Rhythm, Ritual and Relaxation. The Art of PreNatal Yoga

A prenatal yoga teacher holds sacred space for women as they flow through pregnancy and prepare to give birth. It is a place where women come together to support each other and share knowledge and experiences. A prenatal yoga teacher may even provide more regular, long-term support for pregnant students than their primary medical caregivers.

Often, a prenatal yoga class is often the most comprehensive birth preparation a woman will have. She may attend a birthing class of some description with her midwife, doctor or doula. However, these are often heavily focused on educating women to navigate complex medical systems and understand interventions and hospital policies.

A great prenatal yoga class empowers women to remember the ancient feminine wisdom that is encoded in our DNA. Our bodies were designed to give birth. In almost all cases, pregnancy and birth is normal, and should not be treated as a medical event. The rich practice of yoga enhances a woman’s experience of pregnancy on so many levels.

As yoga teachers, we have an enormous opportunity to provide support, education and empowerment to these women in our classes.

Here are some of the ways in which we as teachers can be of service in a prenatal yoga practice:

Rhythm

Yoga gives us practical tools to understand the breath. The yoga practice teaches students the power of the expansive, uplifting force of prana vayu (the inhale), and the release and surrender of apana vayu, (the exhale).

Women should be encouraged to walk around, squat, find places of traction, get low, rock, sway, circle, undulate, lean and find rhythmic movement. A thoughtful prenatal movement practice will fortify their ability to trust their intuition, and to move as their ancestors did as they prepared for birth. The beautiful practice of Shakti Namaskars, creative and feminine interpretations of the traditional Sun Salutation, teaches women rhythm, grace and strength. Gentle flowing asana sequences alleviate common complaints in pregnancy, and provide nourishment to all the systems the body.

Ritual

Our ancestors honoured the sacredness of birth in a very different way from how we approach it now. Even just a hundred years ago, it was highly likely that by the time you were ready to give birth, you had attended and supported countless sisters, cousins and friends through this sacred ritual. In class, we share ritual practices such as empowering visualizations, mantra, and breathing practices. The creation of personal altars using sacred art, exploring mythology of feminine archetypes, journaling, sharing stories, and the potency of ceremony, are all beautiful enhancements to the ritual of birth.

Relaxation

Prenatal yoga should include dynamic movement and strengthening. Giving birth is hard work, and a commitment to exercising throughout pregnancy has scientifically proven physical and mental benefits. Also important, is the practice of slowing down and allowing the body to rest. Practicing meditation and simple restorative asanas provide a perfect balance for the pregnant woman and her baby, and teach a woman how to surrender to the natural process unfolding.

I’ll be hosting a 10-hour workshop being held at 889 Yoga on June 4th and 5th, to teach us how we can best support pregnant women in our regular yoga classes, as well as learning how to teach an accessible pre-natal class. Suitable for all yoga teachers, we will cover:

* Cross cultural and historical overview of birth and pregnancy

* Physiology and hormonal changes for each trimester

* Exercise guidelines for normal pregnancy

* High risk pregnancies and contraindications for exercise

* Common complaints in pregnancy and how yoga can help (and hinder)

* Ayurvedic wisdom for pregnancy

* Namaskars for pregnancy

* A balanced sequence that includes modifications and the usage of props to support growing bodies

* Mantra, meditation, visualizations and restorative postures for pregnant women

Is teaching prenatal yoga something you have considered? We’d love to hear your thoughts or have you join us in June!

SIGN-UP

Nicky Poole is an E-RYT500 with the Yoga Alliance and a Registered Pre Natal yoga teacher. Nicky has also completed DONA doula training and is the mother of two boys. She has been sharing yoga with pregnant women and families for over ten years in Canada and Vietnam. http://www.nickypoole.com