Motherhooding Yoga is a dedicated yoga studio located in Ramsgate, New Zealand. The studio provides a welcoming space for expectant and new mothers to move, learn, breathe, and have fun with yoga throughout their journey into motherhood. The mission of Motherhooding Yoga is to empower women through community, knowledge, movement, and breath, in order to have the most positive pregnancy, birth, and beyond experience.
The founder of Motherhooding Yoga is Kat, a mother to a 5-year-old daughter, dog owner, dungaree wearer, beach walker, and curry lover. With over 8 years of teaching experience, Kat is a Senior Yoga Teacher, Antenatal Educator, and trained Doula. She specialises in supporting women throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postnatal journey. Kat's passion is helping mothers connect with their changing bodies, feel safe and nurtured, and feel empowered about their pregnancy and birth.
The establishment of Motherhooding Yoga was driven by her desire to reach out to more women on their journey and offer them support, strength, and guidance through movement and knowledge. She aims to grow a community of supportive mothers.
Motherhooding Yoga works in collaboration with local midwives, doulas, cloth nappy and sling experts, as well as other local birth workers, nutritional therapists, women's health physiotherapists, and postnatal mental health workers. This network of professionals allows Kat to have access to a wealth of knowledge and support to help families navigate the challenges of parenthood.
Pregnancy classes are a major focus at Motherhooding Yoga. They offer a variety of courses and workshops designed specifically for mothers-to-be. Weekly pregnancy yoga classes and bi-monthly pregnancy workshops are hosted at the studio. The classes are held at Union in Ramsgate, providing a comfortable and inclusive environment for pregnant women to practise yoga.
The evidence supports the benefits of pregnancy yoga on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, mode of birth, and duration of labour (Corrigan et al. , 2022). The four-week pregnancy courses are designed to empower women through movement, focusing on strengthening and flexibility in areas of the body that are under more stress during pregnancy and most needed during labour. The classes also teach breathing techniques, birth movements, and how to have an active labour.
Participants have the opportunity to connect with other local mothers and join the community WhatsApp group.
The course curriculum covers various topics each week. Week 1 focuses on breathing techniques for a calm, empowered, and positive birth. Week 2 emphasises the hips, strengthening and stretching them, and learning about the importance of pelvic floor exercises. Week 3 concentrates on posture, with exercises aimed at opening the chest and stretching the back to ease discomfort.
The course concludes with a Yin & Yoga Nidra class in Week 4, providing relaxation, restoration, and meditation for the participants.
In addition to pregnancy yoga classes, Motherhooding Yoga also offers a Pelvic Floor Workshop with Celia James, a perinatal specialist physiotherapist. This workshop provides valuable information and exercises to support pelvic floor health during and after pregnancy.
To book a place in the classes or workshops, interested individuals can contact Kat through the Motherhooding Yoga website or email at motherhoodingyoga@gmail. Com. Motherhooding Yoga is located at Union Yoga + Café, 27 Queen St, Ramsgate, CT11 9DZ.
Overall, Motherhooding Yoga provides a nurturing and supportive environment for expectant and new mothers to embrace the benefits of yoga throughout their journey into motherhood. With experienced teachers, a comprehensive curriculum, and a strong community network, Motherhooding Yoga is committed to empowering women and helping them have a positive and fulfilling experience during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.