Pregnancy belly dance with yoga fitness, childbirth preparation, and relaxation

Pregnancy Fitness and Birth Preparation:
Fridays, 9:30am-10:45am.
Investment: $220/10 classes. $22 for Individual Class.
Location: GIGGLES Mom and Baby Enrichment Center, 305.244.2249
Brickell Key 1, 520 Brickell Key Dr. 0-205, Brickell Key, Fl 33131
FREE PARKING at Rear Entrance.

REGISTER with Michelle at 305.206.2229 or birthdance@gmail.com

All classes are 75 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-breath fitness and birth preparation as it unites the science of physical therapy and primal health research with yoga therapy, belly dance for birth, therapeutic massage, guided imagery, affirmations, music, and mindfulness meditation for both mother and baby. This low to moderate impact form of prenatal exercise is uniquely designed for your needs and stages of your pregnancy. Every class ends with a nurturing massage.

Classes are an ideal form of birth preparation as it mimics the movements your body naturally performs during labor and delivery and teaches you how to be an expert at moving safely and releasing both mental and physical tension. 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.