Kerstin Bilgmann is an Authorized Level II Ashtanga Yoga teacher living in Sydney Australia. In this episode Kerstin shares the experience of her pregnancy, birth and postpartum recovery after the birth of her son Jai.

After immersing herself in yoga, travelling and teaching yoga around the world, Kerstin met her partner Andrew later in life. When she and Andrew decided to have a child, she was over 40 years old. Kerstin was advised that there could be some challenges at her age to conceive. However, she was able to conceive without medical assistance.

Kerstin is a practitioner of the third series, Advanced A, and shares how she approached her ashtanga yoga practice during her pregnancy. Following her intuition, with some guidance from other teachers and friends, Kerstin shares the details of the postures she included in her practice, the modifications she made to postures she was practicing, and what postures she chose not to do. 

Being pregnant over the age of 35 is considered "advanced maternal age", limiting some choices in birth. While her pregnancy was healthy, and there were no complications, Kerstin shares details of how she was feeling. In Australia, when a woman is advanced maternal age, the preference is for labor to be induced after 40 weeks of pregnancy. Kerstin describes in detail her birth and how this unfolded.

With a background in Marine Science, Kerstin's research of birth techniques and philosophies included Active Birthing, observing a Fourth Trimester.

Links

Yoga Sadhana for Mothers - Sharmila Desi

Active Birth - Janet Balaskas

Dr. Howard Chilton Neonatal Paediatrician

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