POSTNATAL YOGA AFTER LOSS: Grounding and soothing self-holds class (14mins)

GROUNDING, SOOTHING SELF-HOLDS & BREATHWORK After pregnancy or baby loss, you may be physically recovering whilst also carrying an enormous emotional load. Your body may feel tense, unsettled or unfamiliar, and finding ways to reconnect with it can feel difficult. Sometimes what you need isn't a workout. You simply need somewhere to slow down. In this gentle postnatal yoga practice, Kelly guides you through grounding, breathing and soothing self-holds designed to offer an opportunity for comfort, connection and self-compassion. Rather than asking your body to perform, this practice invites you to notice it – using the contact of your own hands, your breath and gentle affirmations to explore feelings of grounding and safety. This is a trauma-informed practice. There is no expectation to close your eyes, use every self-hold, repeat every affirmation or complete the whole class. You remain in control throughout and can adapt the practice according to what feels supportive for you today. IN THIS PRACTICE 00:00 – Introduction & Settling In 00:45 – Slowing Down & Acknowledging Yourself 01:45 – Grounding Into Your Body 03:00 – Self-Holds for Comfort & Safety 04:30 – Connecting With Your Breath 06:00 – Grounding Breathing Practice 07:30 – Affirmations for Safety 09:00 – Affirmations for Connection & Self-Compassion 10:30 – Bringing Together Breath & Self-Holds 11:45 – Checking In With Your Body 12:40 – Final Reflection & Support 13:15 – Closing BENEFITS OF THIS PRACTICE 🌿 Creates space to slow down during postnatal recovery after loss. 💛 Explores self-holds as a form of supportive, grounding touch. ✨ Uses gentle breathing to encourage body and nervous system awareness. 🌸 Introduces affirmations centred around safety, connection and self-compassion. 🤍 Offers a low-demand practice for times when your energy or emotional capacity may be limited. HOW TO USE THIS PRACTICE ✔ Choose somewhere you feel comfortable and supported. ✔ Keep your eyes open if that feels better for you. ✔ Adapt or avoid any self-hold that doesn't feel comfortable. ✔ Allow your breathing to remain natural rather than forcing it. ✔ Use the affirmations that resonate with you and leave the ones that don't. ✔ Pause, rest or stop at any point. There is no right way to experience this practice. What feels supportive may change from one day to another. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KELLY Kelly Thistlethwaite, BSc (Hons), is Co-Founder of FLY Mama, a Trauma-Informed Matrescence Coach, Perinatal Yoga and Breathwork Teacher, and Nervous System Education and Regulation Specialist. Kelly supports women through pregnancy, birth, motherhood and difficult reproductive experiences using coaching, breathwork, nervous system education and trauma-informed practices. Explore Kelly's current work: 🔗 https://linktr.ee/kellythistlethwaite SAFE CLINICAL GUIDANCE Physical and emotional recovery following pregnancy or baby loss is individual. When it is appropriate to return to yoga or movement will depend on your circumstances, including your stage of pregnancy, type of loss, medical or surgical treatment, birth experience and any complications. Please follow the advice of your healthcare team and seek individual guidance if you're unsure whether postnatal movement is appropriate for you. Somatic practices, touch, breathing and affirmations can sometimes bring difficult emotions, memories or sensations to the surface. You remain in control. You can change position, keep your eyes open, skip an exercise or affirmation, pause or stop completely. LIABILITY & ARCHIVED CONTENT STATEMENT This video forms part of the FLY Mama Legacy Library and was originally created as part of FLY Mama's trauma-informed support for miscarriage and pregnancy loss (ATHENA), TFMR (BIA), and stillbirth or neonatal loss (ALKE). It was recorded while the FLY Mama platform was live between 2020 and 2026. The information was created in good faith and, to the best of our knowledge, reflected appropriate evidence and professional guidance at the time of recording. This content is for educational and general wellbeing purposes only and does not replace individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Healthcare guidance may change over time, so please seek appropriate professional advice for your individual circumstances. FLY Mama, Kelly Thistlethwaite, Michelle Norton-Hughes and individual contributors accept no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from participation in or reliance upon this content. MUSIC NOTICE Some sessions may include background music captured naturally during filming. This music is incidental and remains the property of the original copyright holders.