Birthlight is a friendly, informal charity founded by Francoise Barbira Freedman, focusing on a holistic approach to pregnancy, birth and babyhood using Yoga and breathing methods to enhance you and your baby's well-being.

Birthlight's charter is contained in the word Birthlight, birthing lightly using the breath and the awareness of breathing without due strain, and also to the light, the spirtual dimension of birth, which is often forgotten.

The range of classes available are designed to take you from conception to your child's third year.  Birthlight continually strives to use the latest research findings in the development of additonal classes that build on your expertise.

Our regular Birthlight trainer at the Minerva Centre is Gill Milsom who  has delivered the Birthlight programme for several years. Gill has trained many midwives, health vistiors, nursery nurses and mums for Sure Start Central in Preston.  She has worked with members of staff and volunteers at the Special Needs Unit at Hop, Skip and Jump Unit, Kingswood, Bristol and has taught complementary approaches to health at degree level.

A training week-end for Reflexology professionals.

Pioneered by Jan Williamson Precision Reflexology is an accredited course for qualified Reflexologists and the content of the course can be used upon completion in their professional practice.

The course is centred around the "linking" technique which is unique to Precision work.  The location of the linking reflexes will be taught and students will be shown how to locate these. The basic technique uses a light touch which makes contact with the subtle energy of the client, thus providing a powerful treatment without using strong physical pressure.

 The Diploma in Baby Yoga is the full teaching qualification recognised for purposes of insurance and professional accreditation for health professionals and to parents who are motivated to teach other parents. Following on from the successful course in April this is an update to assess skills already developed and learn more advanced techniques.

In this 3 day course the practices taught are an updated version of the pioneering set developed by Francoise Freedman including "relaxed holds", swings, dips and lifts", the 3 "hip sequences", moves for strength and balance, moves for tummy time". Songs and movements together as developed by Sally Lomas are also taught on this course.

The course covers movements that facilitate the transistions to sitting, crawling, standing and walking. The teaching of joint relaxation between parent and baby is given special importance as a way to help parents release tension and to allow babies to experience relaxed parents.

Sally is also an Active birth and Montessori teacher and has been running Birthlight classes in Cambridge for many years.