I cannot believe that I get to do this work everyday, what an absolute privilege!
I actually have a corporate media background. I had a career at the BBC for a long time before I had my first child. When I returned from maternity leave I tried desperately to focus at work but I had this constant pull towards supporting new mums; nurturing them and their babies in the way I had been throughout my pregnancy and in that first year after birth.
The birth of my first baby was traumatic and she struggled with what I now think was colic so would cry inconsolably every night for the first few months of her life. It was really difficult but the baby massage course that we attended changed everything. She cried so much less and she slept a bit more but most of all I felt so much more empowered as a mum, less anxious and I felt like I could actually understand what she needed; understand her cues. I felt more relaxed and a lot more confident. It was great for my self-esteem and for my mental health and our baby was really thriving.
(Laura with Françoise (left)
I tried to jump back into my career but all I kept thinking about was how much I wanted to be around my own baby and also I wondered how other mums and babies were coping. I wondered if everyone else knew about these wonderful classes and if they didn’t, they really needed to. I took a leap faith, left my job and retrained and 14 years later, I’m still going and loving every moment.
I qualified as a Baby Massage instructor with the IAIM when my second baby was a few months old. I taught community courses for a while and wanted to offer a next step so later qualified as a Mum and Baby and Toddler Yoga Instructor with Birthlight. The course was everything I needed and I hung on every word the trainer said, I was so grateful that I could take this training without already being a yoga teacher. The training was extensive but so accessible and I couldn’t wait to start my community classes. Although I practiced yoga, I did have a bit of imposter syndrome, (I also had this in my corporate job) but the support from the Birthlight trainers, other students, the resources on the website and all the wonderful CPDs ensured that was quietened.
The many Birthlight courses I have attended have beautifully complemented my work with mums and babies. They enable me to ‘mother the mother’ and hold space for them to connect with their babies. The courses were just wonderful I loved every moment of them as they were so aligned with my values.
I loved going deeper into the connection between mum and baby and exploring the idea of creating spirals of joy starting with them in these safe and intimate classes and spreading that energy out into the wider world.
I’m really lucky and that I get to teach every day so my week is split between teaching Baby Massage, Mum and Baby Yoga, which I call Mindful Movement with Mama and Retreats with my sister who is a Reiki Master and Mindfulness and Sound Bowl practitioner. I teach in some very beautiful spaces around South East London which I rent including a yoga studio, mansion house, book shop and a wellbeing clinic and also privately in client’s homes. I have worked at a children’s hospice and with mums that are under the care of social services and also with housing associations and teenage mums.
One of my favourite Birthlight practices is mindful walking with the babies in our arms. I find it really helps to change the energy of the class. If the babies are feeling unsettled and they don’t want to be on the mats we just scoop them up and have a walk around. If parents are feeling tired, anxious or worried about anything I find that walking mindfully gets them out of that state. When we focus on one breath and one movement it’s quite difficult to focus on your worries or your to-do list and I think the mums and babies really connect with that.
Lots of the mums that attend my classes came after completing baby massage and have never practiced yoga. I’ve also had many yoga teachers attend with their babies. I’ve been told that I create a very safe and nurturing space for parents and their babies and it sets them up for their entire week. They tell me that they feel like they can really let go, just breathe and connect to themselves, to their babies and the other mums.
A dad that attended told me that the classes had changed the way that he parents his children. He has a baby and a toddler and he said that since coming along to the class as he has become much more patient and less reactive in his parenting.
Feedback like this is what keeps me going. The Birthlight philosophy of building spirals of joy that go out into the community is at the heart of everything that I do and I’m so grateful to Birthlight for allowing me to follow this path. When I think back to my corporate job this was what was missing, these beautiful connections. These really meaningful relationships where parents and babies lives are actually being changed in such a simple, beautiful way and I’m honoured to witness and be a tiny part of it.
Laura Igiehon, Baby Massage and Mum & Baby Yoga Instructor
@jellybabies_babymassage
See our course schedule for details of our upcoming teacher training courses in Baby Massage, Baby Yoga and Toddler Yoga
Find out more about Baby Yoga and Toddler Yoga, the Birthlight philosophy and get a flavour of what they are like here.
