A woman prayed over my family and said God wanted me to exercise

I couldn't believe my ears.

I knew I had put on weight post-delivery and had no clue how to shed it. Various things I had tried out failed to give me results. Until I discovered Zumba Fitness.

Zumba is a form of dance fitness that is aerobic in nature and uses the basics of South American dance forms like salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton. It is a form of fitness that anyone from age 6 to 80 can do. I believe exercise is a very important aspect of our lives that we tend to ignore till it is too late. I have seen the physical and emotional transformation in many of my students, and it is extremely satisfying for me.

As a Christian I think it is vital to look after not only our spiritual wellbeing but our physical too. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that is how we ought to look after our soul, spirit and body.

Jennifer Pinto

Why I became a childbirth educator

I took up this line of work because of the traumatic experience I had at the time of my son's birth. I realised that women are not treated the right way by many doctors, who fail to fully inform their pregnant patients of what to expect and to offer them all the choices available to them at delivery. As a result, many of us go through terrible birth stories for no good reason.

My work as a childbirth educator involves offering informed choices to women and their spouses — letting them know what is available to them, how to relax during labour, and how to choose natural birthing methods that are easier for them rather than easier for their caregivers.

I am available to help mothers in labour, and I am also qualified to assist young mothers to cope with the frequently ignored yet ever-so-real aspect of post-natal depression.

And the parenting workshops

Together with my spouse, as a family, we conduct parenting workshops to assist parents who are keen to help their children. Children need the ability to adapt to changes as fast as the world expects them to. More importantly, when faced with challenges, they need to be able to turn to parents as easily as to a friend. Through these workshops we hope to help parents and children find solutions and cope with family challenges.

In the future I would really like these three aspects to come together, especially my work as a childbirth educator and the parenting. I feel there is a dearth of helpers in this world, and if in some way we can help others find their way, find solutions and make life better for families, beginning with birth, that would be a great opportunity to do what God calls us to.