I wanted to say a big thank you for such an amazing course, I thoroughly enjoyed it and gained so much more than I could have imagined. It was great to meet so many interesting and wonderful women, your guest speakers / assistants were fantastic and of course so were you!

Jennifer Olding

Theatre Nurse

Topics covered:

• Yoga related movements for all the trimesters to stretch and strengthen the physical body and help alleviate common conditions of pregnancy.
• Appropriate relaxation, pranayama, visualizations and meditation for the prenatal mother.
• How simple breath work and deep relaxation can help rejuvenate a women mentally, physically and emotionally.
• How pregnancy can negatively affect postural alignment, and how with the correct programming of yoga asana, we can in part counteract these changes.
• Effective use of yoga props to help the mother feel more supported.
• The difference between sequencing yoga asana for a mother in her second and in her third trimester.
• Moola Bandha – the importance of a healthy pelvic floor and how the alignment of the pelvis affects its’ engagement.
• Energetics – An overview of the Chakra System and how the pelvic floor relates to and affects the root chakra.
• A discussion on the effects that pregnancy has on the direction of prana, and how this relates to birth.
• Hypnobirthing for pregnancy and birth (with @annabrookyoga)

Birth and Birth Preparation Module

• Positions for optimal foetal positioning and how the position of the baby may affect labour.
• Working with an exercise ball and chair for the late stages of pregnancy, in preparation for birth.
• The importance of the Nervous System, and the role the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems play during birth.
• Birth and labour – description of a `normal’ or ‘physiological’ birth.
• The spiritual aspects of birth.
• Meditations and birth affirmations for the birthing mother, that can be used no matter how her birth unfolds.

Postnatal and Mother and Baby Yoga Module

• Yoga and Pilates related movements for the post-natal period to stretch and strengthen the physical body and help alleviate common conditions of a post-natal woman including postural changes such as upper and low crossed syndrome.
• How simple breath work and deep relaxation can help heal a women mentally, physically and emotionally.
• Post-natal recovery yoga for mother who has experienced a medicalised birth ie: medical induction, Syntocin drip, Epidural, Ventouse, forceps, Caesarean Section, and/or birth trauma.
• Mother and baby yoga – How to plan and facilitate a class safely and effectively so it is all inclusive and involves both the mother and baby.

Getting started: Starting up your career as a pre and postnatal yoga teacher

• We will discuss and share ideas of how to start your business as a pre and post-natal yoga teacher. We will cover how to register as a pregnancy yoga teacher, writing a health questionnaire, how to take payments for classes, legal data collection and protection procedures etc.

This course teaches you to deliver classes and one to one lessons that are:

• Safe, effective and functional
• An even blend of the yoga system
• Empowering
• Uplifting
• Informative
• Non-judgemental
• Supportive

You will finish the training course with the skills to:

• You will be able to teach a Pregnancy Yoga class, a Post-Natal Yoga class and a Mother and Baby Yoga Class.
• Teach a well-rounded yoga class that honours a woman’s mind and body at this special and sacred time.
• Adapt your general classes for any pregnant ladies who also attend.
• Integrate yoga props and small equipment into your classes and one to ones to make them more bespoke.
• Adapt the class for those with injuries and/or common ailments such as lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain, low/high blood pressure and fatigue.
• Have a clear understanding of why it is important to incorporate all elements of yoga into a class.
• Have the knowledge of what actually happens to the body during pregnancy and birth.

As part of the 85 hour course program, this course requires you to do at least 22 hours of private study/readings as per the Yoga Alliance guide lines

Homework, Assignments and Exam:

Students will be asked to write a short pregnancy yoga sequence after the third day to teach towards the end of the course to the rest of the group. This will constitute the practical exam for the course. There are also several assignments to complete including one class observations (ideally prior to the course), teaching practice and a case study. You will also be expected to thoroughly read the course training manual. Reading list to purchase prior to and during the training:

• ‘Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful’ by Gurmukh
• Course training manual

Yoga Alliance, Yoga Alliance Professionals and FEDANT Certification:

All graduates will receive a certificate upon completion. This training is 85 hours (including private study time) to meet with the standards of The Yoga Alliance Professionals (UK) and The Yoga Alliance US, and is also certified by the Federation of Antenatal Educators (FEDANT). The course is open to anyone with a keen interest in ante-natal education and a passion for sharing their knowledge after the course with mums-to be, including yoga teachers, doula’s and midwives. You will be able to register with FEDANT’s register of Ante-Natal Educators, and if you have a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training certification already, you will be permitted to register with The Yoga Alliance Professionals (UK) or The Yoga Alliance US as a Pregnancy Yoga Teacher.

About your teacher, Sally Parkes, BSc, EYT, SYT.

Sally has been teaching health and fitness since 1998 and has studied and taught pregnancy and post-natal yoga extensively since 2007. Her style of yoga is from the lineage taught by guru Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, a leader in the field of women’s well-being, whilst also weaving an element of exercise physiology, Pilates and movement methods gained from her studies in exercise rehabilitation in to her teaching.

Now a mother of two lively little girls, Sally continues her studies and has trained as a doula with Michel O’Dent and with Jennifer Walker of Spinning Babies, and has penned many articles for major publications. Also the author of The Students Guide to Yoga Anatomy and teacher on movementformodernlife.com, Sally is now a certified Experienced and Senior Yoga Teacher and teacher trainer, who is known for her humour, warmth and all inclusive presentations. She now specialises in delivering solid and thorough pregnancy and post-natal yoga teacher training’s in the UK and internationally.

Read about Sally’s fellow tutors Dee Bell and Anna Brook here.

About your stay with us at Florence House

Florence House is easily accessible from London and sits on the brow of Seaford Head, Sussex; rock solid in the sea air and surrounding wild landscape. In many ways its situation is a metaphor for its life’s purpose – a haven for the spirit however the wind blows.

In essence, it lovingly embraces divine inspiration, the sacredness and potential of each individual and the healing power of the landscape in which it sits. The beautiful interior of the house itself, the abundant gardens, the proximity to the sea and the wildness of the Downs, make Florence House ideal for retreats and workshops involving personal development and transformation. Because Florence house stands within its own grounds there is no one to disturb. We are renowned for our delicious and creative home cooking produced by our own chefs. Produce is locally sourced where possible or from our own kitchen garden.Three healthy and fresh vegetarian meals a day are also provided for the group to enjoy together. For more information about our venue, please click here.

Pregnancy Yoga Tutorials