“Loved the course and highly recommend it. Came away feeling confident to teach pregnancy yoga as well as feeling like I had been on yoga retreat.”    Amanda, yoga teacher

Pregnancy is a transformative time in a woman’s life but it can be scary, challenging and isolated.

Many women come to yoga for the first time when they are pregnant. They want to exercise safely and do the best for themselves and their baby. Yoga is so much more than exercise, it is one of the best tools for pregnancy, birth and coping with early motherhood, yet many yoga teachers don’t teach pregnancy yoga.

Teaching pregnancy yoga gives you the opportunity to support a woman, and her baby, at this very special time in their lives.

“Your classes were amazing, the midwife kept asking if I wanted pain relief and I told her, no, go away and don’t ask me again, if I want it I’ll tell you, that was the yoga. I couldn’t have done that without it.”  Bridget, Co. Galway

When you teach pregnancy yoga you teach more than asana, you empower a mother and build her confidence in herself, her body,  her connection with baby. You help prepare them for a positive labour and birth experience and give them tools to help them cope when things are tough.

It’s so rewarding. Pregnancy yoga gives us the opportunity to teach some of the most important life skills for pregnancy, labour and beyond.

“I really enjoyed this,  fantastic course. ”                                             Judy Watkin, owner  of Yago yoga 

Course aims

• prepare you to teach prenatal yoga classes and courses safely, confidently and professionally.

• build on your knowledge of yoga for pregnancy so you can advise and modify for pregnant students in the general yoga class.

• provide you with deeper knowledge, skills and understanding of yoga asana, pranayama and yoga nidra

• bring out your own authentic joyful inner yoga teacher.

Course syllabus:

The Anatomy and Physiology of Pregnancy and Birth

• Anatomy of the female pelvis
• Physiology of pregnancy: the three trimesters
• Labour and birth
• Pain management and common medical interventions

Asana for Pregnancy

• What to do and what to avoid
• How to modify the classical poses
• Gentle Flow’ – prenatal yoga practice the power of finding ease.
• Centring, limbering, strengthening, and quietening postures

Course planning and the power of intention

• Lesson plans for pregnancy yoga
• Course planning

Integrated Yoga Philosophy teaching 

• The eight limbs revisited
• Yamas and niyamas revisited
• Ida and pingala revisited
• The yoga sutras: Effortless effort
• Ethical questions around pregnancy and birth, your personal philosophy

Pranayama – Breathing Techniques for pregnancy and labour

• Breathe awareness
• Calming breaths
• Breathe for labour
• Mantra and mudra

Relaxation

• Yoga Nidra for pregnancy and birth
• Rotation of consciousness, visualisation and Sankalpa

Length of course (hours) 40 hours (28 – 30 live contact hours + assignments) 

I originally met Clare back when I started my yoga teacher training journey back in 2016. Immediately I recognised the passion and knowledge that Clare possesses and brings to each of the courses she runs. 

I jumped at the chance to attend her pregnancy teacher training course in 2018 and loved every minute of it. I really appreciate the way Clare delivers her training. She manages to effortlessly weave wisdom into all parts of the course, breaking it down in such a way that it simply makes sense. 

She is calm and calming, wise, strong, funny, compassionate and easy to approach. Her knowledge of yoga and the body is astounding. I hope I have the opportunity to attend one of her courses in the very near future.

  Anna Pavlides 

Now I feel prepared if a pregnant student comes to my class.

Katie, Barefoot yoga

Entry requirements

Candidates must be fully qualified; trainee yoga teachers may be accepted onto the course but will only receive their cert on completion of their level one 200 hour teacher training.

Lead Tutor: Clare Bassett

Guest Experts TBC – Emma Cahalan from Gentle birth and Michael McCann yogic philosophy teacher.

Investment: €550 Early bird: €495

Payment plans available,  €200 deposit needed to secure your place.

Minimum participants: 4

Maximum participants: 14

Assessment

Attendance is important and missed sessions may have to be made up in order to complete the course successfully.

Assessment is continuous and formative, meaning there are practical assignments and teaching practice which will take place throughout the course and be assessed with feedback given directly to the trainees.

Trainee prenatal teachers are encouraged to make arrangements with qualified prenatal yoga teachers to attend or if possible, assist in their class in order to gain valuable extra teaching practice.

As well as providing each student with the necessary skills for teaching yoga for pregnancy, the course gives an excellent opportunity for personal development and growth. Trainees are expected to participate fully in all practices and assignments to the best of their ability.

A Yoga Alliance Professionals accredited Certificate in teaching yoga for pregnancy will be awarded on successful completion of the course.