Pregnancy Nurturing Moves-Uniting The Science Of Physical Therapy with the Love and Joy Of Yoga, Belly Dance, and Energy Medicine Before and After Birth

NURTURING MOVES Group Classes Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30am-11am in Brickell, Individual Sessions and Workshops available. Investment $30 or $100 for 4 classes. CALL MICHELLE AT 305.206.2229 for more information.

Michelle Maniaci has created NURTURING MOVES from her 14 years of working as a Pediatric and Pre/Postnatal Physical Therapist, Yoga Therapist, Belly Dance Teacher, Infant Massage Instructor, and Energy Medicine Practitioner. She has travelled half across the world to study and learn from the world-leading experts in the fields of Birth, Womens Health and Primal Health Research. She has developed a safe and highly effective approach to Pregnancy Fitness, Birth Preparation, Injury Prevention and Post-Partum Recovery and Healing during pregnancy and beyond. NURTURING MOVES unites women women and infants to the experience of their Natural Essence and Instinctual Birthing Ability for women to nurture their body and baby with calm confidence, ease, and grace to birth a healthier and more loving humanity.

All classes are 90 minutes long.
Attire: Comfortable clothing. Bare feet or soft dance shoes.

NURTURING MOVES for pregnant and postpartum women is an ideal form of mind-body-energetic breath fitness and birth preparation that blends the science of physical therapy, birth, and primal health research with yoga therapy, belly dance, massage, and energy medicine for both mother and baby. This low to moderate impact form of prenatal exercise is uniquely designed for your needs during pregnancy as it is taught by a licensed physical therapist. Every class ends with a nurturing massage.

Classes are educational and experiential so that your body-baby may mimic the movements your body naturally performs during labor and delivery so you may become an expert at moving safely and alleviating stress, tension, and pain. This class also teaches you science based exercises for a speedier postpartum recovery before birth as a form of prevention, whether Vaginal or Cesarean Birth. Every woman receives a complimentary CD of music played during class to relax with baby before and after birth. Every class abides by the American College Of Obstetrics and Gynecology Exercise Guidelines.

Researched benefits of prenatal and postpartum exercise:
1. Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling.
2. May help prevent or treat gestational diabetes.
3. Increases your energy.
4. Improves your mood, opposite of feeling depressed.
5. Improves your posture.
6. Promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance.
7. Helps you sleep better.
8. Reduces perception of pain during labor and shortens duration of labor.
9. Lowers maternal blood pressure.
10. Prevents depression, anxiety, and improves attention.
11. Nurturing Moves method is also a form of brain-body exercise that enhances the brain's capacity to learn and improve memory.

Nurturing Moves teaches you and your baby:

How to establish healthy brain wave patterns to induce a state of deep relaxation and conscious surrender to the miracle of your natural birthing ability.
How to connect and bond with baby before, during, and after birth.
How to use mindful movements, postures, sound, visualization, and guided imagery to assist with cultivating a healthy pregnancy, labor, and birth experience.
Mindfulness meditation to sustain a calm and alert mental and physical state during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Strength training and coordination of both ventilatory and postural muscles to promote optimal health and prevent common musculo-skeletal complaints associated with the changes that pregnancy brings.

How to train your mind-body for the marathon of labor while connecting to your baby, having fun, and preventing back, neck, and pelvic tension.
Learn how to activate the Core Quartet and breathe the way nature intended to improve the flexibility of your pelvic joints, to aid in the birthing process, and reduce pain perception (Individuals that practice Nurturing Moves experience "unusually short labors").
Tone, lengthen, and properly recruit specific muscles that weaken and tighten during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth based on latest research.
Learn key exercises to activate your natural abdominal corset, prevent stretch marks, incontinence, pelvic floor weakness, muscle tightness, and fatigue.
Learn how to consciously surrender into and sustain the ideal mental and physical state for birth.
Proper body mechanics are integrated into classes to prevent injuries common during new motherhood. Michelle will assess and assist you in correcting any joint, muscle, postural, respiratory, and movement imbalances with physical therapy interventions and manual therapy treatment techniques when necessary so that you may experience the most effective and safe approach to wellness during this sacred time.

Classes allow for bonding with baby and end with a gentle foot massage. This class is ideal for women who are preparing for Vaginal or Cesarean Birth, during preconception, and for those going through IVF therapy.