Pregnancy and birthing

«Anti-gymnastique® prepares women for the birth of their child, but it is not the only birth” wrote Thérèse Bertherat.  “Pregnant women who practice anti-gymnastique® are reborn themselves. Maybe it is because pregnant women possess more than at any other point in their lives this sixth sense that gives them access to their body. »

If you are pregnant, anti-gymnastique® classes can be extremely helpful to relieve tension during your pregnancy and to prepare you for delivery. The movements are precise, varied and extremely respectful of your body. Emphasis is placed on working with the mouth, the jaws and the eyes. The movements will increase the flexibility of your muscles, improve your blood circulation, free your breath and realign your body. Your perception of muscles that you cannot control, for instance, the muscles of your uterus, will be sharpened and you will be given concrete tools to fully experience your delivery.

A number of practitioners offer classes especially designed for pregnant women.  These classes bring together a small number of expecting mothers and are often an opportunity to talk about delicate issues or issues that have not been addressed during prenatal checkups. The father-to-be may be invited to attend certain classes during which he can learn simple gestures to support his partner, especially during delivery.

Thérèse Bertherat co-wrote with her then pregnant daughter Marie Bertherat and midwife Paule Brung, a book entitled A corps consentant (Body Willing). In this book, the three authors talked about the interplay of the forces that inhabit the body of a pregnant woman. Thérèse Bertherat also proposed very precise movements to prepare the body of a pregnant woman for giving birth.