This issue, Yummy Mummy, Matilda Sturridge,talks about her experience at Tara Lee’s Mummy and Baby Yoga classes and finds it is a fantastic way to bond with her baby boy, Rudy

Every Monday and Wednesday morning for nine months you would find me and my bump at Tara Lees Pregnancy Yoga Class at the Life Centre Notting Hill. That Woman is the Goddess of all things pregnant, and as my due date grew nearer i knew my time with Tara would be coming to an end. But i jumped for joy when I found out that she did a class for mummies and their babies. A class that me and my ever growing bump could continue to share. Hooray.

So six weeks to the day after my beautiful boy, Rudy, was born there we were back at the Life Centre first in the queue for the Mummies and Babies Yoga. I had no idea what to expect or how it was going to work. Rudy and I set up our little space, and as I predicted, the minute we got ourselves sorted he wanted a feed but Tara explained that this was a relaxed, slow-paced class where we could feed change and comfort our babies whenever needed. The class started with a group discussion, we all went round the room introducing ourselves and our babies, talking about what kind of birth we had and where we needed help most, whether it be relieving stress, strengthening our pelvic floor, toning, restoring, re- energising and so forth. It was also a time to discuss any problems that we had and share advice about being a new mummy, when most of us were still getting use to that word. It was so reassuring to hear all the different stories and know it is normal when your baby has trouble sleeping, or has colic ect. It  was also fantastic to learn all the different, helpful tips that people had and to share and discovering ones that actually worked for you. It was like a little community, and I immediately felt like I was in a safe environment.

Then the yoga part began, the first part of the class was dedicated to mummies and the second to babies. For the first  few classes I mainly observed the mummy bit as Rudy was a bit bewildered by all the babies and much preferred being breast fed. But as the weeks went by he began to love the social part, he allowed me to do at least 45 mins of yoga while he quite happily rolled around playing with all his new friends. There was also amazing Alice who was on hand to pick up and comfort any baby bored of watching their mummy doing downward dog.

The second part of the class was my favourite. This is where the babies were incorporated. The babies did some yoga poses to help with wind and colic. We learnt light touch baby massage (Rudy loved this and would sleep for hours after class). We did singing and bonding games. It was such special time, and Rudy just adored it.

At the end of each class there is 10 minutes of relaxing time where you can chat to other mums or feed your baby or remain in a yoga pose with your legs stretched out up the wall.

I could not recommend this class more. It is such a warm and supportive environment, and one that guided me through my postnatal recovery while allowing me to bond with my gorgeous boy, Rudy.

For more information visit www.taraleeyoga.com

Over and out for now. Let me know if there is anything you want us to review. Whether it’s products, classes, clothes or even food. Email [email protected] and put Yummy Mummy Diaries in the subject box.