How is the Yoga Way
The Yoga Way to Birth is a body-mind-centered childbirth class with a prime focus on the role of the body in birth. It differs from other childbirth preparation classes in that it approaches birth as an embodied experience, i.e. as an experience that is generated by the body and reflected upon by the mind. Through yoga and meditation practices, we look at birth through the lens of the body, i.e. at what the body knows and experiences from moment to moment, and how birth mothers can be guided by that experience in labor and in life.
The Yoga Way to Birth invites you to partner with your body. Spending time with your body will take you to the place where birth (and life) is happening: to the breathing, moving, living stage of your physical self.
The Yoga Way to Birth is similar to other childbirth classes in that it gives you all the basic information you need to know to understand the birth process and labor support. It encourages self-inquiry and dialog with your partner so that you understand yourself and what you bring to birth better and gain a clearer picture about your strengths and vulnerabilities as you approach the big day.
When should I take this class?
The best time to take this class is at the beginning of your third trimester. If you are new to yoga and meditation you might want to sign up sooner (around your sixth month of pregnancy). Pregnancy lasts for nine months for a reason, and not only because your baby needs this long to get ready for birth. You need that time too, and this class is an invitation to make the best use of this time. The practices shared in The Yoga Way to Birth are ancient and time-tested instruments to prepare you for a satisfying and joyful birth experience. However, like any other instrument, they need to be used and tuned frequently, and the longer you practice, the better you get.
You are not only the co-creator of your baby's birth, but also the co-creator of this birth class: The more you give to this class (and to yourself) through regular practice and participation, the more you get out of it and deepen the skills that enable you to labor and birth naturally.
I am pregnant with my second baby. What will I get out of this class?
Each pregnancy is different, and not only because you have already done it once. You are different too. You have changed and grown since your first baby was born, and you continue to do so. The Yoga Way to Birth assists you in this process, and helps you understand where you need to grow and what you need to work on so that your next birth will be a mindful, deeply connected and empowering experience. As The Yoga Way to Birth is a process-focused and practice-based class, you and your partner will have the chance to witness the creative unfolding of your personal growth.
Do my partner or I need to have any yoga experience?
You don't have to have any experience with yoga or meditation; in fact, The Yoga Way to Birth is a great class if you are new to yoga.
Most people in the West think of yoga as a physical practice and associate it with yoga postures. Though The Yoga Way to Birth uses some of those postures to highlight practices which access birthing wisdom, the class goes much further than that. We also look at other aspects of yoga, like self-awareness and mindfulness practices, and how they serve you during birth. If you are new to yoga, you get a very good introduction into yoga as a path to and through birth and parenthood; and if you already have experience with yoga, you get a chance to look at your practice from a new angle.
The postures we practice in this class are safe and accessible for beginners and for pregnant mothers.
Will this class benefit my partner?
The practices and teaching tools of yoga are beneficial for everyone, regardless if you are the birth mother or the birth partner. The Yoga Way to Birth will take you on an internal quest no matter what, and you will return more deeply connected to your partner, to your body and to the truth of who you are.
As the birth partner, you will learn how to stay centered and balanced during labor, how to pace yourself and avoid getting fatigued, and how to mindfully support the birth mother in labor. You will understand your exquisite role in birth, and realize that the power of presence is superior to anything else you can give her.
How is this course different from a prenatal yoga class?
The
Their practice is woven into the exploration of two other key components of yoga: the practice of self-inquiry (svadyaya) and discipline (tapas). Being physically in good shape is not enough to labor and birth successfully, just as it is not enough to know everything that is to know about labor and birth (though we share facts and information as well).
You birth as you live, and if you want to have a great birth, you need to match up your life with this goal. You need to get to know yourself better (self-inquiry), and you need to put what you know into practice (discipline).