Many women have benefited from learning 'Bellydance for Birth' in my classes.

Here are some of the things they have said about their experience.

'I was drawn to Maha's Bellydance for Pregnancy classes one year before I was pregnant. I had studied dance with a sufi teacher and a bellydance teacher and I loved the effect the dance had on my body and mind. When I heard there was a class for pregnant women I knew I had to be there .I had been called.

Although not yet pregnant I begged Maha to let me attend her classes. She smiled warmly and told me I would be next. It was total bliss to be a partof those classes. Maha at the time was very pregnant, soft and deliriously relaxed and evocative. I was impregnated with joy to discover I could dance amongst the full bellied women. Swirling, swaying and flowing into a delicious state of being. I was in heaven.

Bellydance allows a woman to enter into a lucid trance state. From that space ones intentions can manifest easily. A year or so later I became pregnant and my journey continued. Now I was qualified and had a rightful place in the classes. I danced all through my pregnancy, labour, birth, post natal period, early mothering and still to this day teach and dance with pregnant women. My six year old daughter now assists me.
I am deeply grateful to Maha for her pioneering work with pregnancy and birth. I wish that all women can have what I have had. There are so many benefits of dancing while pregnant. Firstly it is necessary for women to connect with other women while pregnant, especially in dance. We need to feel the new life within and the bellydancing gets you in touch with your body, its changing shape and your hips and the power that lives within them.

Bellydance for Birth relaxes your mind. A relaxed mind can embrace change, deal with pain, open to new states and mostly surrender. Pregnancy, birth and motherhood are all about surrender. When we surrender we open a space for something new to happen. When you let go of stress there is a space for something to flow in......peace.

A pregnant body needs to move to embrace the change. Bellydance for Birth gives a woman an opportunity to breathe change into all of her changing places. Breasts, belly, hips, heart, fingertips, womb. There is so much energy in a pregnant woman's being. It is much like being a snake, one sheds skin all the time and grows a new one. You cannot stay the same person when you are pregnant....old scales drop away and new ones grow. Physically, emotionally and spiritually Maha's work is revolutionary and ground breaking. Extremely important work for the life givers....us women!!!!! The results are relaxed pregnancies, easy labours and gentle births.

I would love Maha's work to reach every pregnant woman on the planet. It's really very ancient, very wise, very gentle and very powerful news.'
Angela Fitzgerald, Mother and Doula

'Maha is a dear friend of mine and I feel blessed she was my doula at the home-birth of my 7-month-old daughter Melody in January this year. I had attended several workshops with Maha during my pregnancy and found the movements to be highly relaxing and I felt they also helped me to "tune in" to my baby. They seemed such natural movements to make while pregnant - very different from some of the unnatural yoga poses I had been taught!

When it came to the birth I was lucky enough to have Maha with me during both pre-labour and active labour and she guided me through many of the movements during this time. I found when I was in labour the movements gave me a focus and helped me to have a sense of opening up. In the early stages of labour using Maha's guide of spiraling my hips rhythmically in a figure-eight style really helped ease the tension building in my lower back. We danced our way through the birth! I just had to keep moving - whenever I stopped the pain would be unbearable. I am a strong believer in active birth - and the bellydance fitted in perfectly with that. My daughter's birth was really quick – two and a half hours of active labour. Maha was there every step of the way!'
Megan, Mother and Doula

'It is a pleasure to have Maha on the 'Celebration of Birth' team of pregnancy practitioners. Her belief in a woman's ability to birth naturally is inspiring as she encourages them to loosen up and allow the pelvis to open for birth through the bellydance. Great music! I love the way Maha teaches - a fun, energizing and empowering session for every woman to feel more comfortable with their pregnant body.'
Anna Watts, Childbirth Educator, 'Celebration of Birth Pregnancy Retreats'

'Bellydancing opens up the energy around my pelvis. I am sure that it is going to be so beneficial.'
Luna 35 years 26 weeks

'I am due now with a breech baby. The bellydancing made me feel strong and open, confident to attempt to deliver my baby breech. I will use the circling and figure 8 during labour as I want to be active to deliver my baby.'
Tessa 28 years 39 weeks

'I am almost 20 weeks pregnant now, feeling great. Bellydancing has enabled me to become more in tune with my body and relax all tensions in my lower back; no more pain! My back feels so much more flexible. Thank you.'
Rebecca 23 years 30 weeks

'Bellydancing frees up a part of me that I didn't even know was there. It also feels so nurturing toward the baby - a little conversation between the two of us.'
Bron 35 years 27 weeks