Womb to World 2017 Conference

KERSTIN UVNÄS MOBERG
Presentation: “All in the Oxytocin”

Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg is a specialist in women’s health and female physiology and has worked within these fields for more than 30 years. She is a pioneer in research about oxytocin ”the hormone of love and wellbeing” and was one of first researchers to point out the behavioural, psychological and physiological effects of oxytocin during birth, breastfeeding and menopause.

Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg is a physician and professor of physiology with a research focus on the healing aspects of oxytocin. Her vision is to help creating healthier and happier women by expanding the knowledge about female physiology and by creating medical interventions based on oxytocin.

The wish to understand the biology of women emerged, when she had children herself. At that time, she left a promising research career within the field of gastrointestinal physiology in order to study the positive and health promoting effects of oxytocin.

Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg found among other things that oxytocin reduces pain and anxiety, decreases blood pressure and reduces the levels of stress hormones in both sexes. She also found that the speed, by which wounds and other types of physical damage heal, increases and that atrophic (thin) mucosal membranes become rejuvenated. The latter research findings form the basis for patents and clinical studies with the aim to create a pharmaceutical drug for relief of menopausal symptoms.

Breaking traditional ways of thinking and creation of new ideas is a characteristic of Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg’s research. Her thoughts about biological and physiological differences between men and women and about the many different effects of oxytocin, which are expressed in many different situations in humans, have sometimes been regarded as controversial and created debate, but with time found to be correct. The vision to understand the basic role of oxytocin’s basic uniting, stress relieving and healing properties, from a physiological and psychological and even sociological point of view, has helped her to continue the pioneering research.

Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg’s discoveries have e.g. helped to stimulate the development of oxytocin to become a pharmaceutical drug, to be used to increase social competence in autistic individuals, to decrease anxiety, stress and depression and to increase wellbeing. Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg was also one of the first to study the role of oxytocin in response to closeness and touch as well as its role during interaction between parents and children and other types of relationships including that between humans and animals.

Today Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg, who has written more than 400 scientific articles and several books on oxytocin, (which have been translated into 10 languages), is still publishing scientific articles and is involved in new book projects. She is frequently invited to give talks and lectures at meetings all over the world. In addition to participating in the development of oxytocin into a pharmaceutical drug for treatment of menopausal symptoms, she is also active in many international networks with the aim to increase the knowledge about women’s physiology and health, e.g. the role of oxytocin during pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and menopause.

BEATRIZ ESESARTE PESQUEIRA
Presentation: “Aquasomatic education: research”

Beatriz Esesarte Pesqueira of Oaxaca, Mexico was the recipient of the 2013 Virginia Hunt Newman International Award. The honor is given annually by the World Aquatic Association for Babies and Children to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to conducting aquatic programs for babies and young children in a kind, loving, caring, and gentle way so they learn to love the water.

Beatriz is the founder and director of Acuarela Education Acuasomática begun in 1988. She has since worked continuously to find better ways to teach to swimming by applying scientific research in psychomotor learning. Over the past 28 years she has developed Aquasomatic Education that combines human evolution and the learning process with the naturally stimulating water environment.  Respect for water is necessary to be “waterwise” she says.

The multidisciplinary approach Beatriz uses brings together findings and theories from recognized scientists and experts –  Wallon, Winnicott, Spitz, Piaget, Bowlby, Freud, Reich and especially Vitor da Fonseca who came to collaborate with her in 2010 validating her teaching process based on the Psychomotor Human System and the Tritemporality of Human Motricity that involves the sociocultural process as an important element of learning. The presence of the mother in the baby swim classes is a must Beatriz states because of the five phylogenetic competences: sustained attention, interaction, affiliation (human interaction with immature beings), gesticulation, and imitation. She and her team have been doing formal research on these competences and she will present the results at the conference.

Beatriz developed a specialized learning pool for different age groups and physical conditions. The design enables her to control the level of stimulation that is part of learning to swim by providing different depth platforms that enable anyone, despite their height or age, to explore initially the water from the upright position, which is the better way to empower the trust and confidence of the individual she feels. Once having overcome the initial inhibitions, students can adopt the horizontal position in water as a result of spontaneous experimentation.  Beatriz is a recognized for her success in building her swimming instruction business as well as sharing her philosophy and methods with other swimming professionals.  She has been a featured speaker at educational conferences on swimming around the world.

JULIE KAMARA
Presentation: “How the elements of birthlight baby swimming promote bonding and attachment”

Julie Kamara, Director and Founder Of Funky Fish Swim School, is an active STA Baby and Pre-School Tutor and a Birthlight Tutor in training. As a Tutor, I have met many individuals who are keen to develop and extend their knowledge of parent and child swimming and this has made me realize that I would like to spread the Birthlight ethos and method to those seeking to embrace a deeper understanding in this area. I recently Tutored in Taiwan and will be Tutoring in China.

Throughout, my swimming career, I have sought to broaden my knowledge not only of aquatic techniques but also in the area of child development. I am currently just about to start my 3rd year of a degree in Child and Youth Studies. I have just recently completed Level 2 in Rhythmic Movement Training, which has given me more insight into the subject of reflexes and how they can impact children and even adults, throughout their lifetimes.

My own swim school, Funky Fish, has been built up using Birthlight principles at its foundation and its teaching practices at its core. Both for myself and my teachers, classes represent far more than just a swimming lesson, they create opportunities to nurture both parent and child. To help instill a love of water within the family and allow for windows of time to create unique bonding opportunities.

My belief, is that children learn best when the whole body is involved i.e. emotionally, physically and mentally, it is a joy to create a ‘happy space’ for them to flourish. I look forward to many more years of teaching and Tutoring in this wonderful environment.

KATY OFFER
Presentation: “Demonstration: yoga therapy for healing and restoration”

Katy has always been a water baby and, according to her mother, swam out when she was born.

Having spent her early childhood swimming and doing what she found out in later life were yoga poses, she trained as a swimming teacher after giving up competitive swimming in her late teens.

After diverting her attention from teaching for several years she came back to swimming 20 years ago and began teaching again. Following the birth of her son she started yoga classes and quickly began adapting yoga poses and breathing into her lessons when teaching nervous adults. Having had some success in doing this she started on her journey to find a form of aquatic therapy suitable for  all levels of ability in the water.

A chance Internet search and conversation with Francoise Freedman this became a reality when she qualified as an Aqua Yoga Instructor. Katy has since qualified as a yoga teacher and is passionate about the benefits of yoga in both in and out of the water.

KIRSTEEN RUFFELL
Presentation: “Holistic care and support for pregnancy, birth and beyond”

Kirsteen first met Françoise in 2001 and was deeply impressed by the way Françoise skillfully worked with pregnant women, couples, with babies and toddlers. It was a heart-opening experience and she decided this was an area she wanted to study in depth. Kirsteen then trained with Françoise in Perinatal Yoga and began teaching groups and 1-to-1 classes in 2002. She soon went on to gain the Birthlight Baby Yoga Diploma, as the joy of working with Mums and babies after birth was also irresistible. Later, her own pregnancy, the birth of her daughter and herself as a mother were greatly supported by the Birthlight techniques and practices she had been teaching and she was able to have a home birth at 43 weeks and a day!  Personally, she feels the Birthlight Yoga practices are gentle and enjoyable, yet work profoundly and the philosophy and approach are applicable to all women everywhere . “This way of practising Yoga made me and my baby feel much more comfortable on many levels, especially in late pregnancy and helped us cope with the intensity of labour confidently.”

Kirsteen has been constantly inspired by this work over the years, not least during her opportunities to shadow and assist Françoise on the Birthlight Perinatal courses before becoming a tutor herself. She continues to refine her practice and understanding and enjoys keeping her training up to date with the regular CPDs and the Birthlight conferences. Her own Yoga practice began by chance in 1990 and she has been enjoying it ever since. Apart from Pre & Post Natal Yoga and Baby Yoga with Birthlight, she also has a background of training in Hatha (Sivananda) & Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (TT with John Scott) and has been teaching Yoga since 1998. She finds it a great joy that Yoga can bring such benefit during pregnancy, birth and beyond, not just to Mum and baby but also to partners, siblings and all the family.

Kirsteen is a registered SYT teacher with Yoga Alliance UK. This accreditation demonstrates excellent standards as set by Yoga Alliance UK.

SYLVIE RUSSELL
Presentation: “Birthlight organisation and program offering”

Her studies have taken her to the UK, Spain and Uruguay, providing her with experiences that have helped shape her understanding of different cultures and working environments. After graduating, she worked for various international companies in Monaco, Glasgow and London, dealing with a diverse range of products, from marble and granite to children’s toys. A move to Cambridge and her first pregnancy shifted her priorities, as she focused on the birth of her beautiful girl who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Sylvie was introduced to Birthlight soon after, and was grateful for the opportunity to work part-time while looking after her daughter.

Now a mother of two, Sylvie is Company Director for Birthlight Teaching Ltd, the trading arm of Birthlight Trust. Working with Birthlight allows her to enjoy a healthy family/work balance and contribute her organisational skills. She ensures care and fairness for Birthlight’s members and trainees. Her key role within the company is the coordination of Birthlight teacher training courses worldwide which have increased exponentially over the past decade now spreading over 4 continents.