How Prenatal and Baby and Me Yoga can support your journey!
You may have heard that yoga on your childbirth journey can help support you, but did you know it can support you in more then just a physical way! Read this blog to learn about all the ways yoga can support your unique journey!
Community and connection is essential for your childbirth journey!
This is how prenatal and post natal yoga can be such an amazing addition to add to your day.
Yoga is so much more then a physical journey, it can help you connect to your breath, feel confident in your abilities to birth your baby and become a parent and connect you deeply to your baby in the womb and also once they come earth-side. Plus provide you a way to build strength post birth and get back doing all the things you love without pain and loneliness.
There are many different styles of yoga and so when you become pregnant, working with someone who specializes in pre and post natal is key. There are many changes that happen to your body during this time and the average yoga teacher is not privy to these changes. Sometimes people can even hurt themselves when not working with someone who is trained in this demographic. Do your research and ensure your teacher has done extra courses to specialize.
Have you ever practiced yoga before?
If you nodded yes, then you know exactly how powerful and effective the yoga practice can be!
And if you nodded no, then just know you don’t need to have experience in yoga to practice it when you are TTC, pregnant or recently had a baby. In fact, a lot of my students have never practiced before they come and see me pregnant. When they come, they love it as it helps them relieve aches and pains and release fears towards their upcoming birth and post partum period. They love the community and continue to come with their babies once they feel ready post partum. It’s a wonderful way for them to feel a part of a community in this often isolating time.
What is Prenatal and Post Natal Yoga?
Yoga is its ability to cut to the very core of who a person is, and to provide the discipline to develop the intuitive wisdom needed to live a creative and productive pregnant life, birth and post partum period and beyond. The person who takes the first step on the path is exactly where she needs to be to further this life journey.
Yoga is so much more then postures, yoga is a practice to cultivate courage that resides deep in yourself, connect deeply to mother earth and feel deeply rooted and grounded despite life happenings.
In pregnancy, birth and post partum we are often dealt life events that aren’t expected. Yoga teaches us to ride the wave of these happenings with grace and ease and feel confident to make decisions based on intuition and not reaction and fear.
In prenatal yoga we focus on connecting with baby, connecting to yourself deeply and moving the body to stay mobile as you grow and your body changes. We build strength in both mind and body through mudra, mantra, breath-work and movement. We also focus on pelvic health and work on strengthening but also relaxing your pelvic floor for pregnant and birth and for a quicker recovery post partum.
This is where Birth like a Warrior comes in.
Birth like a Warrior is a program rooted in yoga and autonomy. Yoga is so vast and so concentrated, a mere science that is so deeply diverse without years of study or the proper guidance can be easily reduced to a stretch and a misunderstanding. Ultimately the healing and the power behind the practice can be lost.
Birth Like a Warrior offers you tools for your toolbox so when things come up during your journey, you know how to handle it. Explore my Birth Warrior Experience here.
Who should practice Prenatal and Post Natal Yoga?
Everyone! Yoga for this stage of your journey is for everyone who is seeking a deeper connection. This journey is spiritual, when you tap into this spirituality students report an easier time! They not only have less aches and pains, they feel ready! They feel capable! This can be you too. You deserve to feel that your not alone, to feel that totality that yoga offers, that connection to self but also to the universe and to those around you. You aren’t alone when you are part of a yoga community.
Here are some reasons women decide to practice yoga on their childbirth journey:
You're dealing with pregnancy aches and pains and nothing seems to help or work
Your terrified of the unknowns and what’s to come
You have no daily practice that supports your changing body and mind
You’re not confident in the strength of your body or mind to endure labor and post partum.
You know that nothing will change unless you start committing to something that works and is for your specific journey
Your feeling alone and want to feel apart of a community
Nearly all people can benefit from a Pre and Post Natal Yoga when practiced consistently it becomes something all students look forward to, to ease all these feelings that come up. We are all human! It happens! How can we ease these thoughts, release fear and move into a place of trusting your journey!
What do the classes look like?
Each class will look different depending on who you practice with. Some teachers are more asana based (postures) others are more meditative. Some will teach with more of a flow and some more static poses that are held longer.
When I teach a class, I always consider who is attending and design the class intuitively. We aim to practice breath-work, movement, mobility work, strength work and moving meditations. These practices' combined together create a very well rounded practice that leave students feeling strong in both mind and body.
Pelvic floor strengthening and relaxation is always a focus in prenatal, once you give birth the post natal classes will focus on the rebuild and reconnection of your breath with your core and pelvic floor.
Classes are playful and fun and no experience is required.
When we practice post natal yoga with baby we always make sure to make it fun for both mom and baby and start rebuilding those muscles most affected by childbirth. We also focus on heart opening and shoulder movements for a common complaint after carrying and feeding baby is sore and rounded shoulders. We always end with Baby yoga to get the babies some movement and digestion support and some socialization for moms to connect and chat or vent.
The post natal classes are very baby led, babies are crying, crawling, being changed, being fed and we practice around all of that. Its very casual and we aim to keep everyone comfortable, anything you need to do to look after your baby is welcomed and encouraged. Kristin also loves to cuddle babies while she teaches and often has a baby in her arms if they are fussy and you are unable to practice and feel comfortable with her helping out of course.
How can you find the right Prenatal and Post Natal Yoga for You?
When your looking for a class, start by researching the studios in your area. If you are looking for in person or online based classes, check what your schedule will allow and where you can make room for yourself to practice.
Most studios are also offering both virtual and in person classes.
Be careful of people who are on you tube or social media influencers, make sure to check their credentials. Like mentioned above, they need to have specialized in both prenatal and post natal in order to teach it correctly and safely.
Just because someone practiced prenatal yoga while pregnant does not make them a prenatal yoga teacher! And same goes for post partum!
There are many postures and mudras that cannot be practiced while pregnant and should be avoided. Although we aim to empower not limit at this time, its essential your teacher knows their stuff to keep you safe!
What else can a Prenatal and Post Natal Yoga class do for your life?
Pregnancy, Birth and post partum is ever-evolving, and it’s important that you choose a yoga class that can focus on the practice holistically. There really is not one way to practice yoga. Your true yoga is really off your mat, when your patient and kind with yourself, less reactive to others and life’s happenings and able to stop, pause and breath when things aren’t going your way, this is really yoga. It’s not all about flexibility and getting yourself into the poses, although this is a part of it, this is only one limb from the 8 limbs of yoga.
In addition, you want to ensure that your Yoga class has a variety of proven tools that they use and implement to support your journey.
For example, is your Yoga class focusing in areas like…
Pelvic health
Releasing fear and cultivating courage
For prenatal - movement for birth and labor techniques to support you
For post natal - movements to support the recovery period after baby is born either vaginally or belly birth
Pregnancy and postpartum changes in the body and mind
Empathy and listening
Ability to hold space for your unique journey
Finally, a Prenatal and post natal yoga class can give you the confidence to break out of your current self-sabotage, doubts worries and fears and step into the powerful birthing woman and parent that you are meant to be!
There is nothing that compares to having a regular yoga practice through this sacred time in your life. Your birth journey matters! Commit to something like a prenatal and post natal yoga class and watch your life change. Change your mind, change your journey!
Have you been thinking about signing up for a Prenatal or Post Natal Yoga class?
Are you wanting to join but feeling a bit shy, maybe practicing yoga is a bit out of your comfort zone?
If so, your not alone. Many women who join these classes are entering new waters and feel nervous stepping into the studio. Rest assured, others feel the same and it its most likely their first time as well.
A good yoga teacher will help make you feel welcome, reassured and safe in a space that is non-judgmental and inclusive.
If you want to know more about practicing while pregnant or post partum, reach out to Kristin in a discovery call!
If you're pregnant or trying to get pregnant, or you’ve recently had a baby, you know that there's so much to learn when it comes to becoming a parent.
That’s where building your village becomes essential. You can’t figure it out on your own, you deserve more!
Birth like a warrior offers you your entire village and is rooted in Yoga and autonomy! Explore Kristin’s unique program here.
