I remember the first yoga class I ever taught as a brand new 200-hour graduate. I prepared meticulously, writing out the sequence pose by pose, curating a playlist that would speed up at just the right moments, and weaving a theme focused on deep twists throughout to complement my class. I couldn’t have been more ready… or so I thought.
In walked two drop-ins. Two pregnant students, new to yoga. My jaw dropped. I lacked experience or training with pregnant clients, and I had painstakingly prepared an entire class focusing on deep twisting!
I learned a few important lessons that day: don’t over prepare, be open to thinking on my feet, and keep seeking training.
I’ve heard yoga teachers over the years express concern and worry when a pregnant student walks into class. Some teachers ignore them and don’t provide options, others tip toe around them in fear of unintentionally hurting them. I believe there is another way.
It wasn’t until I started working at Blooma, a Minneapolis-based prenatal yoga and wellness center, that I finally felt comfortable teaching a group yoga class with pregnant students attending. At Blooma, we believe pregnant students are strong and capable. We train our teachers to see the whole person, and to not shy away from teaching a challenging and safe class full of strength and flexibility!
Incorporate these general guidelines into your teaching and you’ll never have to feel unsure when a pregnant student wanders into your class:
- Favor open twists vs. closed twists. When twisting, cue open-armed twists vs. prayer twists and encourage students to stay more upright (ie. open-armed twisting crescent).
- Stay off the belly. Skip deep back bending that could put excess strain on the low back and abdominals (ie. updog, locust, wheel, cow), but don’t be afraid of the gentle spinal extension still needed in a growing body (ie. seated cow, bridge).
- Cue feet apart in chair and mountain pose to ensure pelvic stability and help with balance.
- Cue figure four seated or lying down vs. pigeon. Pigeon can put too much strain on the pelvis and ligaments.
- Incorporate poses benefiting the pelvic floor and helping with labor like Goddess Pose, Wide Legged Forward Fold, and Warrior Two.
- Set your students up for comfort with a heavily propped savasana lying on their side or in a restorative elevated butterfly pose.
Trust that you have the tools to see the whole person and to teach a great class without ignoring any individual students. At the end of the day, we all just want to be seen, heard, and understood, especially during transitional times in our lives.
Meghan Foley Is an ayurvedic yoga therapist, yoga teacher, yin teacher trainer, and ayurvedic health counselor, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
With extensive training in functional movement pelvic floor yoga therapy, and ancient ayurvedic healing practices, Meghan brings a holistic perspective to her work and believes that one-size-fits none, and that there are as many pathways to healing as there are humans.
