Are you a doula looking to grow your skillset?
We are so happy to have you as a part of the Flow of Life family, and we are excited to share these materials with you. We want to be clear about how you can and should use the tools provided in (PYTT, Doula, Kit); these are intended to be tools for your own learning and development. Please read the guidelines on how to and how not to use our materials below:
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Use the materials in (PYTT, Doula, Kit) as a starting point for your own content
Consider this as a framework for you to personalize, adapt, and make your own
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Take any of the content or materials to use verbatim
Please let us know if you have any questions while working through how to use these resources!
Welcome! We're so glad you're here.
Please watch and read through the materials in the module to prepare for our 85-hour Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training.
Module/ assignment completion time: 7.45 hours
Mission Statement:
Our training is a comprehensive, 85 hour RPYT for yoga teachers who want to deepen their teaching skills, and for students in every stage of their pregnancy, fertility and postpartum journey. Our program focuses on fact-based childbirth education, functional movement-based yoga practice, and community.
What you will learn in this program:
To teach functional prenatal yoga and movement to support pregnancy, labor, birth and parenthood.
How to safely adapt poses for pregnancy. Modifications, contraindications and benefits for each trimester.
Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy.
The process of birth in all forms.
How to sequence safe and effective classes to aid in pregnancy, labor and birth.
Discover your own facilitation skills, how to hold space and speak from your heart.
Module/ assignment completion time: 84 minutes
Overview: There is more to prenatal yoga than just the asana poses. During this transformational time there is much to connect to. As yoga teachers, we can guide pregnant people to develop skills during prenatal yoga classes that they will use throughout their life.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 3.6 hours
Overview: In this module, we'll discuss the care a pregnant person will receive, the differences and similarities between obstetricians and midwives, and the types of obstetricians and midwives.
OBs and midwives all have their personal philosophies and also their model of care can vary. They all have the same goal of helping parents have a healthy, safe, and positive experience. Although how their practice functions, and their perspectives may vary greatly.
We will also discuss additional supports for pregnant people, namely doulas.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 5.2 hours
Overview: In this module, we'll discuss the stages of labor and the variety of potential complications and interventions that might be faced by a laboring person.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 4.25 hours
Overview: Pregnancy is a transformational time. Understanding the pelvis and the role of posture in pregnancy helps us adjust our instruction to suit the needs of a pregnant person.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 83 minutes
Overview: Learn about the pelvic floor and application for your practice with pelvic floor physical therapist, Kerry Tobin.
Lessons:
1. Intro + all about the pelvic floor
2. Pelvic floor + your yoga practice
3. Preparing the pelvic floor for birth
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 3.3 hours
Overview: In this module, we focus on the first element of a prenatal class: restorative & floor poses. These will provide a foundation for your classes to begin.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 2.75 hours
Overview: We believe all pregnant people deserve to feel safe in their bodies, to be respected in their choices and to be seen, heard and valued. We will model inclusion in our classes, inclusion in our language and inclusion in our actions. We are committed to continue learning more about our own biases in order to better serve a diverse community of people.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 2.2 hours
Overview: Pregnancy is a beautiful time to connect to the body. It is a great time to build a relationship with one’s pelvis, pelvic floor and the movement of the hips. Students often discover information about their anatomy that they did not know before they were pregnant! Functional movement looks at “real-life” movement. We focus heavily on the alignment of the pelvis and how the rest of the body can find alignment when the pelvis is in a neutral position.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 3.6 hours
Overview Prenatal yoga is recommended by many Midwives and OB’s as safe exercise during pregnancy. For that reason, many students will have practiced very little yoga before prenatal yoga. We want to encourage bodily autonomy, meaning everyone is making decisions about their own physical self. We will encourage students to check in with how they are feeling in their bodies and in their practice.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 2 hours
Overview: The practice of yoga helps us create more space and breath in the body. Oftentimes pregnant people will say, “there just isn’t enough space.” Yoga can help. We can focus on side body openers, intentional breathing practices and supported gentle backbends to create more space in the body.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 84 minutes
Overview: Pain in pregnancy is common, however pain in pregnancy does not have to be normal. The growing belly tends to create lordosis in pregnant peoples' backs. We can relieve this by practicing pelvic tilts and strengthening the glutes.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 5.4 hours
Overview: Functional movement helps keep pregnant students out of pain! It also helps our students to connect with their bodies so they can thrive during labor, birth and parenthood. Encouraging functional movement can take several forms:
Adapting typical asanas so they are more suitable for the pregnant body.
Studying, learning and understanding posture so you can help students find a sustainable, strong posture.
Encouraging evidenced based movements, such as potty squats and pelvic tilts.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 3.4 hours
Overview: We encourage our participants to consider how they might expand beyond prenatal support. Three ways we want to support more of our students' journeys are with partner yoga, postpartum yoga, and baby & beloved yoga.
Each of these are a great way to keep the prenatal yoga community thriving into parenthood, and this module will run through examples of classes and tips and tricks to consider when planning to offer these supports.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ assignment completion time: 9.6 hours
Overview: These practices are resources will reinforce what you've already build a foundation for throughout your training.
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Module/ Assignment Completion Time: 2 hours
Overview: Woohoo - you made it! Now it's time to put all of your learning into practice with a recorded 30-minute prenatal yoga practice of your own design. You'll plan, practice, and record your flow as the final assignment in your training, and this module has the materials you need to find success in your work here!
Directions: Watch the recorded lectures and complete the assignments to meet the requirements of this module.
Completion time: 6 hours
Overview: As you build your skills throughout this training, use this folder as an opportunity to practice as a student and to study facilitation techniques.
Directions: Please watch the following supplemental practices to inform your understanding of how to plan/ execute a flow!
Completion Time: 17.25 hours
Overview: At Flow of Life, we believe that our work is so much stronger when we are working within a community of perinatal health experts. We're proud to be able to share the work of some of our team members with you all, and we hope that you will be able to forge relationships with other members of your perinatal community to deepen your own practice.
Directions: Watch these recorded lectures in order to deepen your understanding and support of the pregnant and postpartum body.
Completion time: 2.6 hours