Gynecologists widely recommend Prenatal Yoga as a safe way to keep in shape while pregnant.  Yoga helps women prepare the body and mind for birth and for motherhood. It also relieves common pregnancy symptoms like:

• Leg Cramps
• Lower back pain
• Sciatica
• Breathlessness
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Lack of balance

Prenatal Yoga 

A prenatal Yoga class is a forum to share the experience of expecting a baby with others, and that creates a special bond between the students. You can start practicing from week 10-12 of your pregnancy  if there are no complications and you have doctor’s clearance. Pregnancy, birth and getting back to shape is as much as a physical as a psychological journey, and it’s very fulfilling to share that journey with my students.

Many women start practicing Yoga when they are expecting a baby and it’s very important that they do so with a fully qualified Yoga teacher. It is essential to ensure a safe and beneficial practice for both mother and baby. Understanding the anatomy, hormonal and physical changes a pregnancy brings, as well as the modifications needed on the postures. To be a Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Teacher you need to obtain an addition certification of 85h on top of your standard Yoga Instructor Certificate.

Postnatal Yoga 

As soon as 3 months after the birth of your little one you will be OK to practice postnatal Yoga if you had a natural birth with no complications. If you had a cesarian section is better to wait until 6 moths have passed. These timings vary depending on the individual and doctor’s recommendations.

Then it took nearly a year for me to go back to some sort of normal yoga practice after a twin pregnancy, a caesarean and post-partum complications.  Be kind to yourself, give yourself time to heal. There’s no rush at all. Listen to your body.

Taking postnatal classes is as important as taking prenatal ones:

• It gives mums time out, helping to prevent postnatal depression
• It helps relief the huge stress of having a newborn baby
• It keeps you grounded and provides you energy
• It makes you feel good to do something for yourself
• It prevents isolation and provides support. It’s even more important now to have a group where you can discuss your motherhood doubts and experiences

Coming back to normal practice should be a gradual monitored process, where you are given options for the postures according to your individual process of healing.  Always make sure you have your doctor’s clearance before coming to class

Mum & Baby Yoga

Children mimic what they see their parents do, so doing Yoga with your baby is a great way to give them exposure to the practice and interact with them. Between 3 and 9 months is ideal. People say I have a special connection with children and it shows in my Mum & Baby classes too. They have a very casual environment and you never know what’s going to happen. Do not expect a normal class structure or a workout, it’s more like doing yoga postures with your baby,  and it’s a lot of fun.