Yoga for Pregnancy

“This is so much more than just a yoga class. I’m so grateful for this group.”

Hello! Congratulations on your pregnancy, and thank you for checking out our classes. We know
your pregnancy is a precious time, and it’s really important to find just the right thing for you and
your baby, where you will feel relaxed and welcome. We hope you’ll find what you’re looking for
here. As the lovely words above suggest, this is much more than a yoga class. Creating connection
and community is really important to us and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Yoga
is recommended by midwives to help you enjoy a healthy pregnancy, easing your aches and pains,
releasing tension and feeling great in your body.

We offer time and space for you to grow into yourself as a mum to be, exploring all your options and
possibilities, safely held, with kindness and without judgement.

Lucy Corbally, our pregnancy + postnatal yoga teacher has over 10 years experience teaching yoga
and is a mum of two. She holds a wealth of information and resources to create a safe and
supportive space for you to stretch out and relax. You might be planning a hospital birth, home birth,
maximum pain relief, minimal intervention – and all are welcome here. If you have any
complications, health conditions, injuries and so on, we can adapt all the practices to suit you, or feel
free to come along and just sit, lay down, breathe and be.

Everyone is welcome to come and take what they need.

Benefits of yoga in Pregnancy

The Stables Yoga for Pregnancy classes will:

  • Help ease common discomforts of pregnancy
  • Strengthen and stretch you in preparation for birth
  • Teach you essential breathing techniques
  • Help position your baby well in the womb
  • Deepen your loving connection with your baby
  • Increase your self-confidence
  • Provide you with information about your birth choices
  • Introduce you to other mothers-to-be in a very supportive environment
  • Signpost you to other useful resources

In-Depth Information

Extensive Knowledge

Lucy Corbally has been a teacher at The Stables since they opened their doors, has over 10 years yoga teaching experience and is a mother of two. She continues the legacy of leading highly regarded pregnancy + postnatal yoga classes in York that began with Sophie Carr (Stables co-owner)
and Alison Goodwin, which have been running for almost 20 years.

We work in close contact with local NHS community midwives and doctors, the National Childbirth Trust and with Yorkshire Storks, the independent midwifery practice for the area, as well as many
other local therapists and pregnancy support practices.

As well as yoga for pregnancy, Lucy also teaches our nourishing, supportive post-natal classes, a highlight of maternity leave for the people of York!

Our weekly pregnancy classes are great fun, with a strong sense of community and mutual support. Lucy has a wonderful way of weaving  extensive knowledge of pregnancy and birth into the
yoga classes. Many women make lasting friendships and come back for more yoga through their second, third and fourth pregnancies.

Helping Common Discomforts

Yoga can help with back pain, cramps, nausea, heartburn, rib pain, insomnia, carpal tunnel syndrome. It can relieve anxiety and stress. It teaches postural awareness and helps in realigning your changing body. You will develop strength in the legs and softness and openness in the pelvis, and learn to support your vulnerable back. Gentle stretches opening chest and shoulders provide more space to breathe, more room for the growing baby, and counteract “feeding hunch” before it begins. By balancing hormonal upsets yoga can support your emotions, while yogic relaxation is essential for rejuvenating a tired pregnant body, and for helping you deal with uncomfortable nights.

If you have SPD, PGP or LBP, we offer you adaptations – do come, we will look after you.

Essential tools for Childbirth

Yoga is deeply steadying and grounding. In class you have proper time to connect with your mothering instincts before birth, developing your inner resources and preparing for the big day. We spend time each week discussing pregnancy pros and cons, and birth issues such as where to give birth, active birth, what helps and what hinders a normal birth. This is an essential part of the class, and mums-to-be find it good for widening their knowledge and choices around birth, as well as for making lasting friendships.

Yoga is an essential tool for childbirth. The inner focus helps access the instinctual state which facilitates normal birth. The breathing techniques give you confidence and calmness to deal with the intensity of contractions, while relaxation techniques enable you to conserve energy between them. Your strength work will give you stamina, and your softening work will ease the birth. If your birth becomes complicated, using your breathing will help you remain calm, able to make decisions without panicking. 

Yoga helps you to trust yourself as a mother. Trusting yourself means that bonding with your baby and breastfeeding are easier. Relaxation helps you to cope with sleepless nights and promotes let-down of breast milk. Your pelvic floor will recover quickly. Good posture helps combat “feeding hunch” and aching backs.

We can signpost you to many useful practitioners, with whom we maintain close contacts and can personally recommend – doulas, independent midwives, hypnobirthing teachers, breastfeeding counsellors, places to rent tens machines, sling library, birth pool loaners, the local home birth support group, real nappy specialists, pregnancy massage and reflexology, as well as the following professionals who all specialise in maternity, post-natal and babies: osteopaths, acupuncturists, psychotherapists and chiropractors.

We have a team of volunteer mentors with whom you can discuss staying pregnant post-42-weeks, home birth after caesarean, vaginal breech birth, gentle caesarean, options for group B strep, obstetric diabetes, natural birth with high BMI and many other topics.

"Just want to say a big thank you to Lucy for the yoga classes throughout my pregnancy. I really feel they helped me prepare physically and emotionally throughout the whole journey and Lucy was a great teacher and support, creating a safe and happy environment for us all."

"Thank you for everything! This is so much more than just a yoga class. I'm so grateful for this group."

"The breathing and relaxation taught in the pregnancy sessions were such an amazing tool to use throughout my pregnancy, especially in the final few weeks and the birth itself."

"You have created such a warm, inviting, supportive and caring environment, where I felt totally comfortable sharing both wins and struggles. Thank you for being such an important part of my pregnancy + postpartum journey."

"I've tried a few others, but your pregnancy classes are the best! I love coming here, it's such an important part of my week."

"Yoga rescued my back during pregnancy. It gave me the confidence and techniques to breathe, move and make noise assisting a wonderfully positive birth experience resulting in a beautiful baby daughter."

"The yoga kept me fit, informed me of choices and gave me confidence in my body’s ability to give birth. Not to mention adding to the bonding experience, meeting others and having fun!"

"Your classes have helped me feel so much more empowered about pregnancy, birth and beyond. I came after a tough year and have been amazed at how much strength I’ve gained from coming, and wonder if we would have felt confident to home birth without that."

“Inspiring. Much more than just a yoga class – there’s birth preparation, friendship and lots of information. The best classes in the area, by a long way.”

"You have helped bring me confidence, peace and the strength to be a 'good enough' mama. Thank you for your love, kindness, and the non-judgemental environment. Your Pregnancy + Postnatal classes have been invaluable."

“Your lessons have been an oasis of relaxation, connection and calm and the first time I've really felt like I've got what it's all about.”

Book a pregnancy Class

We recommend starting any time after 12 weeks, or your first scan; you don’t need to have done any yoga before. You pay half-termly in advance, up to your 38th week. After that you can pay weekly, and you’re welcome to come to class up until your baby is born. Booking and pre-payment required for all classes.

Tuesday 7:30 – 8:45pm Lucy
Sunday 6:15 -7:45pm Natalie

Mats, blocks, bolsters and blankets are provided, but bring along two small cushions for extra comfort.

Birth Prep Workshops

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Upcoming Classes › Birth Prep

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