about us
Janet Balaskas is the founder of the Active Birth Centre. She is renowned for coining the phrase ‘active birth’ and for pioneering the Active Birth Movement in 1982. Her groundbreaking books have been translated into many languages and have stimulated change and improvement in maternity services all over the world. They have also empowered many thousands of women to discover and trust their innate ability to give birth normally and inspired others to train as Active Birth Teachers. Janet graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and emigrated to England in the 1960’s. After the birth of her first child, she began her career as a childbirth educator with the National Childbirth Trust in the 1970’s and then went on to evolve her own unique style of teaching. She introduced the use of yoga for prenatal preparation and has evolved her current approach after more than 20 years of practice.
Jane lectures internationally and offers training to health professionals and midwives. Together with her fellow teachers and therapists, she has created a new concept in pre- and post- natal education at the Active Birth Centre in North London. Janet has written many books which are available
from the shop at the Active Birth Centre, or by mail order from our website:
www.activebirthcentre.com.
Her publications include:
New Active Birth
The Encyclopedia of Pregnancy and Birth (co-author Yehudi Gordon)
New Natural Pregnancy
Water Birth (co-author Yehudi Gordon)
Preparing for Birth with Yoga
Yoga for Pregnancy (audio cassette, booklet and wallchart)
Easy Exercises for Pregnancy
Water and Birth (video)
Natural Baby
The Water Birth Book
The Active Birth Centre programme is run by Janet Balaskas,
Alice Charlwood and Lynn Murphy.We look forward to working with you
to enhance and inspire your journey into parenting.