Prenatal Yoga & Swim in Santa Cruz

There are so many changes that your body goes through during pregnancy and with this can come new aches and discomforts.  One of the best stress relievers I have found since I got pregnant has been prenatal yoga.  Not only have I  learned breathing techniques to help me through labor and new ways to relax, but the most important benefit of the classes has been the new friends I have made who are also expecting.  When I first found out I was pregnant, I had absolutely no pregnant friends in Santa Cruz.  Now, through yoga, prenatal swim class, and childbirth class, I have a rich community of new moms and moms-to-be.:)

Whole Birth Yoga with Robin Sale is offered through Sutter Maternity Classes on Saturdays mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Her focus is on mindfulness and she begins each class with a time for participants to share what is going on with them.  I really liked the support group aspect of the class and have felt incredibly relaxed and peaceful after each session. Sutter also offers Thursday evening sessions from 6:30 to 8pm with seasoned instructor, educator, and doula Megan Bunch.


Luma Yoga and Family Center is an amazing new community resource here in downtown Santa Cruz.  Not only do they have wonderful prenatal yoga classes almost every day, they also offer childcare for babies 6 months and older so that you can continue with your yoga practice once your little one is born.  Postnatal yoga is available where you can even bring your infant as long as they are not yet able to crawl and they have prenatal, postpartum, and feeding circles that are all free with a recommended donation if you can afford it.  Luma is also where we took our Mindfulness Childbirth Preparation Class with midwife and educator Roxanne Cumming which we absolutely loved!

The Pacific Cultural Center at Seabright and Broadway offers prenatal yoga with the wonderful Hannah Muse on Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 8:45p.m. She also teaches a Mama & Baby yoga class there on Wednesday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.  My husband and I got to take Hannah's Couples Preparation Workshop for Childbirth and Labor this summer and it was fun and informative!

Probaby my favorite activity since I have been pregnant is the Aquatic Exercise for Pregnant Women offered by the Dominican Physical Therapy Staff at Simpkins Family Swim Center on Monday mornings from 10 to 11 a.m.  You can either register for the six week class or just do a drop-in each week for $10/session.  Floating in the warm water has felt great on my sore joints and I have made so many nice friends while chatting with other class members.