Tonight, as I taught Kirby who is six weeks away from her due date, I was reminded of one of the great privileges a yoga teacher has, that is, teaching a mother-to-be.
A yoga teacher creates special class time for a pregnant woman to be totally in her body and with her baby.
There are movements and tools given that help prepare for labour: breathing, of course; learning to modulate control and surrender; practising pelvic floor exercises; toning legs; releasing tension; and receiving lifts and openings.
I was always amazed when women who I’d seen through up to three pregnancies would still find their way back to classes during their next time round. That’s dedication!
Daniel asked me, since I’ve been teaching for over 30 years, whether I’d met up with any of the progeny of the mothers-to-be from my early days. I can’t say that I have.
As for being a teacher trainer…. At the end of the 1998 yoga teacher training at Sydney Yoga Centre, three of the trainees announced they were pregnant. Two of them had their babies on the same day. And two of them taught at our Crows Nest school right up until their 8th month.
Here’s a photo of Nicky, mother of Rachel, Alex, and Ryan:

Nicky