Supporting Expectant Mothers Through the Most Important Time
Two of our Pre- & Post-Natal Yoga teachers, Claire Whitman and Deanne Liew discuss their passion for supporting women through childbirth preparation and beyond
The motherhood journey is sacred, and a time when women can really share and support each other. Obviously this past year has been extra hard for pregnant women and new mothers and being able to continue to teach our classes online has been vital.
Not just about adapting asanas
Teaching prenatal yoga is not just about adapting asanas to be safe for mother and child; it is supporting them as they undergo enormous change both physically and mentally. The work carries huge responsibility. We are holding a space for women to move and relax both body and mind whilst practicing yoga safely, and also one where women may at times feel vulnerable and even fearful. We are ultimately helping them prepare for labour and therefore we include lots of birth preparation education, as this knowledge is empowering.
Creating a safe, supportive space where women can open up
The more a woman understands about the physiological development of the baby in utero, the birth process and postpartum period, the easier things will hopefully be for her. For first-time mothers this can be especially challenging, so one of the most important parts of our sessions is the talk we have together at the beginning of classes. We create a safe, supportive space where women can open up, share their thoughts, hopes and fears as well as things which have helped them during this time of transformation.
We aim to help women feel more comfortable in their growing bodies which, as the baby develops, are undergoing huge changes hormonally. Women often have backache, nausea, acid reflux, cramps, pelvic pain, and other physical discomfort during pregnancy and to be able to discuss these things with others can be hugely helpful. They may be having problems sleeping, feel anxious about test results or be preoccupied with thoughts of labour and these are all things that we can help them with. We both have years of experience of teaching birth education, being doulas, as well as both being mothers ourselves.
Going into labour feeling relaxed and ready
We weave this knowledge and wisdom into our classes, working with breathing, gravity and movement, to soften and release tension in the body and mind. Birth, like breathing, is natural, and often the less we interfere the better. The more we can help women have confidence in their bodies’ innate intelligence to breathe and create and birth their babies, the less fear they will hopefully have when the time comes. We want women to go into labour feeling relaxed and ready, feeling safe and secure.
Claire Whitman and Deanne Liew are highly experienced pre and postnatal yoga teachers at Yogaloft.