Katie’s positive birth story
I was recommended to Lianna's classes in December 2025 when I was 20+ weeks pregnant. I had been looking for some local classes and Lianna’s were perfect because they are based in Heathfield (although I know she is now expanding).
I had done yoga before and knew of lots of benefits and pregnant friends had suggested classes could be beneficial for relaxing during pregnancy and preparing for birth.
I managed to keep going until I was 38 weeks pregnant. Lianna always provided a range of moves for different stages of pregnancy.
I started off with doing the evening yoga classes during the week and I found the format a great support system as a first-time Mum. As Lianna is a qualified midwife she always brought her experience into the sessions whether that was learning breathing techniques, discussing how we were feeling whilst being pregnant, options for delivery, different birthing positions and each week had a relevant theme such as sleep.
Lianna then introduced me to her Saturday sessions which were longer and a mixture of yoga and hypnobirthing techniques which were perfect. I had heard the term hypnobirthing before but I wasn’t sure exactly what was involved. In Lianna’s classes I would say the most important thing I learnt was how to breathe and I heard a series of positive birth stories, which often aren’t portrayed in the media. This helped me get ready for birth.
My positive birth story
At about 2am on Friday 20th March my waters broke with a pop, in bed. I rang the hospital who advised me to come in at 8.30am to double check they had broken.
At 3am my contractions started so after a bit I woke my partner so he could put the tens machine on me. I managed to labour on my own for a bit, timing my contractions and doing my hypno-breathing. The breathing was familiar as Lianna had taught me these techniques during the classes. I knew it was important to try and remain calm as panicking could slow labour down.
On arrival my midwife examined me and I was 3cm dilated so they admitted me.
I really wanted a water birth but at this point I wasn’t dilated enough so the midwife managed to find me a bath which was a game changer! I switched from using the tens machine, breathing and using a birth comb to being in the water, with the birth comb and continuing to breathe. I was in the water for about 3-4 hours and it was brilliant - just the two of us. I had learnt that a quiet place where I felt safe would help the labour progress and water could help with the surges.
I had some co-codamol initially and eventually I started to feel pressure. Lianna had advised that I would know when to push and I was having that sensation. My partner went to find the midwife and I was 10cm dilated!
I was taken into delivery straight away and the midwives started to run the pool. Unfortunately in the commotion they struggled to hear the baby’s heart rate clearly, so they advised me to push straight away and I never made it into the pool. I do believe however that being in the bath is what helped my labour progress so quickly.
Up until 10cm I had what I would describe as a ‘perfect birth’. I had remained calm, it was just me and my partner, we found our quiet place and I made use of the water and all the other techniques. I did have an episiotomy and the placenta also needed some extra assistance to come out but as Lianna explained - we can have birth preferences but things might not all go exactly to plan!
Eventually our baby was born. We didn’t know the gender so my partner announced that she was a girl and we named her Millie. In total labour had taken 14 hours which I was very happy with for a first time birth. I really believe everything that I learnt from Lianna in the yoga classes allowed me to cope with labour.
Millie was born at 4.41pm, weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces.
A few weeks after the birth I received a card in the post from other yoga Mum’s which was a lovely touch. I was sad that the lessons were now over but I will remember them as a really positive time and a great way to prepare for birth.
