It is quite possible (even likely!) that you have students in your group classes who have given birth in the last year (or several!), and are just getting back to their practice. Do you feel comfortable and confident in supporting those students? For many folks healing from pregnancy and birth can take quite a while; some students may still be in a postpartum healing season and not even quite realize it themselves! 

Today on the podcast we are talking all about Postnatal Considerations in Asana with Deb Flashenberg! 

Deb Flashenberg (she/her) is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center which she founded in NYC in 2002.  Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, mother of two and self proclaimed “birth and anatomy geek”. After the challenging birth of her first child, Deb became incredibly interested in pelvic health and has since earned her Pelvic Floor Yoga Certification with Leslie Howard. Deb is currently knee deep in an intensive program with Dr. Sarah Duvall to earn her Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist certification.  

Listen to our previous episode… 31: How To Work With Pregnant Yoga Students with Guest Teacher Deb Flashenberg!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• the most important areas of the postpartum body that need attention
• how the birth of Deb’s first child impacted the way she thought about postpartum healing
• what can yoga teachers do to help rehab the pelvic floor
• the most important thing to keep in mind during the first 12 weeks after birth
• an explanation of diastasis recti and how can someone check for that
• the areas of the postnatal body that should be addressed in each class including:
  • Psoas release
  • glutes/hips/adductors
  • Pelvic floor
  • Diastisis
  • Back strength/ back release
  • Chest opening/ neck and shoulder releasing

I hope you enjoy this conversation about all the considerations yoga teachers may want to make for the postpartum student returning to class!

Learn More From Deb:

• Prenatal Yoga Center website
• Prenatnal Yoga Center on Instagram
• Deb’s online course “Online courses Who’s Afraid of the Pregnant Yogi”
• Teaching the Postnatal Student
• 85 hr Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training
• Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training

OfferingTree is a proud sponsor of this episode and I am honored to be an affiliate.  Visit OfferingTree at www.offeringtree.com/mentor and you’ll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan).   OfferingTree supports me with each sign-up and I’m proud to be supported by a public benefit company whose mission is to further wellness access and education for everyone.