Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga

Back when I was still pregnant, I wrote about prenatal yoga in this area. Since then, I've found several resources for both prenatal AND postnatal yoga here in the Pioneer Valley and wanted to share them.

The prenatal yoga classes I ended up going to were through Cooley Dickinson Hospital (at the Amherst location; there's one in Northampton as well). The classes were led by Arden and were gentle, relaxing and very informative about all things pregnancy and birth related, to boot. It was in one of those classes where I first felt my daughter move!

I feel it is quite difficult to find sufficient info on the internet for Cooley Dickinson classes, so this is kind of a rigmarole, but for Prenatal classes you can click here to view the calendar (then click on Prenatal Yoga - it will give some info & tell you to the number to call for registration).

Now that Ruby's here, I'm looking for us to go to yoga together. We haven't gone yet, but in my looking I've found a few likely candidates:

Yoga Sanctuary in Northampton offers pre and postnatal, baby-friendly classes. I know people who have been very pleased with the prenatal classes here.

Vega Yoga in Holyoke also offers an "Infant-friendly Yoga" class that doesn't seem to involve the baby, but the pre-crawler is welcomed there.

Cooley Dickinson Hospital offers Momma & Baby Yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays (again in Amherst and Northampton). This class is the only option I've found that includes the baby in the description: "Fun and therapeautic movement for baby" so it seems like a great option for us!

I'm sure there's more out there, but these can get you started!

MOMMA & BABY YOGA CLASS

We haven't taken it yet, but when searching for a Mama & Baby Yoga class in the Pioneer Valley, this sounds like a great one! Ruby and I definitely plan to take it soon.

I wanted to share this information, but couldn't find it online, so this is copy & pasted from the email info I get:

MOMMA & BABY YOGA CLASS  
On-Going class

Bring your baby! From 6 – 7 weeks old up to experienced crawlers welcome.

Get back in shape, have fun with your baby, and connect with other parents.
•    Center through breathing and awareness
•    Reduce stress
•    Get relief from aches and pains due to nursing and poor posture
•    Recondition abdominals and pelvic floor
•    Recover from rigors of childbirth
•    Fun and therapeutic movement for baby
•    Stay strong and centered through demands of childrearing

You can linger an additional 15 minutes at the end of class. In that time, we are happy to do poses with you that you might have missed because you were busy with your baby.

Om Shanti – Arden and Corinne
*************************************************************
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
Special Note: PLEASE PRE-REGISTER BY THE SATURDAY BEFORE YOU WOULD LIKE TO START YOUR 1ST CLASS
When you pre-register, leave your phone number and the dates (one or all) you are planning to attend. We reserve the right to cancel class if there are (4) four or less students pre-registered.

If you can’t make class for an unexpected reason,
please call or email your teacher the day before to let her know

COST: $13 each class OR $44 for four classes. Financial Aid is available.
Bring mat, baby blanket, toys and whatever else you feel is necessary.

Classes are offered every month continuously. The schedule below is a sample of dates.

Mondays in Northampton
at Cooley Dickinson Hospital      
10:15 – 11:30 

AUGUST 9 in Childbirth Conf. Room
AUGUST 2 & 16  in Conf. Room B
No Class Aug 23, 30 & Sept 6

Pre-register CALL or EMAIL: ARDEN
yoga@rcn.com
585-8990

Park at the main entrance and please use free valet.

Classes in Conference Room B        
Take the stork elevator to lowest floor.
Walk straight ahead.
   
Class in Childbirth Conference Room
Take the stork elevator to the top floor (1)
Directly across from the elevator.

Wednesdays in Amherst
170 University Drive, CDH outpatient building across from CVS and Big Y. 
10:30 – 11:45

AUGUST 4, 11, 18 & 25

Pre-register
CALL or EMAIL: CORINNE mailto:shraddha@galaxy-usa.net
253-4817

Meets in the Community Room
on the top floor.

If using front entrance, walk upstairs.

If using back entrance, take elevator to top floor and go to the opposite end of building
from Hampshire OB/GYN)

14 Week Baby Bump

Here's my 14 week picture. I'm starting to show a bit! I wasn't the skinniest to begin with, but I'm fairly confident that the bump that's starting to show is baby and not ice cream and Halloween candy (*I hope!*).
I think I'll do a bump pic every two weeks, so maybe we can see a difference from picture to picture.



And tomorrow I am taking my first prenatal yoga class! I'm a little nervous, because I've never taken a yoga class before, only done it in my own home following some yoga cds. I hope it's great and I don't embarrass myself!

Prenatal Yoga, Yo

After I found out I'm all knocked up and such (10 weeks +!!) and I knew that I wanted to do prenatal yoga.

I've done yoga videos (er, DVDs, I mean...I might've just dated myself and revealed my 31 years) before, but I've never taken a class. I knew this was the push I needed to finally get my sorry ass into a yoga studio.

I was also feeling excited about prenatal yoga because I'm new to the area, and would love to meet other awesome people, possibly pregnant chicks, like me. Who live around here. In Easthampton. Or Northampton. Or Southampton. Somewhere around here. Even Amherst. I'm not too picky.

But the only yoga studios I've found only offer prenatal yoga once a week, if at all, and always at about 5:30, which is right when I get off work, thus making it impossible for me to get there on time.

Luckily, my job days/hours change as of November 1st, so I've already arranged my schedule to make me available for classes.

But, goodness, I'm surprised that I didn't find any prenatal yoga classes during the day anywhere around here in the Pioneer Valley.

Anyone else have a similar dilemma? Or know of a yoga studio that I might have missed?