Ashley Aitken Yoga & Professional Birth Support

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Ashley Aitken Yoga & Professional Birth Support

Based in Kirkintilloch. I provide yoga classes for specific life stages from pregnancy to menopause, This class will help you to strengthen and tone.

Ostara Moon yoga is a gentle flowing hatha style yoga class which connects you to the phases of the moon to help balance hormone and provide relaxation and release. It offers deep, gentle yoga asana which honours the moon phases, earth cycles and feminine energy. This class is suitable for any age and ability and warmly welcomes beginners. Ostara Sun Yoga class is a yoga practice to stoke your in

ner fire and set you up for your day ahead. After gently warming the body we will move through variations on sun salutations with a gentle but dynamic flow and end with a brief relaxation. Pregnancy Yoga a beautiful class to help you keep active during pregnancy, help prepare for the birth and bond with your baby. This class offers a gentle and safe yoga practice developed especially for pregnant bodies. The yoga postures (asana) are suitable for pregnancy, prepare you for birth and can be further adapted for common pregnancy ailments. More than just a yoga class each session also provides birth education, breathing techniques for birth and deep relaxation to empower you towards a positive birth. All led by a qualified midwife, practicing doula and yoga teacher. These classes also provide a supportive community of like-minded parents to be to share your journey with. Suitable from 14 weeks pregnant. Mum & Baby Yoga offers a nurturing class for new parents with breathing techniques to calm the mind, yoga to stretch, strengthen and recharge your energy levels and relaxation to soothe. Each class includes both soothing baby massage and fun yoga suitable for little bodies, offering a special time for you and your baby to bond. Traditional yoga postures (asana) are adapted for a postnatal yoga practice which gently restores and tones the body after birth. All this in our wonderful community, with a chat and a cuppa. Suitable from 6 weeks postnatal (8-12 weeks post caesarean section depending on your recovery) until baby is mobile.

07/06/2026

I had a wonderful Retreat Day yesterday in the Scottish Borders with my doula sisters from the 💛

We began the day with a cacao ceremony to open our hearts, followed by a sharing circle that set the tone for a day of connection, learning, and support.

We enjoyed an inspiring skills sharing session where Robyn generously shared some of her extensive knowledge of homeopathy, and Lucia introduced us to the wisdom of Rebozo. Honestly, every time I learn about Rebozo or Biomechanics for Birth, I discover something new. Each person brings their own unique perspective, knowledge, and skills, and I love how much we learn from one another.

Most of all, this was a day of genuine connection, support, and sharing, alongside some amazing food!

As a lone practitioner, I deeply appreciate being part of this network. It's so valuable to have a doulas I can turn to for knowledge, experience, and encouragement. As much as I support others, I am also held and supported in return.

Feeling grateful for this wonderful community. ✨

28/05/2026

My youngest is officially a teenager today!
I am now a mama of 2 adults and a teen.

Not quite sure where all that time went. Somehow it went so slow and unbelievably fast all at once.

What parenting wisdom do I have to share?

Honestly, no one has it all figured out, we are all just winging it.

But here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Listen to your intuition and your maternal instincts, they are your best guide. Listen to this above all other options and advice.

Find the courage to advocate for yourself and your child.

Your children are individuals with their own needs and temperament. You will parent each of your children a little differently due to this.

Parenting is hard, it will trigger every wound and flaw you have. Show yourself compassion as you grow as a person.

You will make mistakes. Apologise and show your children what accountability looks like.

Tell them you love them, show them you love them and make them feel like your love is not conditional to achievements or behaviour.

You will look back at the early days and years of parenthood with rose tinted glasses, forgetting how hard it was and remembering all the good bits.

So take lots of photos and make memories. Book the birthday party, the holiday, the day trip, do the thing and take the photos while you are there.

Enjoy the wild ride of parenthood, it doesn't stop and you can't get off, so you might as well enjoy it 😉

📷photo of my little one at just 2 weeks old.

04/05/2026

So far this year has been my busiest yet since launching under my own brand, and I feel incredibly grateful to everyone who has trusted and supported me.

The past few years have been a real learning curve. Leaving a franchise model, navigating a global pandemic, opening and closing a studio, and experiencing collaborations that both worked and didn’t.

Doing everything on my own can feel overwhelming at times. I’ve questioned whether what I offer is still what people want in a world of online courses, AI, and remote living.

But I truly believe there will always be a need for human connection. For real, shared experiences and a sense of community. If anything, it feels more important now than ever.

I may not be the loudest on social media or the best at marketing, but I am confident in what I do. I create a safe, welcoming space, and I trust in my work as a yoga teacher and my knowledge as a doula.

I won’t be for everyone, and I’m at peace with that. The right people will continue to find me 🙏💕

27/04/2026

I am so incredibly grateful when clients choose to share a little of their story. This is a wonderful reminder that even when birth doesn't go exactly to plan, the right support can still create a positive experience.

"Ashley’s support during both pregnancy and birth was invaluable. It felt like having a safe anchor in a very uncertain time. Ashley makes a lot of time and emotional space during the preparation for birth, so by the time labour came around, I felt very well prepared, even as labour progressed and plans changed. Aside from the added reassurance of having someone by your side who knows exactly what you want/don’t want, my birth would have literally gone a completely different way had Ashley not been there - when I was told the baby wasn’t positioned correctly, she guided me through the ‘re-positioning’, which worked, thankfully, and allowed labour to progress vaginally. Although the birth wasn’t as “planned”, I think. both the preparation work prior to labour, as well as the debrief after, allows me to look back on the birth with a sense of peace. I can’t recommend Ashley enough as a guide through matrescence."

20/04/2026

I am sooo excited to finally share the details of this year's Weekend Retreat ✨️

Every year's is a little different and our 2026 retreat offers the perfect sanctuary to slow down, restore balance and reconnect with yourself.

Included:
5 Yoga sessions
Sound Bath
Reiki Infused Meditation
Individual Reflexology Session
Individual Sensorial Head Massage

Accomodation is in beautiful warm and comfortable rooms with en suite. All food and drink is included.

We are returning to the wonderful Burmieston
Farm & Steading.

My co hosts this year are the incredible Gillian and Holly

30/03/2026

Last Wednesday I spent the day diving deep into Biomechanics for Birth with the incredible and in the company of some wonderful doulas, yoga teachers, midwives and hypnobirthing teachers.

Biomechanics for birth is simple ways that we can help to balance the anatomy and support the physiology of the body so that birth can be safer, more comfortable and more wonderful for everyone involved. So that we can have an understanding of what may happen in the twists and turns of birth, along with tools we can use to support the baby and the birthing person's body to smoothe the way.

Knowledge is power. Support is everything. ✨

23/03/2026

I’ve created a gentle, beginner-friendly prenatal yoga sequence designed to support you through every trimester.

This slow, nourishing flow helps you connect to your breath, ease tension, and feel grounded in your changing body.

And here’s the beautiful part, you don’t even have to be pregnant to enjoy it. If you’re looking for a soft and calming practice, this is for you too.

16/02/2026

The NHS today is not the same one that our mothers and grandmothers experienced or even the one I worked in for many years.

NHS maternity services have always been medicalised and shaped by patriarchal structures, and they were never without their problems.

However, interventions happened when clinically indicated not because of fear of litigation.

There was time for compassionate, personalised care. There was a genuine sense of community, not only within the wider community, but within the wards themselves. The women cared for in that system felt it.

While working within the protocols and guidelines, there was also space for nuance and professional autonomy.

Staff were paid properly, wards had a full compliment of staff who had regular breaks, so they could work at their best.

Large institutions serving a broad spectrum of society will always be imperfect. But it makes me deeply sad to see what is happening in the NHS.

This is not about midwives, who are breaking under a system that no longer values them or the women they serve. It is about the many governments over the past 15-20 years that have allowed this to happen while blaming us all for the decline.

Women need doulas and midwives more than ever. The ones that listen without judgement, respect their decisions and bodily autonomy and believe in physiological birth in a system that is in decline.
They still exist and are still fighting.

Photo of me in 1997 as I started my midwifery training.

09/02/2026

🌸Spring is almost here, and we've been busy planning our next Pregnancy Day Retreat:
🌱Nurture & Bloom

It's happening on Saturday, April 11th, from 9:15am to 4:30pm, at the lovely .

This year, I'll be joined again by the amazing Sara from , who will lead a "Preparing for Postpartum Workshop" and co-host our Doula Q&A.

You'll also get to choose between a Pregnancy Massage with lovely .kerr or a reflexology session with wonderful Holly from

I'll be leading a Pregnancy Yoga session for pelvic mobility and a Meditation and Group Reiki session for deep rest and intuition as well as co-hosting our Doula Q&A.

Booking opens later this week with an early bird discount, so DM or comment "RETREAT" to be first in line! This retreat sold out last year, so don't miss out!

🤰✨

26/01/2026

It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to share a testimonial with you all. I had the honour of supporting Gilly for both her homebirths, the second one even quicker than the first, both absolutely dreamy ✨️

"We were absolutely delighted to have Ashley as our doula for the second time. She supported us at the birth of our son, Rory, and the moment I found out I was pregnant again, I knew I wanted Ashley by our side once more, she was the very first person I contacted when I found out I was expecting again.
Ashley has the most calm, nurturing presence. Our daughter’s birth happened very quickly and ended up being just me, my husband, and Ashley at home (with our three-year-old son sleeping upstairs).

Despite the intensity and speed of labour, Ashley and my husband worked tirelessly to fill the birth pool so I could labour in the water, something that was really important to me. Throughout, Ashley offered gentle reassurance and affirmations that helped keep me calm and grounded.

She also captured beautiful photos and videos of the labour and birth with my consent, doing so so discreetly that I didn’t even notice at the time, images we now treasure deeply. In the quiet time after our daughter was born, before the midwives arrived, Ashley’s presence helped make those first moments feel incredibly special and relaxed.

Ashley supported me through the placenta birth when I wanted some privacy, helped me shower and freshen up afterwards, and even took care of draining the pool and tidying up, practical support that made such a difference. But more than anything, it was her kindness, reassurance, and steady presence that supported me in having another wonderful birth.

I cannot recommend Ashley highly enough. She is kind, knowledgeable, compassionate, and supportive — truly the epitome of what a doula should be. "

Testimonials are always so humbling. Thank you so much for your kind words and allowing me to share a few gorgeous photos from your birth ❤️

Address

Old Aisle Road
Kirkintilloch
G663HQ

Website

https://www.ashleyaitkenyoga.co.uk/

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