http://www.ashleyherrerayoga.com/

Ashley Herrera Prenatal Yoga, Calgary, AB (2026)

03/08/2026

11 years ago we said ‘I do’ on top of a mountain…

And now we are driving in the mountains with 3 sleeping kids in the back 😅

03/05/2026

Bodhin’s Post Birth Story

I don’t think many share about post birth because your bundle of joy has made their way earth-side end of story right? But what happens right after your baby is born?

Shortly after we announced that we had a baby boy and got some snuggles in the water, his cord was clamped and cut by third time proud dad :). Jenny instructed my husband to take off his shirt for skin to skin, she handed him the baby and he and the kids went to the bedroom to swoon over him some more.

Right after the birth Jenny asked me if it was okay to have a shot of Pitocin to help deliver the placenta since the delivery went so quick. I said yes, because my last delivery at home with Sage I was right at the limit for blood loss where my midwife said anymore and I’d have to go to the hospital. Thankfully it stopped but I didn’t want to risk this wonderful home birth to have to be moved to the hospital. I tried to birth my placenta in the bath, then the toilet, but it wasn’t quite ready so I moved to my bed where I later delivered it.

I got lots of skin to skin quiet moments with Bodhin and the rest of the family, with the midwives charting, cleaning up and taking vitals. Plus a well deserved lunch served to me in bed. When I was ready to go to the washroom they assisted me up to walk (hello lack of core!) and help set up my pads. Then of course the pressing down on my belly to do a fundal massage to ensure my uterus was contracting properly…not fun but necessary.

This was the first time I wanted to see my placenta and the midwife gave Avery and I a tour of it which was super cool for both of us. Megan took photos of my placenta and even took a print of it! She noticed it was shaped like a heart and Avery said that I always accidentally make everything heart shaped…even my placenta.💕

Continued below ⬇️

02/26/2026

Bodhin’s Birth Story | Part 4

11:06am — I stepped into the bath.

You can’t tell from the photos, but at first I felt restricted. I almost got out. Then a contraction came… and my back didn’t hurt the same way. So I stayed.

I held a comb in one hand, Derek’s hand in the other, and rested my head on his leg.

Jenny suggested a deep squat facing the long edge of the tub, pressing my back against it. I could feel her guidance gently preparing me to push. I started moaning, humming, going inward.

Derek later told me that when I went into the deep squat he thought of my prenatal yoga classes and how the movements are actually relevant to birth…always cheering me on. 💕

If you remember from Part 1, I had planned to use the water for comfort — not for birth. But Jenny had her hair up, gloves on, mask ready, all her supplies in the bathroom. She softly encouraged me to reach down, to follow my body if I felt the urge to push.

I was shocked at how quickly things were progressing. I didn’t realize I was that close.

Our birth photographer, Megan, quietly slipped into the bathroom to capture photos — she made it just in time!!

11:20am.

I reached down but didn’t feel much. The next contraction came and suddenly I had the urge to push — and I felt B3’s head. I kept pushing and then there was a “POP.”

For a split second it startled me. Jenny calmly said, “That’s your water breaking.”

Then I could really feel his head. It was intense. I was still in disbelief that I was pushing my baby out.

Final parts in comments 💕

02/26/2026

Bodhin’s Birth Story | Part 3

Thankfully Jenny arrived within minutes!

When she came upstairs to listen to B3’s heartbeat, I had a tiny contraction. I remember her asking, “Is this what they’ve been like?”

Haha… I wish.

We moved to the bed for a cervical check. Jenny gently coached my breathing (just like I practice in my yoga classes) while she checked me sweet Avery sat at my head, slowly rubbing from my third eye to my temples. I’ll never forget that.🥹

Afterward Jenny said, “Yup. We’re going to have a baby. You’re well on your way.”

I started to cry. Derek later told me well yea I already knew that haha. I was so grateful she didn’t tell me how many centimeters I was. I didn’t want any weird labour math happening in my head or overanalyzing my progress.

Around 10:30am I got into the shower. Avery came with me and we moved through a few contractions together. I cried. I OM’ed. I hummed. I felt open.

Derek brought in my music and a stool. I did side lunges, sat on the bench, swayed. At one point Avery left, and Derek would pop in while Jenny finished setting up the room — but every time the door opened I felt cold… and every time he left I felt lonely.

So I asked him to draw the bath.

Midwife:

02/24/2026

Bodhin Birth Story | Part 2

On Sunday Avery crawled into bed with me just before 7am. Right before that, while I was lying there, I felt this powerful startle reflex… and then Derek reached over and gently touched my belly. That’s when I noticed the light cramps.

About 20 minutes later I went to the bathroom and saw some of my mucus plug.

I remember thinking… is this baby going to be a Virgo or a Libra? A summer or fall baby? Maybe I have one more day with him on the inside.

Over the past few days B3’s movements had been so strong. It felt like he was physically ready.

I went downstairs, tried to eat breakfast, and told Derek, “I think today’s the day.” He immediately started tidying the house. I wandered around nibbling on food, half in denial, half knowing.

Around 8:30am we called Megan, our birth photographer, to give her a heads up that contractions were starting.

Early on I did a Forward Leaning Inversion just to make sure my uterine ligaments and baby were in the most optimal position.

At 9:18am I went to the bathroom again and had uncontrollable p**p and bloody show. Things were clearly shifting.

The kids were supposed to go to Calaway Park that day, and Avery still wanted to go — even after I told her the baby was coming. I felt emotional about it because I wanted her there again, but it was her choice.

They watched TV while I rotated between the toilet and the birth ball… toilet, ball, toilet, ball. I’d been putting off cutting out my affirmations, so I got the kids to help me finish the project.

I rocked on all fours but felt intense heaviness in my low back. Sage was getting upset that I couldn’t help him the way he wanted. Between contractions I tried to stay connected with him. At one point he crawled underneath me pretending to be born saying, “Have a baby, done.”

If only labour were that easy. It brought some comic relief which I needed.

I started slowly crawling on all fours and the movement took the back pain away and probably helping baby rotate too.

More in comments ⬇️

02/23/2026

Bodhins Birth Story | Part 1

Some background notes:

All three pregnancies I was under midwifery care, with the same midwife (all at different clinics)

◾️My first birth experience was amazing up until I was 41 weeks pregnant and during an ultrasound they detected a possible narrowing of a valve from the heart. This meant induction, delivering at a hospital, and my midwife as a support person alongside my husband and doula.

◾️My second birth experience I wanted to replicate the birth plan from the first that I didn’t get; birth centre, midwife, and same doula (but she retired). I had a hard time envisioning anyone different in the room. But I kept asking for more information on a home birth…just in case. After experiencing contractions I really did not want to get in the car during labour. How do you all do it?!

▫️Instead my labour was fast and furious, when contractions felt stronger I went into the shower and then moved to the bathtub. I was able to talk to my midwife on the phone and contractions were still “far enough apart”. Until they weren’t…we called the midwife to come to the house instead and we delivered our baby at the edge of my bed 5 minutes later.

◾️I did Spinning Babies® in each of my pregnancies and DURING each labour experience. Each time it significantly helped me.

For the third birth experience my immediate plan was to have a home birth in a birth pool. I wanted to have my same midwife, a doula that also did birth photography. My husband had a little bit of fear from the previous birth since he became midwife in that scenario so I made sure we had a solid plan and understanding with the midwifery team that I birth fast.

Since I have a history of labouring fast I later decided that I didn’t want a birth pool or water birth and that I just wanted water as comfort since it helped me SO much the previous time.

Seriously, get in the water it’s such a game changer!

A little more in the comments…

02/18/2026

Have you finally reached your third trimester?
Welcome! 🤰🏻
Have you also realized you have to birth the baby growing in your belly?

…that’s pretty typical once your belly grows a lot it hits mama’s that holy $!@& I have to birth this baby!!!

In comes an easy movement to add to your day:
Asymmetrical Pelvic Tilts and Hip Shift

The movements helps to release the pelvic floor diagonally, is great for opening the mid-pelvis for birth prep and allows baby to find their most optimal position.

Give it a try today and let me know how it feels!

Want more movement and birth prep tips?

Bump to Birth for the Third Trimester is just what you need to prepare your body and mind for birth. Check out the link in my bio for a free 7-day trial 🧘🏻‍♀️

02/03/2026

Velcro Baby on your hands?

Same here…I think I curate them because who doesn’t want baby snuggles all day long…which is why a baby wrap or carrier is a must!

Okay on to the movements you can do with baby attached to you…

Here is a quick sequence to do so you feel like you built some strength, tuned in with your pelvic floor and stretched your sore, tired body

❤️ Ball Squeeze
🧡 Hip Abduction with a band
💛 Seated Figure-4 stretch
💚 Seated open book stretch
💙 Roll out foot on a firm ball

Repeat if you can!

That’s it…done in 5 min! Now you can get back to your day or relax and enjoy those baby snuggles 🥰

01/08/2026

It’s hard not to see all the “new year, new you” resolutions and feel pulled to do all of it.

We joke in our house about “new year, same us” 😅
But honestly, all the pressure to reset and improve can make me feel anxious.

So instead, I’m focusing on recovering from carrying my third baby through a long pregnancy (every babe is always to snug to come out) so I can hold him as much as I want, feel pain-free, and slowly rebuild strength.

In this video, I’m giving some love to my SI joint (because it’s been talking to me lately).
✨ Hamstring nerve flossing
✨ Leg extensions for gentle core support
✨ Pelvic tilts on my back
✨ Finished with happy baby

If you’ve been feeling behind…
Or like you should be in the best shape of your life right now

Pause.
Take a breath.
You are exactly where you need to be.

Be kind to yourself, mama 🤍

12/31/2025

2025 gave us so much more than I ever dreamed of

We didn’t know if we’d actually ever have a 3rd baby but it was clearly our missing piece

For being pregnant I went on a lot of trips - Mexico, Portugal, Florida, BC, Hawaii.
All were fun but Hawaii super pregnant was tough!

I became a Spinning Babies Certified Parent Educator which has been a dream for a while because it has helped my pregnancies and labour so much.

I started Birthing from Within Childbirth Educator and Doula training but had to pause due to too such a busy year.

I lost my grandma - but she waited to meet sweet Bodhin 💕

And even though my husband says I don’t say this anymore…we are an even better team than ever before…I think it’s necessary when you are out numbered 🙃

I recorded SO much content and have barely posted any of it 😅

Thank you for joining me this year and following my pregnancy journey!

Ashley Herrera Prenatal Yoga

03/08/2026

03/05/2026

02/26/2026

02/26/2026

02/24/2026

02/23/2026

02/18/2026

02/03/2026

01/08/2026

12/31/2025

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