Lisa Attfield, aged 42 is a mother of 3 IVF children and has produced her own Fertility Yoga DVD after her 10 year journey to become a mother. Lisa’s dvd Fertility Yoga with Lisa Attfield is a series of hatha yoga postures to benefit reproductive health, breathing techniques and deep relaxations linked together in sections that can be practiced individually – according to how much time you may have. Each section is suitable for beginners to the more accomplished yoga practitioner, it has a wonderful deep relaxation section if you just feel like relaxing.
Lisa spent 3 years training to be a British Wheel yoga teacher in her early 30s to help with her infertility. She quit her stressful job in London to live “the good life” setting up a small farm in rural Devon. Lisa was having trouble conceiving in her late 20s and after 8 years the national health service ( NHS) finally agreed to investigate and both she and husband had fertility issues and their only option was to pay privately for IVF with ISCI. After 3 cycles of IVF they had their first daughter Josephine born in 2008 when Lisa was 36. Then after another 2 cycles of IVF twins Dexter and Isabelle where born in 2011.
During Lisa’s fertility journey she used many types of complimentary therapies to enhance her potential to conceive and to get into shape for a healthy pregnancy. Lisa designed her own fertility yoga program to help de-stress and improve her reproductive health and wellbeing on her rollerc oaster journey to motherhood.
Lisa’s top Fertility Yoga postures to de-stress and to benefit the reproductive area include
Nose to knee pose (Supta Pawnmuktasana)
This posture strengthens the lower back muscles and loosens the spinal vertebrae. It massages the abdomen and digestive organs. The pelvic muscles and reproductive organs are massaged so it’s a great therapeutic yoga pose to improve fertility.
To practice this posture lie down on your back and bend one knee to your chest, clasping your hands around your shin. Exhale and slowly raise your head nose towards your knee of the bent leg, the abdomen will be on contact with the thigh massaging this area, increasing blood flow releasing any energy blockages. Inhale and slowly release your head back resting on the floor, repeat five times each side.
Cat pose (Marjariasana)
A great posture to unwind and relax, the more you practice this posture the more you learn to develop and lengthen the breath. Gently flowing with the breath into each movement improving flexibility of spine, reducing stress and tension.
To practice come onto all fours, kneeling with your hips over your knees and your hands under your shoulders, arms straight. Inhale and tilt your tailbone up, as you arch your back look up, this is upward cat. Exhale slowly bring your head through your arms, chin to chest and pull up the back of your waist rounding your spine as a tuck your tail bone under, this is downward cat. Inhale repeat upward cat and exhale downward cat 10 times if you can, slowly flowing. This action of moving your pelvis brings blood flow and energy to your pelvic area gently toning the female reproductive area.