LushTums Teacher Of The Month!
Kim Mousley, LushTums teacher in Hanham & St George, Bristol
When did you first come across LushTums?
I attended Clair's postnatal classes in Downend after having my first baby.
Why did you decide to train with us?
Lots of reasons!I
I had a horrible pregnancy, I was sick for about 7 months and then the nausea was overtaken by hip pain at the end! I practiced yoga throughout my pregnancy - it was the only kind of 'exercise' that I was able to stomach and it was the only time I could connect with the baby and begin to process the changes I was undergoing. I may have even had some prenatal depression - but yoga was something that really helped me to accept my experience and deal with what was happening! Both physically and emotionally. When I returned to my yoga studio a year or so after giving birth, I was sent right back to that pregnancy place and I was overtaken by all these POSITIVE emotions. I felt so connected to my body, my baby and so happy to be pregnant! I remembered all the feelings of love and connection that my pregnancy yoga had helped me to find at a really hard time in my life. It was only then that I truly appreciated what a valuable experience the pregnancy yoga had been and what a lasting impact it had made.
Additionally, I had always been a person who needed a lot of control in my life - pregnancy immediately took that away and I was absolutely terrified of giving birth at the beginning of my journey. I was considering elective c-sections etc but decided to take charge and signed up for a hypnobirthing course. It was life changing - knowledge really is power! Once I discovered how well our bodies are designed and how we can actually influence our experience of labour - through breath work, movement, relaxation, acceptance and understanding of the process - my whole outlook changed and I ended up having an extremely positive experience. I couldn't believe that if I could go from one extreme end of the scale to the other, that other women didn't know about the power they have. i wanted to share what I had learned with everyone and make sure that women felt empowered through their own journeys. My pregnancy yoga had complimented hypnobirthing perfectly, there was loads of overlap, and Lushtums approach in particular was all about choices, information and empowerment for women.
Finally, I hadn’t enjoyed returning to work after maternity leave - another surprise as originally I had expected to just continue life as before. But the pregnancy and motherhood journey had indeed changed all my priorities (as everyone forewarned it would!) and my job no longer sat well with my values. I was in the process of looking at a career change options when I got an email from Lushtums advertising their upcoming training course in Bristol - it seemed like divine sign! I emailed to request more information, had a chat with Clare on the phone and after much soul-searching decided there was nothing to lose in following my new-found passion for mummy-empowerment so went for it!
What is your favourite part of being a LushTums Teacher?
Getting to do something I love and truly believe in.Getting to share my passion for women's rights with others.Witnessing and supporting women on this incredible journey.
Every session to date has felt uplifting and energising - I feel the benefit as much as the women in the class!
What do you enjoy doing when you are not teaching awesome classes?
Family days out with my husband and my 2.5 year old girl - she is so astute, curious and naturally resilient, just the best human being! My husband is pretty fun to be with too!
Staying fit - I practice Iyengar yoga myself and enjoy other forms of yoga too. I love running, the focus on the breath is so calming on the mind, and I try to do a couple of running events each year. I also enjoy hitting the kettlebells in the gym!
I've always loved reading and since starting this journey, I now have a pile of pregnancy/motherhood/yoga books up to my thigh to get through!
What piece of information would you most like to share with a new Mum or Mum-to-be?
Listen to your body, your baby and your heart. Motherhood does change you - but not for the worse! Things you may have to adapt or change to cope don't have to be forever, live in the moment and trust in what will be!
What would you say to someone thinking about training with us?
Again, just trust your heart. If it feels like the right decision for you, go for it! You learn so much - about pregnancy and birth as well as yoga, but also life in general, it's never going to be a bad thing to do!
What do you love best about the area you teach in?
Bristol - nothing to not love! Such a vibrant city- there's always something going on. The communities are diverse, the independent vibe is strong, there's great outdoor spaces. And you can get a cracking coffee! Hanham specifically is a little further out of the centre so has the best of both worlds - a bit more space for bringing up a little one and a vibrant little high street with everything you need, but still so close to Bristol, not far from Bath and great access to the countryside and South West where I spent many happy times when I was young.