STRONG WITH IONA #52

I’ve Been Working on Something…

When finding out I was pregnant with my second baby, a seed was planted in my brain. From this seed, has followed almost a year’s worth of work - from filming sessions in real time throughout my pregancy (wow those early days were tough), to creative brainstorming sessions, to discussions with pregnant women, to working on many versions and solving many tech issues along the way (with the help of my husband and partner on this venture) - I am so excited to introduce my new website and most importanytly Pregnant & Strong Trimester Toolkit.

Whilst the work on this particular project began during my second pregnancy, Pregnant & Strong itself has been 2 years in the making. From a failed attempt at launching an online course in 2024, to building a community of amazing pregnant women across three studios in London in 2025, to working behind the scenes on upskilling myself with both my Hatch pre and postnatal coaching qualification and my ongoing mentorship with The Active Pregnancy Foundation in 2026 - it’s been hard work and a long time in the making, but something I am so very proud of.

Throughout the process, my vision has remained the same: to empower and educate women to train during pregnancy and beyond. It has now developed further to include supporting women in training for pregnancy - something which I know is rare, specifically for women who may not be traditional ‘exercisers. Birth, labour and the postpartum period are physically and mentally demanding, whilst amazing, they require (in my opinion) strength in both physical and mental form - resilience, an awareness of our body, control of our body, confidence in our body - and it is these things which I have based my toolkit on and am so proud to be bringing to women during this time.

What the toolkit brings:

• A sharp focus on pelvic floor and core training, there is strong evidence to show that pelvic floor muscle training can improve postpartum quality of life for women, specifically around the reduction of pelvic floor dysfunction. This study from 2021-2023 shows the impact of pelvic floor muscle training on postpartum recovery.

• A community to support women building confidence in and knowledge of their body - we learn how to engage, how to move with the breath, and how to perform movements well to support our changing bodies and minds.

• A community and platform that focuses on preparing you for birth - think breathwork, birth prep circuits, and strengthening key muscle groups such as glutes that will help us feel ready for labour and birth. This systematic review from 2025 shows the impact physical activity can have on birth outcomes - I have developed my toolkit and the whole Pregnant & Strong community with evidence at the forefront of my programming.

• Access to me - someone who is with you all the way, someone who wants to change the landscape, break down barriers to exercise many pregnant women are facing and support increasing women’s accessibility to movement at this time, especially for those who have not been as physically active before as they would like/ as recommended guidelines suggest.

What I’m asking from you:

My trusted subscribers, many of you dear friends, clients, and some people who have joined from far and wide - I’d love you to share the love! The hard work is only just beginning, and now it’s onto every small business owner’s favourite task - marketing! All I ask from you if for you to share the toolkit or simply forward this email to anyone you know who might benefit from it, share on your socials, in your circles, and anywhere you can. I massively appreciate the support and can’t wait to see how many women I can support through the growing Pregnant & Strong community.

You can access the toolkit through my website here

Or head directly there by clicking on this link

Thanks once again for supporting me, sharing my work and helping me grow this business from the ground up - I couldn’t do it without you!

I x

Have you loved reading this week’s issue? Want some more positivity, motivation, and energy to help you with your overall health and fitness? Check out the ways below you can work with me:

👩🏾‍🤝‍👩🏼 🤰🏻🏋️ 1:1 personal training/ coaching - fun, energising and motivating workouts tailored to your goals (including pre/ post-natal, strength training focus & run coaching)

🧠 coaching beyond the body - help me connect your body and mind and use this to make significant changes in your daily life. From mindset to motivation and beyond.

📒 personalised training plans - think motivation and support in structuring workouts, forming healthy habits, and smashing your goals (whatever they may be!)

🎥 filmed workouts personalised to you that you can do anywhere, anytime.

Get in touch here if you’d like to work with me