

We also learn how to move safely up and down from the floor, from sitting and to lying down with our babies - to keep baby secure, but also to keep the pelvis stable and to limit extra pressure on the lower back and abdominal muscles as postnatal bodies repair from pregnancy and birth, and adapt to carrying baby on the outside.

2. Baby Yoga can help soothe those common baby niggles – digestion issues, colic and sleep problems.

The gentle movements of baby are developed from both the movements and principles of yoga and the natural movement and development of babies. Many movements help to gently massage baby's tummy to ease digestion, constipation and wind. Specific movements and holds can ease the effects of colic. We nurture parents through guided relaxation – either active or still – alongside their baby. Baby has the opportunity to experience calmer, quieter moments with their parent, and as baby learns to recognise and tune into this relaxation this can then be used at home to support baby at sleep time to relax.

3. Supports the development of your bond with your baby

Mums say that the movements, rhymes and songs that we use through class, baby yoga helps parents and babies to communicate, bond, be confident and trust one another.

Eye contact and touch are a baby’s first language, followed by movement and then sound.

In class you and your baby are spending uninterrupted one to one time together, great for both first time parents and those with other children. We are working gently with our baby to feel and experience their body through gentle movement safely guided by their parent. Working closely with your baby in this way you can enjoy their feedback through their expression, movement response and their verbal sounds.

Seeing mums and babies smile at one another and relax in each others company is a truly wonderful part of class for me as a teacher.

4. Enjoy meeting other parents and babies

One of the greatest benefits of a parent and baby class is the ability to meet other parents and babies, share experiences, discover similarities in the postnatal journey and learn from each other. You are never alone as a new parent, others are going through the same joys and challenges as you. Babies are going through development stage in their own way, at their own pace, and there is always someone else in class who is or has been going through the same stage and can offer support.

I offer a safe and relaxed space for you to chat to other parents, to share your week and to have fun watching each others babies grow and develop alongside your own baby. Lasting friendships are made in my classes and when mums arrange to meet each other outside of class I know that I am offering so much more than the benefit of yoga.

I know that it can be hard to walk into your first baby class, that as a new parent you are tired, learning on the job and putting all kinds of pressure on yourself to be the best parent for your baby. When you walk into my class you come as you are – tired, late (because of a last minute nappy change maybe!), feeling emotional, excited and nervous at the same time.

I hope the class will lift your spirits, give you a little time to rebalance and discover that however you are in the moment your baby only cares that you are there for them. You will also be encouraged to find out everyone else in the class is the same as you.

5. Builds confidence in communicating with your baby

Classes include the use of loving touch, eye contact and both singing and talking to baby to promote both the bond and communication between parent and baby. This creates not only a mutual delight at each other's response, but also the first developments of language, both verbal and non verbal for baby.

Connection and bonding with your baby, through touch, movement and sound helps you to learn your baby’s cues. As you develop more confidence in reading your baby’s communication you become more secure and the sense of love and relaxation between you and your baby grows.

Repeating rhymes and songs help your baby to learn language way before they can form sounds and words. Asking your baby’s permission to do yoga is important to promote choice and understand that the will be heard if they don’t want to join in or just need a cuddle or feed.

But it’s not just through language that we communicate with our babies. They way we hold, carry, touch and move with our babies is important too. A relaxed hold or touch will receive a relaxed response. Yoga will help you to become more aware of your tensions and habits to not only release and relax the body and in turn your baby, but also how to do this throughout your day. Holding and carrying your baby without tension and with a good posture promotes calmness to your baby as well as release in your body.

6. Supports your baby’s natural physical developments

We don't force or manipulate babies into strange positions (or parents!) we are baby led so we do everything at the pace of each individual baby. Baby yoga moves are about gently opening and stretching the arms, legs and hips whilst baby is lying or sitting. Moves which gently lift, swing and roll baby help them to understand their body, spacial awareness and balance. Movements support a baby's natural physical development helping to align the spine and legs, open the chest to support baby's breathing and massage the tummy to help digestion. Baby yoga also supports the development of both sides of the brain as babies process the sensations of the movements.

All babies develop in their own way, in their own time. One of the biggest learning experiences of a parent and baby class is seeing how different babies can be. Two babies the same age next to each other in class can be very different in size, in how they are moving, responding, communicating and in what they need from their parents. Yoga teaches us all to be individuals, to work in our own way and in the way our body and mind need.

Not only do we ensure we adapt everything we do to each baby as needed week to week, we also ensure that the techniques and movements for parents are adapted week by week to suit the individual recovery of each postnatal mum.

All babies can benefit from baby yoga practices. If your baby has any special requirements, or conditions please contact me and you will be welcomed into class. I will work closely with you to find the best ways to benefit you and your baby.

7. Learn techniques to help you and your baby relax together

I teach relaxation in class in a few different ways. Not just the lying down quietly sort of relaxation, although that is definitely an option if your baby is willing.

Relaxation techniques also include walking relaxations, seated moving relaxations, breathing techniques and using sound – singing and humming. Babies respond to different techniques at different times so you will learn a few for your toolbox to use in class and at home.

In class our relaxation times are not always quiet and peaceful – although that does happen more often than you might think! I encourage parents to move and take active relaxations if baby needs movement or sound rather than stillness. Some baby’s will settle and fall asleep or feed at this time of class, and others will be very active and make plenty of noise. And whatever the rhythm of the room we all enjoy time to relax together. Often this can be more energising than a nap for parents and it helps babies to learn how to settle in a way that suits them.

Learning relaxation techniques helps parent and baby to find calmness at those most fretful and stressful times when baby is finding difficulty settling and their parents have tried everything.

8. Supports your postnatal recovery after any kind of birth

Rather than high impact exercise, the yoga movements that I teach for new mums gently stretch and tone - particularly great for postnatal mums as they close and re-align the body after labour and birth. They gently tone the core without over stretching, particularly recovering abdominals. Dads, grandparents and other carers attending can also benefit from the release of tension that the stretches and movements give.

We focus on shoulders, upper back, lower back, and core, integrating deep pelvic floor toning and ‘core strength’ micro-movements. Breathing and relaxation techniques will help you to re-balance, rejuvenate and re-energise for life with a new baby.

When you have carried and given birth to your baby your body has undergone huge change, strain and there may be birth injuries that take longer to mend. My classes encourage you to take your time to adjust to your body as it continues to change through its postnatal recovery. Yoga poses and movements are given at varying levels to suit each individual.

I help you to reclaim your body, be patient and not create more stability and not cause more instability particularly through your pelvis, abdominals, core and pelvic floor. We work on gentle progression over the first 6 months postnatal to avoid long term problems of joint instability and hypermobility. This leads to a secure transition to stronger poses after 6 months and re-joining general yoga or other exercise classes.

The use of breathing techniques are an effective way to heal, rebalance, reduce anxiety and relax. Yoga can be helpful for rebalancing hormones and emotions and postnatal depression. I encourage everyone to use the yoga techniques at home with their baby, or when you have a little time to yourself to help ease your body through the daily demands of supporting a new baby.

9. We’re baby led and there’s plenty of time in class!

My classes are centred around baby and you. They are baby-led. Feeding, changing and soothing are all part of the flow of the class as each baby requires. Class is an hour, plenty of time to enjoy the class, feed your baby and change them whenever they need and most of all time to relax.

I make sure that there is time around the class for everyone to arrive and settle, clear up and leave without rushing to fit between other classes using our venues.

10. Not just for mums!

Although it is usually mums who come along, grandparents and carers are welcome.

Mum & Baby Yoga is for every baby and parent or carer. There’s no need to have experience of yoga, or to be flexible – don’t let social media images of yoga fool you – yoga is an individual practice, that suits any and every body shape and ability, it’s not even about being able to touch your toes, many students can’t.

Whilst some of our movement practices are specifically focussed on supporting a postnatal body, anyone will benefit from the gentle postnatal techniques I teach. I encourage parents to share the techniques with partners and other carers at home, everyone will find it helpful to find a good posture and carry baby safely.

All parents and carers will benefit from learning the gentle loving movement of Mum & Baby yoga class, so that they can have more ideas to interact with baby at home, soothe and relax with baby at home and many parents use the songs and rhymes in class for many years as their babies become toddlers and beyond...

I have spaces in my Tuesday and Friday classes which run 10.30-11.45am in my private garden studio in Chislehurst.

Message me if you would like to come along.

18/03/2026

Be kind to yourself you have been through ALOT. You have carried, given birth to your baby, your body has undergone huge change, strain and there may be birth injuries that take longer to mend.

It is so important to realise that your body has undergone a major physical change that you require a tailored, gradual approach to returning to exercise.

The first 12 weeks post-birth, called the 4th trimester, is challenging, a massive physical, emotional, and hormonal transition. You will experience extreme sleep deprivation, healing from childbirth, and managing your baby's need for comfort, nourishment.

The general recommendation is to focus on rest and recovery as an absolute minimum for first 6 weeks, longer if you had a caesarean birth or complications. After your checkup, if receive the ok from your doctor, you can gradually increase your activity.

Start low-impact activities like yoga, which rebuilds core and back strength through safe movement. These will support your body while carrying your baby.

If you experience pain, increased bleeding, or "doming" (a bulge in your belly), you are doing too much and should stop.

Be aware that relaxin hormone, which loosens your joints during pregnancy, remains in your system for up to 5 months, increasing risk of injury to joints from lack of support and muscles from overstretching.

Mummy & Baby Yoga encourages you to be aware and tune into your body as it continues to change through postnatal recovery.

The movements are great to close and re-align the body after pregnancy. They gently work without over stretching, particularly recovering abdominals.

We also focus on shoulders, upper & lower back, deep pelvic floor toning and ‘core strength’ micro-movements.

Breathing techniques help to heal, rebalance, reduce anxiety and relax.

I will teach you to be patient, to listen, not cause more instability particularly through your pelvis, abdominals and pelvic floor.

Gentle progression towards 6 months postnatal will avoid long term problems of joint instability and hypermobility.

Yoga can help with hormones, emotions and postnatal depression.

Come along and let me look after you.

16/03/2026

So many shiny IG and Tiktok menopause biohacks, so little time and so few results.

You are exhausted and anxious but you're spending hours on Instagram checking out the latest longevity challenge. or lymphatic drainage routine in the hope that one of them finally makes you feel better.

The latest peptide injection craze. Expensive hormone creams. Microbiome tests. Red light panels. PEMF machines. Don't forget your yummy marine plasma shots.

Every habit now comes with multiple products, devices and upgrades and this is just leaving you more confused and more broke. Plus you need to get up at 5am to fit it all in.

You are terrified to eat the wrong thing. You believe you are broken and that only the correct protocol from an expensive functional doctor will fix you. You're worried if you don't get your labs checked regularly you will lose control, decline and rapidly have your symptoms return.

Meanwhile you are completely ignoring the absolute basics. Resting. Sleeping. Taking in enough food. Moving gently. Getting outside.

Your skipping daily, consistent practices to calm your wired nervous system like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, while spending money on the expensive/gimmicky stuff.

All of these things allow your body to be nourished and to actually work properly in the first place.

Do you really need all of this? Health means simplicity, trusting your body, and taking fewer steps not more. Helping you to make it through a whole afternoon without a mood crash that makes you want to cry in the Tesco car park.

The Midlife Reset will help you implement effective sustainable lifestyle changes that support healthy hormone function without the 5am alarm and the empty bank account.

Comment MENOPAUSE below to find out more.

Valerie May Yoga

06/04/2026

03/04/2026

27/03/2026

25/03/2026

23/03/2026

22/03/2026

20/03/2026

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