Check out our blogs about yoga, birth & parenthood!
Discover 4 evidence-based pain coping tools for labor. Time-tested strategies from a doula and prenatal yoga teacher to help you feel confident and prepared.
4 Pain-Coping Techniques That Actually Work in Labor Read More »
To support alignment, ease common pregnancy discomforts, and help students feel strong and comfortable throughout pregnancy, we bust the myth that prenatal yoga is just about stretching—instead, we embrace strength-building as a key part of our classes.
Why Strength Training Belongs in Prenatal Yoga Read More »
One of the most common concerns I hear from expectant parents is, “What if my pelvis is too small to birth my baby?
Is Your Pelvis Too Small to Birth Your Baby? Read More »
It’s not just about dilation—station matters too! Station refers to how low the baby is in the pelvis, and it’s a key factor in knowing when to push. Laboring down and waiting for a lower station can help conserve energy and avoid unnecessary interventions.
Station NOT Dilation! Read More »
When we experience pain—whether it’s from an injury, illness, or labor—our instinct is often to tense up and resist. But what if movement could help us soften into discomfort rather than fight against it?
Relief Through Movement: A Lesson from My Son’s Toothache! Read More »
Prenatal yoga is a wonderful way to strengthen, create mobility and learn coping skills needed for pregnancy and birth. But unless the teacher has a strong, specialized education in prenatal yoga (like the teachers here at PYC!) they may fall victim to some common mistakes.
3 Big Mistakes Yoga Teachers Make with Pregnant Students! Read More »
Navigating the opinionated landscape of breastfeeding can be a daunting task. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure, so let’s break down some of the most common breastfeeding misconceptions.
Most Common Misconceptions About Breastfeeding Read More »
Learn about oxytocin, beta-endorphins and adrenaline, the hormones of labor, and how they may impact your birth!
Understanding The Hormonal Blueprint of Labor Read More »
The Pelvis is not a fixed entity. There are joints which allow for the pelvis to modify its shape. In doing so, this allows for more space for baby during labor as well as helping the pelvic floor to lengthen in order to yield and support the baby during birth. Navigation Understanding Pelvic Movement The
Yoga and Exercises to Widen Your Pelvis for Birth Read More »
If you’re considering an elective induction or facing a medical induction, it may be helpful to know your Bishop Score. The Bishop score is a cervical assessment system, where five criteria are calculated to produce a rating between 0-13, which determines if the cervix is ready for induction. Generally, a Bishop score of 6 or
Considering Induction, Know Your Bishop Score Read More »
Not long ago, a student returned to postnatal yoga after giving birth to her first child. I love seeing parents returning with their yummy new babies and hearing about their birth experiences. This one parent, upon telling me her birth story, laughed slightly and said, “I was the poster child for the ‘cascade of interventions.’”
Water Breaking Before Labor: What to Expect and When Induction Becomes Necessary Read More »
The World Health Organization estimates that around 13% of people worldwide who have recently given birth, experience a mental health disorder, most commonly depression.This figure is even higher in the developing world at 19.8%. For pregnant people, 10% worldwide experience depression and in developing countries, the rate is 15.6% (1). At the Prenatal Yoga Center,
Prenatal Yoga – A Natural Path toward Working with a Midwife by Risa Klein, CNM, M.S. Making a decision as to who will take care of you and your gestating baby is monumental. To make the best-informed decision, you need to understand some differences between the midwifery model of care and the medical model, and
Why Choose a Midwife? Read More »
Diastasis recti (separation of the rectus abdominis) affects all expectant folks to some degree. However, some birthing parents will experience greater ab separation than others and as such, may want to take steps to heal it or know how to prevent it from becoming worse. In this post we will discuss what yoga poses may
Postnatal Yoga and Diastasis Recti Read More »
Learn how breastfeeding may be impacted by epidurals and how to alleviate the difficulties they may cause.
How Do Epidurals Affect Breastfeeding? Read More »
Learn how to safely modify your prenatal yoga practice and which yoga poses to avoid if you have placenta previa.
Placenta Previa and Prenatal Yoga Read More »
Discover these easy prenatal yoga modifications and try adding them to your regular yoga practice.
Easy Prenatal Yoga Modifications Read More »
Discover effective ways for your partner to support you during pregnancy and labor and explore partner-friendly prenatal yoga positions for laboring together.
How Your Partner Can Support You During Pregnancy and Birth Read More »
A few weeks ago, one of my good friends was facing labor induction. She was a week beyond her estimated due date and her doctor wanted to induce 10 days past. My friend had tried just about everything to get things moving. I had asked her if her doctor had tried stripping her membranes (also
Membrane Stripping for Labor Induction: What to Expect, Risks, and Benefits Read More »
Discover the role the psoas muscle plays in pregnancy, birth and postpartum recovery and how to release tension from it.
Psoas Muscle: How it Affects Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Recovery Read More »
Discover why umbilical knots and nuchal cords aren’t as concerning you may think and learn more about the anatomy of the umbilical cord.
Dispelling the Fear About the Umbilical Cord Read More »
Learn about what a postpartum doula does and why hiring one can help you to navigate the early days of becoming a parent.
The Benefits of a Postpartum Doula Read More »
Discover seven prenatal yoga poses that can help to prepare your pelvis for birth by increasing its mobility and the strength of its supporting muscles.
7 Moves To Prepare Your Pelvis For Birth Read More »
Learn what a gentle c-section is and find out whether this is the right choice for your birth plan.
Gentle C-Section: What is it & How to do it Read More »
Discover strategies for managing labor pains at night, gain insights into labor patterns, and understand when it’s time to make your way to the hospital.
Navigating Nighttime Labor Pains: What To Do & When To Go To The Hospital Read More »
Discover the differences between a walking epidural and a standard epidural to determine which one would be a better option for your birth.
What is the Difference Between A Walking Epidural & a Standard Epidural? Read More »
Learn the differences between prenatal yoga classes and yoga classes modified for pregnancy. Discover which one works for you!
Discover how to treat pain from breastfeeding that can be caused by repetitive movements and bad posture. Learn how postnatal yoga can help!
Help To Relieve Pain From Breastfeeding With Postnatal Yoga Read More »
Learn about the different fetal positions and how they impact labor and birth. Discover the best yoga poses to do for optimal fetal positioning.
Learn everything you need to know about your water breaking and what to do if it breaks spontaneously or prematurely.
Everything you want to know about your water breaking! Read More »
Discover yoga poses to help relieve prenatal back pain and learn how prenatal yoga can help you to have a more comfortable pregnancy.
How Prenatal Yoga Can Help To Relieve Back Pain In Pregnancy Read More »
A birth team is a group of selected people that assist and support an expectant parent during labor and delivery as well as sometimes the postpartum period too.
What Is A Birth Team & How To Choose The Right Team Members Read More »
Navigation Have you ever wondered why some people’s birth is quick and smooth while others have a long and drawn out labor? How easy or difficult a birth is depends upon the baby’s position and the balance of the expectant parent’s bones, muscles and soft tissue and ligaments. When the parent’s body is better balanced,
How Prenatal Yoga Can Help You Have An Easier Birth Read More »
If you’ve spent anytime following my podcast, social media or attended a prenatal and postnatal yoga class, you already know what a HUGE anatomy geek I am and how any conversation involving the pelvic floor I find deeply fascinating. With that in mind, I figured it was high time I put together a curated list
Top 5 Pelvic Floor Podcasts Read More »
Learn why kegels may not be right for you & how to identify your pelvic floor needs. Plus, we spill our methods here at Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC.
Exercising Your Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy The Right Way Read More »
Here are 4 ideas you can use during labor to help combat tightness and tension that can build in the pelvic floor during birth!
4 Ways to Relax Your Pelvic Floor During Birth! Read More »
Welcome to part two of our most listened to episodes of Yoga | Birth | Babies podcast!
Top 10 Pregnancy Podcasts Part 2 Read More »
✨Here is our Top 10 Prenatal Podcasts (part 1)
Top 10 Prenatal Podcasts (part 1) Read More »
There is more to the pelvic floor than kegels! Learning to release, lengthen and strengthen is key!
Instead of kegels, do this! Read More »
Recently after class one of my students stayed around to ask a question. They waited until everyone else left and quietly expressed concerns about their flexibility and the ability to birth. I’ve seen their practice for about two months so I understood the limited mobility their hamstrings and hips have and I got where they were coming from. I
Do you need flexibility to give birth? Read More »
This blog is filled with our top Yoga | Birth | Babies breastfeeding podcast episodes & lactaction resources because August is National Breastfeeding Month! This is a month dedicated to advocacy, protection & education around breastfeeding. This month is kicked off by World Breastfeeding Week (8/1-8/7). World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) aims to inform, anchor, engage
Top 5 Breastfeeding Podcast Episodes Read More »
I learned a very important lesson early on in my career as a doula. I attended a birth that certainly did not flow as desired. It felt like all the mother’s hope for how her birth would happen went the complete opposite direction. A year later, she asked me to come over and talk. I
I didn’t set out to be an “older mom” but life and career choices rendered that the case. I met my husband a week past my 35th birthday. I found out I was pregnant with my first child one day before my 37th birthday and was 22 weeks pregnant with my second child while belly dancing
For my fellow “Older Moms” Read More »
I’m blown away by the bravery and openness of students in this morning’s prenatal yoga class. Several shared that they had some big, emotional decisions to make surrounding their birth. Decisions to be made ranged from the pros and cons of induction, to accepting a cesarean for a breech baby, and preparing for a VBAC.
📣 Your voice needs to be heard 📣 Read More »
The number one reason for first time parents to have a cesarean section is “failure to progress”. This all encompassing statement can really refer to any reason for the cervix not dilating, but many times pregnant people hear that their “baby was too big”. (ps- less than 10% of all babies born at 39 weeks or later
It’s Not the Size of the Baby, But the Position of the Pelvis! Read More »
I started my steady yoga practice years ago when a choreographer I was working with used yoga asana as our warm up. Being young, supple and hypermobile, the practice came very easily to me. I remember the first time props were introduced in class. I scoffed a bit thinking, I don’t need props. And to be completely
You may think, “Yoga is yoga! Sure I’m pregnant, but why not go to a general population class and modify poses as needed?” To some extent, yes, downward facing dog is going to be the same no matter where you take class. However, there is something so special and unique about a prenatal yoga class
10 Reasons You Should Do Prenatal Yoga Read More »
Sometimes, I feel twinges of guilt when I tell my husband or friends that I just came from a yoga class. In my mind I feel judgment that this equates to 90 minutes of time not focused on work or my kids. Then, I slap myself back into reality and realize it’s only 90 minutes
Self Care is not Selfish! Read More »
Originally posted on Mommybites May 9, 2018 The first 12 weeks as a new parent can often be described as total love fest with the new baby mixed with fatigue, unwashed hair, and an overwhelming sense of “what did I get myself into?!” Here are some helpful hints to make the transition from maiden to
What Every New Mom Should Know to Survive the First 3 Months Read More »
Early on as a new parent, my husband and I created a very sweet and nurturing nighttime routine. When my son would wake up for a 3am feeding, I would prop myself up with pillows, get my son established on my breast, and settle in as he would read aloud to us. The book was Eat Cake, and
Family Bonding Time Read More »
