Course contact hours (30)
- An embodied approach to yoga in pregnancy and guiding principles ( 8 hours)
- The journey into motherhood, a time of transition and a rite of passage
- The benefit of relaxation & meditation techniques, to help women recognise and reframe negative stories/ experiences; to develop pathways which bring the body's systems into the favourable parasympathetic state; to learn to let go of rigid ideas and expectations- allowing things to be as they are without judgement or guilt. .
- 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.
- Students will get the chance to practise adapting and teaching these techniques in small groups
- Anatomy, Physiology & Emotional aspects of Pregnancy and Birth (5 contact hours)
- Overview of the 3 trimesters of pregnancy and of birth.
- Hormonal and psychological aspects of pregnancy and birth.
- Past trauma, fears and their influence on the experience of pregnancy and birth.
- Common ailments and possible complications
- Pelvic health for pre and early postnatal mothers
- Breathwork (4 contact hours):
- Reacquainting women with their breath.
- The effects of the breath on how we feel and vica versa
- Breathing techniques that can be beneficial in pregnancy and for labour.
- How to nurture and empower mums to be through your classes ( 4 contact hours)
- Our role as guides- what we are and what we aren’t .
- Sensitivity for women who have encountered loss/ birth trauma.
- Helping women to unpick their preconceived beliefs about birth, and to open to the knowledge we can’t control what will happen.
- Being open and non judgemental about people's wishes for pregnancy and birth, whether it ties it with our own values or not.
- The importance of knowing when to refer
- Practical Skills for Teaching (7 contact hours)
- The 1st trimester whether to teach, practicalities and considerations.
- Adapting for each phase of pregnancy, including labour and for common conditions.
- The use of props to help make women more comfortable and poses more accessible.
- Ways to teach/ set up a pregnancy yoga class and creating a safe space
- 1-2-1 sessions
- Safety guidelines for yoga in pregnancy
- Birth preparation sessions and workshops
- Practice in groups - opportunities during the course to practice teaching each other and finding adaptations that work with your own style of sharing
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 pregnancy resources page with a wealth of links, books, videos and podcasts.
- Online sample classes for each trimester, yoga nidras, meditations and breathwork (a mix of scripts, videos and audio recordings).
- ‘Changes in the body and the baby’ - functional anatomy and physiology of pregnancy - learning objectives and checklist provided
- 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 pose adaptations for pregnancy .
- Post course:
- Students will be expected to teach 6 lessons either to a group of pregnant women, as 1-2-1’s or a mix of these.
- 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 pregnancy that interests you including how, if at all, this has affected your practice and teaching.