New mums can learn from midwife’s legacy in new book

A midwife who lost her battle with breast cancer is still helping mothers-to-be who would like to use yoga to support their labour and birth, as her legacy is published.

Sally Townsend was a midwife at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust when she co-wrote ‘Your Yoga Birthguide’ with expert yoga teacher Jenny Beeken, to guide mothers from conception through to the birth, with the use of yoga.

Yoga has been acknowledged to enhance the experience of pregnancy and birth. Jenny Beeken, who founded the Inner Yoga Trust, said: “Practising yoga improves strength, body and breathing awareness and is good for keeping the body supple, fit and relaxed without straining and can be used to relieve pain in labour and ease childbirth”.

Donna Ockenden, Head of Midwifery at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This book being published is testament to the help and support Sally gave to mothers-to-be and it means that her experience can continue to help new mums."

“This is a useful reference book for mothers intending to use yoga to support their labour and birth – and for the midwives caring for them”.