Meet your host
Josefina Eliggi – Pre- and Postnatal Yoga Teacher, PCES
“Beyond “Bouncing Back” – How to Use Yoga to Heal, Reconnect and Thrive in Postpartum”
Josefina Eliggi is a certified pre- and postnatal yoga teacher and a pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist (PCES) and has a master’s degree in service design (Hochschule Luzern).
She offers accessible and holistic yoga sessions for moms at every stage — pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Her mission is to help women establish a consistent yoga practice, regardless of their fitness level or busy schedule, and to prioritize self-care through mindful movement.
When she is not working or practicing yoga, she goes hiking with her family through the stunning Swiss countryside.
Meet your speakers
Julia Alvarez – Postpartum Doula & Lactation Counselor
“Balancing After Birth With Ayurveda”
Julia Alvarez is a postpartum doula and lactation counselor specializing in Ayurveda and Yoga.
Her work is focused on nourishing mothers mind-body-spirit so they can nourish their babies. She serves new mothers as a doula in New Jersey and teaches online.
Francesca Baracchi – Psychologist
“From Two to Three: Why Your Relationship Feels Different After Baby (And What To Do About It)”
Francesca Baracchi is an Italian perinatal psychologist and former sleep scientist based in Zürich, Switzerland. Holding a Master’s degree in Psychology and a PhD in Neurophysiology from the University of Bologna, she combines scientific knowledge with deep, empathetic psychological insight to explore the many transformations and challenges that come with becoming a parent.
Following a long career in academic research in Europe and the United States, her own journey into motherhood inspired her to specialise in perinatal mental health.
Francesca is particularly passionate about supporting individuals, couples, and families as they navigate the emotional, practical, and relational shifts that often follow the arrival of a baby.
Dr. med Tina Bernardi – Gynecologist and Obstetrician
“Your Postpartum Body: Healing, Hormones & What to Expect”
Dr. med. Tina Bernardi is a board-certified specialist in gynecology and obstetrics (FMH), practicing in Thalwil and affiliated with Hirslanden Klinik Im Park in Zurich. She provides comprehensive, evidence-based care across all stages of women’s health, with a special focus on pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.
Dr. Bernardi completed her international medical training in Germany, Finland, and Argentina, and obtained her specialist qualification in gynecology and obstetrics in 2010. She holds advanced certifications in prenatal ultrasound, first-trimester screening, and minimally invasive surgery.
With a holistic and patient-centered approach, she supports women through pregnancy and the transition into motherhood, placing strong emphasis on individualized postpartum care. Her work focuses on physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, and empowering women with knowledge and confidence.
Known for her warm and attentive style, Dr. Bernardi combines medical expertise with compassionate care to guide mothers through the postpartum period and beyond.
Christine Bliven – Doula, Babywearing Consultant, and Childbirth Educator
“Babywearing 101: Safety, Comfort, and Options”
Christine Bliven is a doula, babywearing consultant, and childbirth educator in Zürich.
She works primarily with English speaking expats, supporting them through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
She is half Swiss, half American and lives in Zürich with her husband and three kids.
Karina Boksz – Holistic Postpartum Practitioner
“Mind the gap: Navigating the identity shift of matrescence”
Karina Boksz is a postpartum practitioner, psychologist, and mother based in Switzerland. With a background in child psychology and UX design, she bridges emotional insight with practical tools for modern mothers navigating identity shifts, overwhelm, and isolation.
Her work focuses on matrescence — the psychological, biological, and social transformation into motherhood — with a special interest in nervous system regulation, community-based support, and redefining postpartum beyond survival mode.
Drawing from both professional training and lived experience, Karina advocates for compassionate, evidence-informed, and culturally aware postpartum care that honors the depth of this transition.
She is also the founder of Kinnect, a local family support platform.
Angie Borzychowski – Perinatal Support Specialist
“Setting Realistic Expectations for Life with a Newborn”
The biology of pregnancy has been an interest of Angie’s since completing her PhD in reproductive immunology and pre-eclampsia in 2007, which led to an interesting career in research administration.
Following the birth of her own children, alongside a relocation to Switzerland, she developed this passion into a way to provide practical support for expectant parents when she qualified as a Childbirth Educator with the National Childbirth Trust (NCT, UK) in 2020.
She quickly realised that preparing for birth is only half of the story and soon after obtained additional qualifications as a Postnatal Facilitator, Breastfeeding Counsellor, Starting Solids Practitioner and Holistic Infant Sleep Coach.
Working with parents during the postpartum stage and for a child’s first years of life is something that Angie has done in a variety of ways in Zurich, including through community classes and events, including her Bonding with Baby classes and Sensory Garden Baby Café.
Alexandra Chaffanjon – Holistic Pregnancy and Child Sleep Consultant and Integrative Adult Sleep Coach
“Struggling To Sleep When Baby Sleeps: Supporting Baby’s Sleep and Protecting Mom’s Rest in Postpartum”
Alexandra’s passion is to support families in sleeping more intentionally and intuitively within their own specific sleep ecosystem.
Alexandra creates a space with active listening, genuine care and collaborative co-creation to find personalized solutions for each family.
Sonya Chand – Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates Instructor, founder of Her Pelvic Power
“Beyond the Kegel: Building a ‘Core Canister’ That Works”
Sonya is a Canadian-trained Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist and APPI Certified Clinical Pilates Instructor dedicated to helping women navigate the physical transition into motherhood with clarity and strength.
As the founder of Her Pelvic Power, she is known for her empathetic and holistic approach to postpartum recovery, moving beyond traditional rehab to focus on functional, whole-body wellness.
By bridging the gap between clinical evidence and mindful movement, Sonya empowers pregnant and postpartum women to understand the changes in their body and regain their confidence.
Based in Zurich, she specializes in teaching mothers how to integrate pelvic health into their daily lives, with whatever is important for them – from lifting strollers to returning to high-impact exercise. Her mission is to ensure every mother feels supported, synchronized, and physically prepared for the athletic demands of early parenthood.
Christine Ehling-Berndt – Placenta Specialist
“The Only Organ You Grow and Then Lose: What No One Tells You About the Placenta”
Christine is a placenta-focused practitioner and the founder of Plazentara. Her work centers on a part of birth that is almost universally overlooked: What happens after the baby is born — specifically the placental phase and the physiological adaptation it initiates in the mother’s body.
While most preparation focuses on the baby, she brings attention to the organ that sustained it — and the profound shift that occurs when it is suddenly no longer there. In her work, the birth of the placenta is not an endpoint, but the beginning of a critical transition shaping recovery, hormonal balance, and long-term wellbeing.
Drawing from both professional experience and her own journey into motherhood, Christine helps women better understand this phase — so they can move through postpartum not just with rest, but with awareness. Because what happens after the placenta is born is not the end of birth — it’s the beginning of the mother’s transition.
Barbara Ekelund – Yoga Teacher and Birthlight Trainer
“Connecting Through Movement: An Introduction to Birthlight Baby Yoga”
Barbara is a mother of two who has been teaching Yoga since 2008. While her roots are in Hatha Yoga, her specialty and passion lie in supporting women through pregnancy, birth, early motherhood and beyond.
Since 2013, she has partnered with the UK-based organization Birthlight to organize and lead teacher trainings in Germany and online, focusing on Baby, Toddler, and Perinatal Yoga.
At the Blooming Beyond Birth Summit, Barbara is providing an introduction to Birthlight Baby Yoga. Her session includes a practical yoga sequence designed for you to practice together with your baby to support your postpartum recovery and bonding.
Katie James – Midwife, Lactation Consultant, Podcaster
“Stay Close: Why the First Hours Matter More Than You’ve Been Told”
Katie James is a midwife and IBCLC with 25 years’ experience across hospital, homebirth and NICU settings — and a leading voice reshaping modern breastfeeding science.
Host and creator of The Midwives’ Cauldron podcast and co-host The Latch Revolution, her work has reached more than two million listeners worldwide.
Katie runs a clinical lactation practice in Luzern, Switzerland, where she supports families with complex feeding challenges. Her work centres on helping professionals and parents make sense of early feeding, milk supply and infant behaviour through a calm, evidence-based lens — bringing clarity to an area often shaped by confusion, pressure and conflicting advice.
Paula Konopko – Head of Wellbeing & Community at KAYO for Moms, Doula, Kids & Family Yoga
“Held Through the Shift: The Fourth Trimester Plan Every Mother Deserves”
Paula is a mother of three and co-founder of two nurturing community initiatives — Children’s Village and Forest Families Greenwich in London — where children are supported to thrive through self-directed learning and bond with nature in a warm, inclusive environment.
As Head of Wellbeing & Community at KAYO for Moms, she is passionate about creating nurturing environment for women and families to feel supported, empowered, and inspired to cultivate deeper connection and trust.
After giving birth to her first son, she was inspired to become a doula and currently works with women preparing for conception and birth, helping them build strength, confidence, emotional resilience, and navigating the postpartum with the Ayurvedic approach.
As a Kids & Family Yoga practitioner, she leads parent–child sessions that foster bonding, calm, and trust through breath, gentle movement, and relaxation.
Training as a Theta Healing practitioner and beginning to integrate energy healing into her practice with women transitioning into motherhood.
She is passionate about supporting women and families to reconnect with their bodies, intuition, and one another through mindful movement, healing practices, and conscious living. Her work centres on cultivating balance, presence, and a deep sense of connection in everyday life.
Dr. Arielle Martone – Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, DPT, NCS, PCES, RYT, CPPC
“Your First 6 Weeks: A Timeline for Core and Pelvic Floor Recovery”
Through an evidence-based, whole-person approach that integrates pelvic floor therapy, restorative movement, and nervous system support, Dr. Arielle helps women heal, rebuild strength, and reconnect with their bodies after birth.
She believes postpartum recovery should be proactive, empowering, and deeply supportive so mothers can move, exercise, and live fully in this next chapter of life.
Dr. Jo Mueller – Clinical Psychologist and Parent Consultant
“Becoming a Neurodivergent Parent: Why it Can Feel Harder, and What Can Help”
Dr Jo Mueller is a British Clinical Psychologist with over 17 years of experience supporting parents and the neurodivergent community. Much of her work sits at the intersection of mental health, perinatal wellbeing and parenting, and neurodiversity, where she is deeply committed to helping parents move away from guilt and self-criticism and towards greater compassion, confidence, and connection.
Dr Jo is a co-founder of The Neurodiversity Practice and the creator of The Neurodivergent Parent Space community. Her approach integrates neuropsychological and developmental science with evidence-based therapies, always grounded in real family life. Now working in private practice, she also spent a decade working in UK NHS mental health services and has supported families across the world.
Alongside her clinical work, Jo lectures and supervises research on Clinical Psychology Doctorate programmes, and regularly provides expert media commentary on parenting and neurodivergence.
Svenja Mänl – Family Transition, Postpartum & Infant Regulation Specialist
“Why Families Don’t Struggle Because of the Baby – But Because of Unprepared Transitions”
Svenja Mänl is a Family Transition, Postpartum & Infant Regulation Specialist based in Switzerland. With a background in social work and early family support, she accompanies families from pregnancy through the first year of a child’s life.
Her work centers on the delicate transition into parenthood. A time that can feel both beautiful and deeply overwhelming. Svenja supports parents in preparing intentionally for birth and postpartum, navigating emotional and relational shifts, and creating stability in the early months with their baby.
With a strong focus on nervous system regulation, sleep, and family dynamics, she helps parents move from exhaustion and uncertainty toward clarity, confidence, and connection. Her approach combines structured planning with compassion and a deep respect for each family’s unique path.
Svenja’s mission is to strengthen the whole family system. So parents don’t just cope with early parenthood, but truly feel supported within it.
Julia Neale – Postpartum Doula, Hypnobirthing Specialist and Perinatal Educator
“Sacred and Practical: Blending Ancient Postpartum Traditions With Modern Life”
Julia is a Canadian-Swiss mother, teacher, postpartum doula, hypnobirthing specialist and perinatal educator.
She supports families through pregnancy and postpartum with care that is responsive, evidence-informed and deeply relational. Her approach is holistic without being dogmatic, and always shaped by the unique needs, values and rhythms of the families she works with. Together with her clients, she builds practical knowledge, confidence and self-compassion so they can move through this transition feeling steady and supported.
Her training includes Ayurvedic postpartum care, full-spectrum doula work, childbirth education, KGHypnobirthing, breastfeeding support, perinatal mental health, bodywork and baby massage.
She also co-host the podcast Swiss Birth Stories, where she gathers and share diverse birth experiences from across Switzerland.
With a background in primary education and a degree in anthropology, she brings a thoughtful, community-centred lens to supporting families. She offers online sessions and in-person support in Zurich and Uster, Switzerland.
Katharina Quack Lötscher – MD, Founder of Buggyfit
“When and how to move after birth: A safe, supportive approach to postpartum fitness”
Trained as an MD with special emphasis on public health, she focuses since over twenty years on healthy nutrition and joyful physical activity during pregnancy and after delivery.
As the founder of Buggyfit.ch she is transferring science into practice and has created a network of dieticians and fitness instructors to improve the lifes of numerous moms and moms-to-be.
Kirsteen Ruffell – Yoga Teacher, Cranio-Sacral Therapist and Director of Birthlight Training
“What is Diastasis Recti”
Working as a Yoga teacher since 1998, Kirsteen has been supporting those journeying through pregnancy and postnatal recovery in a wide variety of settings including 1:1 home visits, group and community classes.
Having worked closely with Françoise Freedman, (founder of Birthlight) since 2002, Kirsteen continues in Françoise’s footsteps sharing effective and progressive yoga steps to recovery after any kind of birth in a pragmatic yet holistic approach.
Kirsteen continues to be inspired by Birthlight’s gentle and enjoyable yoga practices that work profoundly across languages and cultures to support women and their babies around the world.
With a background of Yoga training in Hatha and Ashtanga, complimented by Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.
Mags Salton – Early Childhood Development Specialist, Founder of Academicus
“The Three Lies that are Keeping New Mothers Trapped in Overwhelm & Isolation – and How to Rise Above Them”
Mags Salton is a mother of three, Montessori-trained educator, and early childhood development specialist with over a decade of experience supporting families.
She is the founder of Academicus, a Zurich-based education and family centre offering specialist programmes for babies, young children, and parents.
Through her work, Mags noticed a recurring pattern: capable, driven women entering motherhood without the map to navigate one of the most profound identity shifts of their lives. So she created one.
She is the pioneering force behind Mabbatical™ — a movement and consultancy blending Montessori principles, neuroscience, psychology, and the unfiltered reality of lived experience — guiding mothers above the fog of early motherhood and into the clearest, most unapologetic version of themselves.
Mags brings honesty, practical tools, and a refreshing dose of reality to the conversation — challenging outdated narratives and shaping a more empowered model of modern motherhood.
Corina Șaramet – Certified Nutrition Consultant
“Nourishing Your Postpartum – Simple and Realistic Nutrition That Works in Early Motherhood”
Corina is a double certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Consultant and Nutrition Consultant specializing in Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum and Baby Nutrition.
She helps women navigate pregnancy and postpartum and also guide parents and caregivers with introducing solids to their babies and raising adventurous eaters.
Johanna Sargeant – Lactation Consultant and Infant Feeding Specialist
“The first five days – Paving the way to a thriving baby”
Johanna is an Australian lactation consultant based in Zurich, where she lives with her husband, two boys and fluffy dog.
With a background in paediatric occupational therapy, biomedical science and trauma psychology, she empowers parents with non-judgemental, evidence-based support through her private practice, Milk and Motherhood. In addition, she has taught for the European School of Neonatology and the University of Zurich, has spoken as a panellist for the WHO’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative congress,and has been an expert speaker for wide variety of international conferences.
She co-hosts the podcast The Latch Revolution and is passionate about training postpartum professionals in infant oral rehabilitation and the importance of trauma-informed infant feeding support. Her own complex postpartum struggles fuel her passion for providing knowledgeable, guilt-free infant feeding support globally.
Erica Sluys – Neuroscientist, Founder of And You Education
“Becoming a Mother, Staying You: An And You Conversation”
Erica Sluys is the founder of And You, a company dedicated to supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and the transition back to work. With a background spanning neuroscience, communication and writing, Erica is passionate about translating complex medical and emotional realities into practical, human-centered support for modern mothers.
Her work focuses on helping women navigate identity shifts, physical recovery, and career continuity after birth, while also equipping employers and managers to better support this critical life stage. Through courses, coaching, and corporate partnerships, And You bridges the gap between motherhood and professional life.
As an American mother of three living in Switzerland, she brings both personal insight and a deep commitment to creating systems that make this transition less isolating and more sustainable. Her work aims to ensure that women do not have to choose between their wellbeing and their ambitions, and that families and workplaces can better support this critical chapter.
Kelly Smith – Founder, Yoga For You E-RYT-500 YACEP
“Meditation for Postpartum (Even on Zero Time and Sleep)”
Kelly Smith is a global yoga and meditation teacher, author, E-RYT 500/ YACEP, founder of Yoga For You and the host of the iTunes chart topping podcasts Mindful in Minutes and Meditation Mama.
Kelly believes that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to yoga and meditation and encourages her students to find their own personal practice, listen to their bodies, and find inner joy by accessing their most authentic selves.
Kelly is best known for her guided meditation, yoga nidra, and restorative yoga practices that she has been sharing since 2016 on her podcasts and books.
Alexandra Teleru & Rosalía Guerrero Cantarell – Play Advocates & Educators at Frogs in Mugs
“Make Room for Play: Building Secure Attachment Through Simple, Everyday Connection”
Alexandra and Rosalía are the faces behind Frogs in Mugs, a playful parenting project that combines digital tools with real-world experiences. Together, they help parents shift from “managing” behaviour to building profound connections, through practical, evidence-informed tools.
As the founder, Alexandra is passionate about translating big ideas into playful, empathetic tools families can actually use in the messy, everyday moments. Believing connection changes everything, she creates resources — from the Froggy app to picture books and local workshops – to help parents unlock their playfulness and tune into their children’s emotions, leaving them reassured that their attuned presence is exactly what their child needs.
Rosalía is a historian and researcher specializing in the history of emotions, gender, and technology in education. As a mother of three, she transitioned from academia to the practical application of her research, collaborating with Alexandra to dismantle the wall between Play and Real Life. By bridging the gap between scholarly insight and daily routine, Rosalía is dedicated to providing families with the scientific reassurance they need to replace power struggles with playful, creative interventions.
Liese van Dam – Ayurveda Practitioner & Well Woman Yoga Teacher
“Nurturing the Mother: Ayurvedic Wisdom for the Postpartum Period”
Liese originally trained as a Hatha yoga teacher in India. Her journey with yoga began during a time when she sought more meaning and spirituality in her life. She immersed herself in yoga, practicing and teaching all aspects — including pranayama, philosophy and chanting — across several countries before returning to the Netherlands.
Through her experience, Liese discovered that yoga and Ayurveda are two sides of the same coin, each deepening the benefits of the other. In 2006 she began formal Ayurveda studies and graduated in 2010 from the Academy of Ayurvedic Studies in Amsterdam as an Ayurveda Practitioner.
During the same time period, she trained with Françoise Freedman as a Birthlight teacher in Pre- and Postnatal, Baby and Well Woman Yoga. For over 10 years, she has taught Birthlight classes and worked with postnatal mothers and babies, integrating gentle massage and Ayurvedic principles.
Liese teaches yoga, Ayurveda, nutrition and women’s health at various yoga schools and organisations including Birthlight and The Yoga Therapy Institute. She also works with individual clients in-person and online.
Liese’s motto: ‘Ancient wisdom made practical for you!’
Additional contributors
Stephanie Beauverd – Holistic Counsellor & Trauma-Informed Yoga Facilitator
“Your Postpartum Planner”
Stephanie Beauverd is an Australian mother of one. She is the founder and creator of Dear Me Mother-to-be: a one-of-its-kind pregnancy journal for inner work and healing. Her journal is loved by pregnant women worldwide and endorsed by midwives and doulas alike.
Stephanie wants to see better outcomes in the maternity care system and is passionate about helping more women have empowered birth experiences. She dreams of a society in which pregnancy and birth are respected and revered as the sacred rites of passages they are.
Stephanie is guided by Jeannine Parvati Baker’s words “Peace on earth begins at birth”.
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