Teaching Mums and Bub’s yoga classes? what you need to know
Teaching Mums and bub’s yoga classes is unlike teaching most other styles of yoga. They’re rarely quiet, not particularly zen and most often require that you throw your class plan out the window.
They are however SO NEEDED. I’ve been teaching these classes for over 6 years (and attended themM with my two youngest) and honestly the best thing about them was just being in a room with other Mums and realising that everyone else is a hot mess just like you. Of course being able to move your body (even just a little bit) and having someone else hold your baby for five minutes is also great.
Despite not being your typical yoga class they are so rewarding to teach. If you’re considering starting up your own class – I thought I’d share my tips to consider before you get started. (If you’re interested in seeing our latest studio set up, you might also want to watch the vlog below).
Things to consider when teaching Mums and Bub’s yoga classes
What age ‘bubs’ are you catering for?
The age of the bubs in your class (and how many you include) will determine what you need to set up your class.
If you’re including older children as well (like I do) you’ll need space for them to play without getting in the way of the class.
If you’ve only got babes who can’t roll yet, are you providing mats or blankets for them to lie on?
If you include crawlers in your class you might also consider organising a small collection of baby toys to keep them entertained while their Mums move. Keep in mind, crawlers are often also eating – do you allow food in your classes?
One final note on age… make sure your marketing clearly states what age bubs you’re catering for in your classes, so that you attract the right people to your yoga classes.
Set your intentions (and clearly explain them) at the start of class
It’s a good idea to set your intentions for your style of Mums and Bubs yoga at the start of class. Some questions for you to consider are…
+ Is your class mainly for Mum’s body / mind or for Bub’s interaction? (The answer to this question makes for two very different styles of yoga).
+ What is the focus on this class? (Keep it simple and able to be achieved even if bubs are in arms for the whole session. Eg – a moment to breathe).
Prepare everyone (including yourself) to let go of expectations.
I often see it in the faces of the women in my classes. They’re tired. They just wanted to move their bodies and feel like themselves for five minutes, but their baby just won’t be put down. They get frustrated and apologetic and try to justify why their baby is cranky today.
They’re fighting their own expectations of what motherhood should be like.
It’s such a hard battle to mentally fight (and trust me, I know because I tried to do it for far too long) because unfortunately babies like to shit all over your expectations (quite literally – my last Mums and Bub’s class involved 3 poo explosions.)
It sets a better tone for the class if you share at the start how important it is to set all expectations of what yoga ‘should be’ aside. Let them know they can stop and feed and rock and cuddle whenever they need. You as a teacher will also need to let your class plan go and just roll with the punches. I often have almost every woman in class doing a different pose depending on whether she is feeding a baby, holding a baby, chasing after a baby, etc.
Be ready to hold allllll the babies.
Look I’m not going to lie. This is my favourite part of teaching Mums and Bubs yoga classes. (Both as a Mum and as a teacher I should add. A friend of mine taught in my yoga space when Luca was about 3 months old and having someone else snuggle him for ten minutes for me while I ‘napped’ in savasana was the absolute best.)
I know a lot of women first consider teaching Mums and Bub’s yoga classes so that they can have their own baby or toddler with them and still do what they love. Hey, I’ve definitely been there. I’ve taught with Rory when he was two and three and I’ve only just started back with Luca at 13 months.
If you do decide to teach with your baby or toddler in tow, make sure you have a plan for clingy days so that you can still continue teaching and still have energy to give to your students. Of course, they are Mums who will understand if your child is having a bad day, but you do still need to be able to keep the class moving.
If you’re unsure how your child will cope while you teach, you might consider charging a little more for the class and putting that money towards a nanny who can help out in the room with whichever babes happen to need holding that day.
So they’re just a few of my tips for teaching Mums and Bub’s yoga. If you have any questions I haven’t answered, let me know in the comments below.
Interested in learning more about teaching Mums and Bub’s yoga classes? My pre and post natal yoga teacher training is launching soon. Pop your email address in so that I can let you know when enrolment opens.