Feel Free With B, York (2026)

03/04/2026

Movement over the last 2 weeks has looked like pilates, yoga, light weights & a little cardio 💛

I honestly can’t explain how good it feels to be moving more again at 11 weeks postpartum. That hour to myself, just focusing on my body hits so differently now 🥹
Definitely something I took for granted before becoming a mama… 😅✨

23/03/2026

At 7 weeks postpartum I started to ease myself back into some work 🤍

✨ 1:1 Pilates at a clients home - I am very lucky I can do this and take Martha with me

✨ Filmed some prenatal content in the York studio with

✨ Catch up over coffee with

✨ Taught our 3rd ‘Beyond the Springs’ instructor masterclass at the Leeds studio which was my first time having 5 hours baby-free 🥹 it was so good to be back in the studio with Holly, sharing what I love with other teachers.

Maternity is hard, especially when you’re self-employed. Statutory pay is… 🫠 but I feel really grateful to be able to return to work in a way that keeps life feeling a little ‘normal’ 🤎

26/02/2026

Week 4/5 post C-section 🤎

These are some of the movements I gently added back into my daily routine once I felt ready. Nothing fancy or rushed. Just slow, intentional rebuilding.

🖤 Slide 1: Table top arm lifts – reconnecting to core + shoulder stability

🤎 Slide 2: Table top leg lifts – glute activation and core stability

🖤 Slide 3: Bird dog – coordination, balance & deep core engagement

🤎 Slide 4: Knee hovers – light core challenge while keeping it controlled

🖤 Slide 5: Side-lying leg lifts – outer glutes & hip strength

🤎 Slide 6: Side-lying knee to chest – gentle lower ab connection

🖤 Slide 7: Bodyweight squats – functional strength

🤎 Slide 8: Swiss ball leg lifts – core + stability focus

🖤 Slide 9: Swiss ball puppy pose – because it feels SO good 😍

19/02/2026

Impatiently waiting for the green light from the doctor & physio so I can finally get back on the reformer 🤎✨

It’s been many months since I’ve been able to move like this - this video was taken in February 2025 and it already feels like a different lifetime.

This audio is exactly what I’ll need playing in my head when I start again… because rebuilding after pregnancy and surgery means giving myself time, patience and consistency. No comparison. No rushing. No being my own worst enemy.

The countdown is on 🙈🙏🏼😍

17/02/2026

Exercises to give the neck, shoulders & spine some love 🤍I started these around week 3/4 post C-section as I had been feeling really tight through this area from breastfeeding and holding Martha all the time - these movements really helped ease some of that tension.

As always, please listen to your own body - You can always reduce the range of movement depending on how you feel ✨

Slide 1 – Neck Stretch
Slowly drop one ear toward your shoulder, keeping the opposite shoulder heavy.
Perfect for easing tension from feeding, holding baby & broken sleep.

Slide 2 - Pilates Roll Downs
Gentle spinal mobility.
Stand tall → tuck chin → slowly roll down one vertebra at a time.
Soften knees if needed.
Roll back up slowly, stacking the spine.
Amazing for reconnecting to your core & releasing back stiffness.

Slide 3 – All Fours Thoracic Rotation (Half Thread the Needle)
Great for thoracic mobility + chest opening.

Slide 4 – All Fours Thoracic Chest Opening + Arm Circle
From all fours, rotate open through the chest and circle the arm back.
Focus on smooth, controlled movement.
Encourages shoulder mobility & posture support.

Slide 5 – All Fours Shoulder Protraction & Retraction
In tabletop, keep arms straight.
Gently press the floor away (protract) → then soften chest between shoulders (retract).
Small movement, big impact.
Helps rebuild shoulder stability & upper body strength.

Slide 6 – Foam Roller Puppy Pose
Hips over knees, hands on foam roller.
Sink chest gently toward the floor.
Beautiful chest, shoulder & upper back opener.
Breathe deeply here 🤍

Slide 7 – Supine on Foam Roller + Arm Circles
Lie lengthways on the roller, head & pelvis supported.
Find neutral pelvis, engage deep core gently.
Slow arm circles to open the chest & improve shoulder mobility.
Control > range.

Slide 8 – Side Lying Open Book
Knees bent, arms stacked in front.
Open top arm across your body, rotating through upper back.
Keep hips stable.
Let the breath guide the movement.

Slide 9 – Side Lying Open Book + Arm Circles
From open book position, add gentle arm circles.
Encourages fluid shoulder mobility & thoracic rotation.

Slide 10 - Martha’s turn!

15/02/2026

C-SECTION RECOVERY HOSPITAL TIPS + WHAT I ACTUALLY USED 🤍

✨ Take pain relief as prescribed ✨ Get up and walk gently when you can (it really helps with gas + recovery) ✨ Support your core with a pillow if possible when coughing/laughing ✨ Hydrate!
✨ Keep moving/wiggling your feet and legs every now and then when the feeling comes back in them ✨ Accept all the help

What I packed in my hospital bag that I actually used 👇

🥥 Coconut water - amazing for hydration + helped get my digestion going
 💧 Electrolytes - I used Humantra and swear by them for hydration + supporting digestion
 🍃 Chewing gum - so helpful for digestion (especially after abdominal surgery) and freshening up if you can’t get up to brush your teeth.
 🍿 Snacks – I packed mini bags of popcorn, mini chocolate rice cakes from M&S, and lentil crisps…
But what I really craved was fruit. 🍊🥭🍍 
Alex brought me oranges, mango and pineapple the next morning and it was exactly what my body wanted.

I’ve read that you should avoid the toast they offer you as it can slow digestion and add to discomfort. I couldn’t eat it at first anyway because I kept being sick and couldn’t keep anything down. I did end up eating it at 4am the next morning though… I was starving 😅 I have heard about people getting really bad pain in their stomach and shoulder from trapped gas / constipation but I personally didn’t suffer from this at all.

🍋 My Lululemon water bottle kept my water ice cold the whole time

💤 PJs… packed them, didn’t touch them. I  stayed in the hospital gown the whole time because I never ended up showering

🏠 Going home outfit - loose, baggy, dark coloured tracksuit

🩲 Always discreet postpartum high waisted maternity knickers super absorbent 
👟 Slip-on UGGs - easy to slide on for bathroom trips + going home

🪭 Small portable fan Absolute must! The ward was SO hot.

📱 Long wired phone charger The outlets are never close enough.

🎧 iPad - kept us occupied whilst waiting for our time to go down to theatre as we were 3rd on the list and if felt like the longest wait ever

13/02/2026

C-Section Rehab: 2–3 Weeks Post Surgery 💕

The following exercises are what felt good for me at this stage but remember, every body and every birth is different - always listen to your body 🤍

For context I’m a Pilates instructor and was training at CrossFit 4x per week up to week 39 of pregnancy so my baseline may look different to yours. This is gentle, intentional reconnection work.

Slide 1 – Pelvic Tilts
Supine imprint and release. Gently articulate the pelvis, finding neutral to posterior tilt while reconnecting to deep abdominals and breath. Focus on rib-to-hip connection without gripping.

Slide 2 – Glute Bridges
Segmental bridge. Press through the heels to articulate the spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, engaging glutes and hamstrings while maintaining deep core support.

Slide 3 – Deep Abdominal Heel Slides
Slow heel slides from bent-knee position. Maintain a neutral pelvis as you extend one leg, engaging the transverse abdominals without doming through the midline.

Slide 4 – Hip Openers
Gentle external rotation work (bent-knee fallouts) Stabilize the pelvis while allowing controlled movement at the hip joint to restore mobility without strain.

Slide 6 – Arm Reaches Overhead
Supine arm arcs overhead. Keep ribs softly knitted as arms move, maintaining core connection and shoulder stability.

Slide 7 – Cactus Arms
Goalpost arms with scapular control. Open across the chest while keeping ribs grounded, encouraging thoracic mobility and postural awareness.

Slide 8 – Single Leg Tabletop
Lift one leg at a time to tabletop with control. Focus on pelvic stability and deep abdominal engagement without shifting or bracing.

Slide 9 – Clamshell – External Rotation
Side-lying clams. Heels together, rotate top knee upward while keeping hips stacked to activate glute medius and support pelvic stability.

Slide 10 – Clamshell – Internal Rotation
Reverse clam variation, targeting internal rotators and deep hip stabilizers.

12/02/2026

My positive C-section story ✨🤍

We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am - we were 3rd on the list, so we had a few hours to wait. We watched Celebrity SAS from the hospital bed to pass the time 😂 They did warn us that if any emergencies came in, we might not make theatre that day… but luckily we did 🤍

11:30am we went into theatre
11:56am our beautiful Martha was here 🩷

I was SO scared of the spinal block beforehand, but honestly there was absolutely nothing to worry about. I didn’t feel a thing.

During surgery I felt sick which is no surprise if you know me and I experienced a bad headache, but the anaesthetist gave me medication through my cannula and it worked almost instantly.

We had our own playlist on, the doctor was dancing to it, the midwives took photos throughout, the anaesthetist kept checking I was feeling okay, Alex cut the cord, and I got skin-to-skin straight away 🥹🤍

About 6 hours later I managed to sit up in the chair next to my hospital bed (I couldn’t manage to walk yet because I wouldn’t stop being sick). Anti-sickness meds saved me again - where were they in the first trimester?! 😂

Around 20 hours after surgery I walked to the bathroom myself, and honestly it was nowhere near as scary or painful as I’d built it up to be after reading and seeing many negative posts on social media.

Overall, it was such a lovely, calm experience. The doctors, midwives and anaesthetists were incredible. Alex stayed with me until 10pm, and the midwives were so caring overnight. They even took Martha for 4 hours so I could sleep and recover - apparently she enjoyed watching The Traitors with them 🥹😂

I’d 100% choose a C-section again 🤍✨

If any one has any questions please feel free to send me a message as I know I had a lot of questions beforehand 🙏🏼

10/02/2026

Following on from yesterday’s post, here are some more stretches and mobility work I started doing around weeks 1–2 post C-section 🤍

Just a reminder: these were exercises that felt good for my body at the time. I listened closely and focused on the areas that felt like they needed some love. Always work within your own comfort and recovery.

Slides 1–2:
✨ Shoulder mobility + chest stretch
I’m using my dressing gown tie here, but a theraband works too. In slide 2, notice how I keep connection between ribs and hips - no rib flaring. Neutral pelvis, gentle core connection, glutes lightly engaged.

Slide 3:
🐈‍⬛ Cat / cow for spinal flexion & extension
Only move through a range that feels good. Be mindful not to overdo the extension - especially early on while your C-section scar is still healing.

Slide 4:
🌀 Kneeling thoracic twist
Kneeling helps keep the pelvis square so the movement comes from the middle of the spine. Neutral pelvis, open chest and keep your elbows back. Think about gently pushing the back of your head into your hands to improve posture.

Slide 5:
🌵 Cactus arms
Great for opening the chest and stretching the upper back between the shoulder blades.

Slide 6:
🦵 Single-kneeling hip flexor + quad stretch
Keep the underneath knee directly under your hip to avoid overstretching early on. Neutral pelvis, tall posture (shoulders over ribs, ribs over hips). Squeeze the glute on the supporting side to deepen the stretch safely.

Slide 7:
➿ Optional gentle side bend
Only add this if it feels comfortable for you.

Slide 8:
🦋 Butterfly stretch
Targets hips, pelvis and inner thighs. Use cushions or blocks under the knees for support if you’re tight here.

Slide 9:
🦋 Butterfly stretch with a forward fold
Take it deeper only if it feels okay.

Slides 10–11:
🦋 Single-leg butterfly stretch
An option if you want to progress the stretch further.

Always listen to your body, take it slow, and remember that recovery isn’t a race 🤍

03/11/2025

Goodbye October 👋🏼 Hello 3rd trimester 🍂

I took a visit to a couple of weeks ago as I started to struggle with pelvic girdle pain. She was SO helpful, I highly recommend any one who is pregnant to give her a visit.

Planning classes for you all is becoming a slight challenge now as I can’t physically practice everything that I want to teach 😅 apparently my classes are getting more challenging the more pregnant I get 🤭

Dark morning and evenings are now upon us but it makes us happy at that it doesn’t stop you all from getting your practice in.

Mini Martin’s nursery is nearly finished and I continue to keep ‘hugging the baby’ to try and keep my core strong 💪🏼

Feel Free With B

03/04/2026

23/03/2026

26/02/2026

19/02/2026

17/02/2026

15/02/2026

13/02/2026

12/02/2026

10/02/2026

03/11/2025

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