Anastasia Smith, Yoga & Birth

28/07/2019

Great news out of Dunedin. So impressed with Drs Mike Stitely and Helen Paterson and Emma MacFarlane!

A new, non-surgical way of fitting women who have just given birth with IUDs may soon be accessible to doctors, midwives and other birth attendants...

28/07/2019

❤️

05/07/2019

Seeing this image of the chakras and their affirmations reminds me that pregnancy, birth and motherhood is the ultimate creative act!

03/07/2019

Today was my last class at Barre Base. It's been an absolute joy to teach Yoga Barre, Stretch and Lengthen, and Self Care Sunday to you all during the last two years. Thank you for all the support and love from the whole community. We were able to create so much magic together! And it doesn't stop here even though I'll be away.

Today was Anastasia’s last class in the studio — for now! We’re hopeful that Dunedin will draw her back in at some point, even for a holiday. Dunedin seems to have a way about it ❤️

No words can describe my gratitude to Anna for filling the studio with passion, energy, and her quick wit. Anna has a passion for women’s health, and encouraging us all to live our best lives inside our beautiful bodies. She is a passionate fitness j***y as well as a wellness advocate, so has especially helped us adrenaline junkies learn how to slow down and tune in. (Me 🙋🏻‍♀️).

I cannot wait to see what amazing journey lies ahead for you. The next community to cross paths with you are just as lucky as we’ve been. Keep being you, and know we love you dearly.

Thank you and go well. We’re so proud of you!

26/06/2019

Major inspiration from Jill Miller! ❤️ Learn about your body to take better care of it/ you.

17/06/2019

So many of these ideas are great for early labour! Less stress, more love, more contractions. But if we're not familiar with these techniques for making peace with everyday anxiety, accessing these tools during labour can seem impossible. Practice now whether you're pregnant or not

Here are some helpful tips to try for yourself or you can try with your children to alleviate anxiety 💜 What works for you or your child?
If you need to talk you can free call or text 1737 💜

16/06/2019

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N is at the centre of what makes pregnancy and birth so magical. Thriving in pregnancy and preparing for childbirth must include physical and mental practices for self care

10/06/2019

For so many women (and prenatal yoga teachers, too!), core strength during pregnancy is a total mystery. We think that because the abdominal cavity is stretched by a growing baby and because traditional crunches are out of the picture, that developing core strength must be too. But thinking BEYOND the crunch is so vital for understanding the whole core system and helping you develop core awareness.

Pregnancy is prep time for motherhood in every way, and as a new mother you will need to recruit your core over and over again (every time you pick up your baby, I’m fact). Becoming aware of your strength, practicing recruiting your core, and mastering this idea is practical motherhood prep!

Come along to Pregnancy Yoga at A Y U to learn more and practice with me. Wednesday’s 5:30-6:30 ❤️❤️

02/06/2019

Tomorrow night at Stretch and Lengthen (7:15pm Barre Base) we’re doing a stretching and massage sequence for shoulders and arms. We’ll do some of the moves here and more 😍

A self-myofascial-release practice.

29/05/2019

This move is a regular fixture at Self Care Sunday and Tuesday night stretch.

27/05/2019

So inspired by the simple concept of the four quadrants of Maori health and I love this little info-graphic

Te Whare Tapa Wha ✨
Full credit to Ara Taiohi - Peak Body for Youth Development for their awesome poster 💚

23/05/2019

Great news! Breathing makes a huge difference as the bridge between the psychological and physical experience of being in our bodies. Great for birth prep and great for life prep ❤️

Respiratory vagus nerve stimulation (rVNS) counteracts fight-or-flight stress.