Jess Evans had hoped to have a homebirth. What happened next led her on a journey that is now transforming how expectant mothers across the region approach labour — and the results are remarkable.

When Jess Evans was pregnant with her first daughter in 2019, she had a plan. She wanted a homebirth — calm, familiar, on her own terms. But labour had other ideas, and she found herself transferred to York Hospital. "I totally agreed it was the right decision," she says now. "But in hindsight, knowing what I know now, I wonder whether a few things done differently might have changed the outcome."

That experience planted a seed. And from it has grown something that is quietly changing the way women across North Yorkshire prepare for birth.

Today, Jess runs Jess Evans Yoga from her base in Malton. She teaches pregnancy yoga classes for women in their second and third trimesters in Malton and Kirkbymoorside and runs birth preparation workshops for couples. She has just been named Pregnancy Yoga Instructor of the Year at the Yorkshire Prestige Awards — recognition, she says, belongs as much to her community of mothers as it does to her.

The birth that changed everything

Jess first discovered yoga while living in Malaysia, where a regular practice helped her manage the demands of a career as a primary school teacher. When she trained as a yoga teacher, she found herself drawn to pregnancy yoga – a specialisation that would take on profound personal significance when she became a mother herself.

After the hospital transfer with her first daughter, Jess began to explore birth biomechanics—the science of how movement and positioning during labour can directly affect how easily a baby moves through the pelvis. She attended a training course led by midwife and educator Molly O'Brien, who has more than 28 years of clinical experience and developed the approach.

The second birth, in 2021, went rather differently. Her younger daughter was born at home, in the shower, within a few hours.

What is birth biomechanics?

It sounds technical, but the principle is straightforward: the pelvis is not a fixed structure. Its joints, ligaments and surrounding muscles respond to how a woman moves, meaning that certain positions open up space in specific parts of the pelvis while others close it down.

When a baby struggles to navigate through the pelvis, the condition is known as labour dystocia — a leading cause of prolonged labour, increased pain, and intervention, including forceps delivery and caesarean section. Molly O'Brien's research and clinical experience suggest that dystocia is often a mechanical problem that can be addressed through movement, not an inevitable complication requiring medical intervention.

Crucially, the approach puts women back in control. Women left undisturbed during labour would likely use instinctive movements naturally—but the clinical environment, cultural conditioning, and medicalisation of birth can override that instinct. Birth biomechanics provides women and their birth partners the knowledge to work with their bodies rather than against them.

Why this matters now

The timing feels urgent. According to the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit, led by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, unplanned caesarean births nationally rose from 15.5 per cent in 2018/19 to 23.1 per cent in 2023. Locally, the figures are striking: York Hospital currently has an unplanned caesarean rate of 25 per cent, and Scarborough Hospital 23 per cent.

"There is growing evidence that movement during pregnancy and positioning during labour can make a real difference in birth outcomes," Jess says. "With caesarean rates increasing in our area, I feel strongly that helping women understand their bodies and their options is something we need more of, not less."

More than yoga

Jess weaves birth biomechanics into her weekly pregnancy yoga classes, but the heart of this side of her work is a three-hour workshop for couples. The sessions have attracted glowing reviews — and it is not hard to see why. One couple, Grace and Tom, put it this way: "The biomechanics you taught us made us feel really confident that we knew what to do in any given situation. We knew how to help her along, and that gave us a feeling of empowerment. We were also much more able to work as a team. Honestly, your workshop was probably the best thing we could have done to prepare, as it significantly improved both our actual preparedness and our mental readiness. 10/10 would recommend.

But Jess's approach extends well beyond birth preparation. Her classes place a significant emphasis on community, recognising that the emotional landscape of pregnancy and early motherhood can be just as challenging as the physical.

"Pregnancy and motherhood can be a lonely time," she says. "I want every woman who comes to my classes to leave feeling not just physically stronger, but supported and less alone."

After birth, new mothers continue to receive support through baby massage classes and postnatal yoga, providing them with a gentle space to recover, reconnect, and find their footing.

An award that belongs to a community

Winning Pregnancy Yoga Instructor of the Year at the Yorkshire Prestige Awards clearly means a tremendous deal to Jess, but she is characteristically modest about it. "It's a reflection of the community we've built together," she says simply.

Expectant mothers across North Yorkshire are wondering whether they are doing enough to prepare; that community—and the knowledge that comes with it—might be exactly what they are looking for.

Jess Evans teaches pregnancy yoga in Malton and Kirkbymoorside and runs birth preparation workshops for couples. She also offers postnatal classes, including baby massage and postnatal yoga. For more information, search Jess Evans Yoga.



For more information click here
Instagram @jessevansyoga
Email info@jessevansyoga.com