The key here is stress. We know stress to be the biggest cause of issues and irregularities in the cycle which can lead to fertility problems. Yoga is a practice that helps to reduce stress, manage stress and build resilience to stress. Within the platform there is a whole category of classes dedicated to ‘stress relief’ using techniques of movement, meditation and breath.

As well as this, we offer Womb Yoga which is about connecting physically, mentally and emotionally to the womb space in order to move through blockages and encourage flow of both blood and prana (life force) to your sensual, creative centre.

There are so many different fertility paths to be walking and we aim to support the fertility of those who are not yet actively trying for a baby, are trying for their first, are trying again after loss, are working with assisted reproductive technologies, are trying for a second/third/fourth/fifth baby and beyond. In all of these paths, stress and womb/sacral chakra connection have a role to play.

Yes. 

“Exercise is not dangerous for your baby. There is evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.”

• NHS

Yoga is such a huge, varied and wonderful science. We aim to offer a wide variety in the platform from seated meditations to reclined restorative yoga to dynamic flowing sequences. You should be able to find a practice that suits right where you are at any time to support both physical activity and proper rest.

This is different for everyone and you really need to take responsibility for yourself and make informed choices.

In general, the recommendation for the first trimester is to continue doing what you did beforehand, so if you were already practising yoga/pilates and it’s feeling good, then it would seem like a great idea to keep going! If you were not practising yoga beforehand then you want to be more mindful as to the changes taking place, for example, extra relaxin hormone making you feel more stretchy than usual. As you progress through pregnancy, you’ll start to feel significantly different and it’s important to keep checking in with yourself as opposed to going through the motions.

Anything listed in our prenatal category (there’s tons here!) is rated as pregnancy-safe. However, that does not mean that everyone who is pregnant should be doing all of those classes. For some, feeling unwell and lacking in energy is a symptom of first trimester. In that case, I would suggest exploring the classes found in the categories: Calming and Stress Relief.  

The standard line is ‘check with your healthcare provider’ and while this is important, so too is svadhyaya or self-study, which is a key aspect of yoga. Get to know yourself and find what feels useful for your ever-changing body. 

The classes in the prenatal category of Mama Mooney are thoughtfully created with you in mind. You shouldn’t have to change much. Although, everyone is different and may feel more breathless/dizzy/tired etc at certain stages of pregnancy, so during those times, it’s important to make small tweaks to care for yourself.

Here are some general guidelines:

Talk Test: not that we want you talking while taking the classes (better to focus on your breath!) but if unsure, give a quick check in that you could talk if you wanted to. You don’t want to move past this level of exertion.

Hydrate: it’s very rare that we will instruct you to take a drink - please pause the class and take a drink whenever you like!

Double Check Category: ‘Prenatal’ is the one you’re looking for.

Take a break: if you ever start to feel overwhelmed or ungrounded, please pause the class and sit or lie in a comfortable position to regain that sense of calm at your centre.

We have classes that you can do right away, as soon as you feel you have the time/space. These classes include Meditations, Pranayama Practices, Rest and Recovery, Facial Yoga and Standing Sequence While Wearing Your Baby once you’re on your feet. There are many other gentle yoga classes which you can participate in as you feel ready. We recommend waiting 6 weeks until joining the Postnatal Pilates which is fantastic for rehabilitation