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Whole Birth® Prenatal Yoga

Enjoy your pregnancy while preparing for birth and motherhood.

What is the Whole Birth® Yoga and Support Class?

The word “yoga” is Sanskrit, meaning to yoke or bring together. Some interpret the word to mean union. What is it that is yoked, connected or united? In the Whole Birth Yoga and Support classes so many wonderful kinds of connections are made. Women deepen their connection to their own bodies, finding more comfort while they experience the rapid and unfamiliar changes of pregnancy. They learn to trust the body's innate wisdom for birth. Women connect with their hearts and minds as they settle into the calm stillness of the meditative practice. By slowing down and paying attention, women also connect with their growing baby to form a loving bond even before birth. And importantly, women connect with each other, in a rare atmosphere of trust and camaraderie where they can speak freely about issues that non-pregnant friends and family don't easily relate to. Ultimately, women come to know themselves as a part of something greater, as the spiritual nature of pregnancy connects them deeper into the circle of life.

"The benefits of participating in prenatal yoga and support classes taught in the style of Whole Birth Yoga are profound. The community and support that blooms within each session, the trust in oneself and each other, and simply taking time for oneself amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday work and life, help to enable and empower women to look deep inside themselves." - Jennifer Penick - Owner of Harmony Birth, Camden, CA.

How is Whole Birth® Yoga different from other prenatal yoga classes?

The Whole Birth Yoga and Support classes bring together elements of a traditional yoga class; stretching, strengthening, balancing, meditation and deep relaxation with informative and supportive group discussions. These discussions are treasured by the women in the classes and why the Whole Birth Yoga classes are unique.

Whole Birth® Prenatal Yoga

Yoga is an ideal exercise for all stages of the childbearing year. Whole Birth Prenatal Yoga poses are taught with an emphasis on mindfulness for increasing breath and body awareness, learning pain management, prenatal bonding, deep relaxation and working with one's edge. The mindful strengthening, stretching and balancing practices bring more grace and ease to the body at a time of rapid and unpredictable changes. Whole Birth Yoga was developed by Robin Sale through 20 years of observation and listening to what has helped the women in her prenatal yoga classes. Whole Birth Yoga offers women a way to help relieve many of the common discomforts experienced during pregnancy. Low back and sciatic pain, insomnia, and swelling have responded well to regular practice.

Yoga is also an excellent way to prepare for birth. Since we can’t think our way through labor, prenatal yoga is a perfect way to drop beneath the thinking mind and into the “body-mind” – the innate cellular intelligence that brings our babies into the world. Through the practice of yoga we awaken the body-mind and become familiar with its intuitive language. Whole Birth Yoga teaches us to listen deeply to and trust in our body's innate birthing wisdom. Whole Birth Yoga teachers often hear their students say, “I didn’t remember a thing from my childbirth classes. What really helped me in labor was what I learned in this class!"

Whole Birth Resources
Based in Santa Cruz, CA
info@wholebirth.com