The Mother's Journey- a Sacred Path

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Course contact hours (30+)

• Group practice: 
  
  • There will be at least 1 guided meditation, relaxation or yoga nidra practice per session - the theme will be related to that day's topics and are examples of practices that you could share.
    
  • Each day there will be practical postnatal yoga & movement practices
    

• Anatomy, Physiology & Emotional aspects of the postnatal period (9 contact hours)
  
  •  Hormonal, physiological and psychological aspects of birth.
    
  • The changes to a woman’s body post birth. 
    
  • Medical definitions of postnatal
    
  • Early postnatal- hormones, recovery (incl looking at different kinds of birth incl. stillbirth & late miscarriage)
    
  • The psychological and mental impact birth can have.
    
  • Common after effects and possible complications 
    
  • The effect of birth on pelvic health
    
    
    
  • An embodied approach to yoga postnatally and guiding principles (7 hours)
    
    • The  new mothers journey, a time of transition and a new beginning..
      
      • Rebirth, rather than a striving to ‘get back to normal’ 
        
    • The importance of recognising the uniqueness of every individual. How we can meet them where they are .
      
    • A holistic approach to their postnatal journey
      
    • Breathwork for post-birth healing and the stress of life as a new mum.
      
    • The benefits of meditation yoga nidra & relaxation postnatally.
      
    •  How yoga practices and principles can help - cope with changes;  overcome and reframe negative experiences; release expectations; encourage rest; bring the body into a beneficial parasympathetic state (which is helpful for healing, mental health and bonding) 
      
    • Students will get the chance to discuss and brainstorm as we go through the course..
      
      
      
    • Practical Skills for Teaching (8 contact hours)
      
    • What is postnatal? how should it influence our sharing with new mums
      
    • What to teach when- aiding the journey of rebalancing and recovery
      
    • How can we help with postnatal rehab of pelvic floor and core muscles.
      
    • The use of props to help make women more comfortable and poses more accessible. 
      
    • Ways to teach/ set up a postnatal yoga class and creating a safe space 
      
    • Benefits of focusing on the new mum rather than mainly the baby
      
    • 1-2-1 sessions
      
    • Postnatal yoga for women who have lost their baby.
      
    • Safety guidelines for postnatal yoga 
      
    • How to nurture and empower new mums through your classes 
      
    • Practice in groups - opportunities during the course to practise teaching each other and finding adaptations. 
      
    • Working within and from your own style of teaching.
      
    
    
    • Post course consolidation – 2 hours contact time
      
      • Often it is only once we have started to share our new skills that we become aware of the most pressing questions. 
        
      • Therefore after you have started to teach this work there will be opportunities to ask any questions about what you have encountered so far. This is generally best done by well thought out emails or via face to face messenger /whatsapp
        
        
        Non Contact hours (30 hours)
        
      • Pre-course resources and study
        
        • Access to our postnatal resources page with a wealth of links, books, videos and podcasts. 
          
        • Online sample classes, yoga nidras, meditations and breathwork (a mix of scripts, videos and audio recordings).
          
      • If you don't already have one then we ask that you begin your own regular home practice (asana and meditation). Keeping a record of this is beneficial both for your own self development and for exploring postnatal adaptations.
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      • Post course: 
        
      • Students will be expected to teach 4 lessons either to a group of pregnant women, as 1-2-1’s or a mix of these. If this isn’t possible then a combination of teaching and planning for case studies is acceptable.
        
      • Provide us with a video/ written script of the classes taught and your evaluation of their success (including any useful feedback from attendees)
        
      • A written or recorded reflection on an area of yoga and the postnatal health that interests you including how, if at all, this has affected your practice and teaching.
        
      • A book/ podcast/ documentary  review which can be  in written; a video or audio format.
        
      • Quiz to complete and check learning.Practical development: