Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga
THE CIRCLE
Discover a community of support, information, and tools to promote comfort in pregnancy, a smoother birth, and a faster recovery.
A WORLD OF SUPPORT
Prenatal Yoga
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• Always consult your medical team on specific movements appropriate for your body.
• Practice gentle, open twists rather than deep, rinsing twists using your core (avoid squeezing the abdominals).
• Be aware of lying on the belly and discontinue when uncomfortable. Similarly, avoid lying on your back for more than 3 minutes after 25 weeks if any dizziness or nausea occurs.
• Comfortable rhythmic breathing, no vigorous breaths (skull-shining or bellows-breath).
• If you have Placenta Previa, hemorrhoids, bleeding, or pressure along the pelvic floor, move steadily (not quickly) in and out of poses, use a wall for standing poses and diminish the length of time and full expression of standing postures. Discontinue jump-ups and jump-backs. Use props to extend and support the spine in forward bends and distribute the curves throughout the length of the spine in backbends. If you have Pubic Symphysis Disorder, to practice any asymmetrical leg positions such as lunges, keep your feet closer together than you normally would, as if you are wearing a pencil skirt.
• Avoid overheating the body as your body already retains internal heat with increased blood/circulation – so keeping an even body temperature through class is important.
• Avoid end-range motion sequencing, 60-70% perceived exertion or range of motion
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The ability to deeply relax can impact both the length and pain of labor. Unwind patterns of tension that relieve aching backs, improve circulation, and promote deep relaxation.
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Using props to support the body in sublime poses, restorative yoga allows gravity to do the work. A powerful tool for expectant parents, you will learn postures helpful for birth, key elements of the anxiety-pain cycle, breathwork for working with contractions, body scan relaxation to release tension, and visualization for calm birthing.
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Our On Demand Library has a host of specific prenatal and postnatal sequence to suit your needs and always consult your medical team on specific movements appropriate for your body.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Postnatal Yoga
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Our postnatal offerings are a gateway for exploring this new view of life together as a family through classes geared towards your baby, yourself, or supporting your family. Welcome your baby to the physical world, reconnect with yourself, and nurture the parent-child bond with our postnatal programs.
All public yoga classes are appropriate for post-partum – just mention to your instructor and given your joints and muscles are still able to overstretch, go at half pace.
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A parent-centered class with plenty of opportunities to interact with baby, this postpartum yoga class focuses on deep pelvic floor and core strengthening as a return to exercise. Bring a blanket and toy and feel free to feed and diaper as needed. This is a class designed for students six weeks postpartum (or more) with babies up to one year old (pre-walking) who have been cleared to return to physical activity by their doctor.
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Weekly Pilates, Core, Barre and Pelvic Floor classes complement on-demand and workshop programming that enable new parents to regain muscle function and core stabilization. Instructions on assessing strength and diastasis recti, deep pelvic floor toning and gradually-leveled exercises facilitate a safe, joyful return.
Private classes
Down Under School of Yoga welcomes individuals or groups to the studio for private events. Plan a Baby & Me class with you and your momma besties or a Prenatal Yoga class for private instruction with our expert faculty.
