How to Become a Better Yoga Teacher for Moms in 5 steps

Have you ever had a pregnant woman or newly postpartum mom walk into your class and had no idea what to do? You might be worried about which poses to cut from your sequence or whether she will hurt herself in your class. You might even be hoping that she knows what she is doing because you don’t.

The yoga world needs yoga teachers for moms. Parenthood is stressful on the mind and the body. Yoga is a great tool to help new moms ease into their new role as caregivers and heal their bodies. Keep reading for our steps for becoming a better yoga teacher for moms. 

Step 1: Know which poses to avoid and which poses are safe.

Knowing which poses are safe and which ones to avoid is the most basic information you can learn to become a more knowledgeable yoga teacher for prenatal and postnatal women. Much of the cautions we take with new moms have to do with the effects of an expanding uterus on the body. 

As baby grows and the uterus expands, the core is stretched out, there is more pressure on the pelvic floor, and posture changes. Avoid backbends or intense core work because it is too much for the abdominal wall, which is already under a lot of stress.

You should also avoid anything that doesn’t honor baby’s space. Closed twists and laying on the stomach are off limits for prenatal women. Instead offer an open twists and a comparable alternative pose for anything that requires laying prone. 

Step 2: Know why prenatal women need yoga now more than ever.

Why do so many of us love yoga? According to a 2019 study, one of the top reasons people start yoga is to promote their health and relaxation. A pre or postnatal woman might be feeling exhausted, isolated, overwhelmed, anxious, and tense. New moms especially need ways to relax and increase their overall wellness. 

Studies have shown that prenatal and postnatal yoga can improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, increase strength and endurance, decrease common aches and pains, and promote community. You can see why so many experts recommend yoga as a way to prepare for and heal from birth.

Step 3: Know the difference between prenatal and postnatal yoga sequencing.

The prenatal and postpartum minds, bodies, and spirits are very different from each other and therefore have very different needs. It’s important to understand the day to day experiences of both prenatal and postnatal women in order to offer them the most beneficial yoga practice. 

As we already mentioned, the pregnant body is experiencing stress on the abdominals, the pelvic floor, and the back due to an expanding uterus. This can cause abdominal separation, an aching low back, frequent urination, change in the center of gravity, pelvic pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and much more. 

The postnatal body is recovering from the stress of a growing baby, as well as any trauma that occurred during birth. She may have a c-section scar or stitches in the perineum. She bleeds up to 6 weeks and may have swollen and sensitive breasts from breastfeeding. 

It’s also important to be aware of the emotional and lifestyle impact of parenting. Prenatal women may be anxious about the birth or insecure about how their body is changing. Postnatal women often feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and touched out from constantly having to nurture their baby. 

Knowing these differences, plan your class accordingly. Focus on building stretch and stability and connection with self in prenatal yoga. In postnatal yoga, focus on grounding and gently bringing awareness back to the pelvic floor and core. 

Step 4: Know how to easily adjust a class to include prenatal and postnatal women. 

We get this question all the time. What do I do if a pregnant or postpartum woman walks into my class? Should I throw my whole sequence away? Don’t worry, we don’t expect you to know how to adjust your class on the fly without having done one of our trainings. But you can try these steps for including new moms in your class:

• Know who is pre or postnatal and what their experience is. You could have every student fill out a waiver or ask at the beginning of class. However, be cautious not to assume that someone is pregnant.

• Connect with them one-on-one. Ask them how they are doing and listen actively. Let them know they should be gentle with themselves and stop if they are experiencing any pain or discomfort. Encourage them to do whatever they need during class (rest, go to the bathroom). 

• Ask yourself: Does this pose honor baby’s space? If not, skip it. 

• Ask yourself: Is this hard on the core or pelvic floor? If so, skip it.

• Give them specific instructions throughout class. You can address the entire class and offer special instructions to those who might be pregnant or postpartum, or you can approach someone you know is pregnant/postpartum and quietly give her specific instructions.

Step 5: Know how to have a huge impact on a new mom’s life in only a 60-minute class.

Prenatal and postnatal women need grounding, community, strength, and empowerment. If you can give your student these things in a 60-minute class, then you can make an impact on a new mom’s life. Here are our tips for making your class impactful:

• Mother the mother. Get her tea or extra props, and encourage her to be gentle with herself.
• Give her tools to stay calm, grounded, and release stress. Practice pranayama during class or lead a loving kindness meditation.
• Leave her feeling validated and seen. Actively listen and center her experience. 
• Connect her to resources. Keep a referral binder with local birth professionals and other services that help new moms.
• Include her. Do not push her away out of fear. 

Still have questions?

MOGA is offering a free 5-day course on teaching yoga to prenatal and postnatal women. We’ll cover these topics and much more, leaving you confident and prepared the next time a pre or postnatal woman drops into one of your classes. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up here.
2. Join the FB Community where the course will be held.
3. Show up daily during the course dates (September 28th- October 2nd); watch the 10-minute videos, complete the optional related assignment, and ask the experts all your questions.
4. Find the confidence and calm you’ve been missing.