INTENTIONALLY EMBODIED BIRTH

FACILITATOR TRAINING

Current Students Access On Demand Content Here:

 

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Instruct prenatal yoga courses that encourage and equip expectant students

  • Teach postpartum yoga, core rehabilitation, and baby and me classes

  • Coach and doula women, birthing individuals, and their families throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum

  • Establish a secure and supportive space where all women and birthing individuals can feel valued, empowered, and heard during their journey

  • Mindfully direct your clients through the sacred birth portal and beyond, both physically and emotionally

  • Start and operate a profitable and enduring birth business, allowing you to give back to your community.


Spring 2026

  • Three weekends in Atlanta with Lauren Shields and guest instructors

  • 15 weekly virtual sessions for lecture and conversation

  • Office hours for Q + A with instructors

  • Spiral Bound Full Color Training Manual

    Schedule:

  • Tuesday Night Virtual Session 6-8pm (February 2 - June 2)

  • Weekend One: Guiding the Pregnant Student (Asana, Meditation and Pranayama for Pregnancy)

  • Weekend Two: Healing Through Postpartum (Restoring the Core + Pelvic Floor, Postpartum Yoga, Baby + Me Yoga)

  • Weekend Three: The Awakened Doula (Building Your Wellness Business, Birth Planning, Leading Couples Sessions)


Join us for an Open House

September 13

3-5pm
Location TBA

Atlanta, GA

October 11

3-5pm
Location TBA

Atlanta, GA

November 1st

3-5pm
Location TBA

Atlanta, GA

Virtual

Date/Time: TBD

Birth Work is Activism

Oppressive systems that affect birth and women are pervasive throughout modern medical culture. Our program focuses on remembering Divine Feminine/Goddess Archetypes and Ancestral practices to honor the every pregnancy journey, no matter the specifics of the journey.

Prenatal yoga teachers have the unique opportunity to meet weekly with birthing people throughout birth and postpartum, creating space for conscious conversations, community, and practices that remember our power to birth our babies in a system built to profit from fear and self-doubt.

Intentionally Embodied Facilitators build spaces of inclusivity, compassion, and ancient practices that build powerful birthers, families, and communities.

“Birth happens in the body, not in the mind.

Therefore, mindfulness & movement should be at the core of birth preparation.”

— Lauren Shields, founder of Meraki Mama Collective, Creator and Lead Instructor of Intentionally Embodied Birth

This program is created, written, and led by Lauren Shields, MS, CCC-SLP, CD(DONA), E-RYT200, RPYT, YACEP

Empowering Birthing People with Yoga and Movement
For over two decades, Lauren has been a dedicated yoga practitioner, transforming hundreds of birthing experiences with her approach. By integrating yoga lineage, movement, and solution-based birth and postpartum planning, she has seen firsthand the tremendous impact that yoga, meditation, breath work, and Pilates can have on a person's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. These practices, when incorporated during pregnancy, are known to have long-lasting effects throughout the birthing process and postpartum period. Lauren is a firm believer that a consistent practice of yoga, pranayama (breath work) and meditation can establish a supportive lifestyle for motherhood and parenthood, beyond just childbirth. By combining her passions for fitness, science, and education, she empowers birthing people to make intuitive choices based on their body wisdom, rather than fear or a need for control.

Lauren strongly believes that all mothers and birthing people deserve doula support, no matter how they choose to utilize it. The pandemic and healthcare's response to it have altered the way birth is supported, creating a greater need for birth keepers who can offer compassion and mindfulness in a multitude of settings. Unfortunately, the lack of support, heightened fear, and reduced access to in-person classes have led to increased rates of perinatal mood disorders. It is time to take action and become the birth keepers we so desperately need, supporting the full spectrum of the childbearing year with mindfulness and compassion.


Next session starts February 2th, 2026

What is Intentional Embodiment?

Intentional Embodiment is a powerful tool that allows us to experience life through our bodies. By deliberately engaging with our energy and experiences, we foster mindfulness, intuition, and connect to body wisdom that help us stay grounded and present in the moment.

Traditionally, childbirth education focuses on cognitive learning and gather information about the birthing process, with limited emphasis on movement practices such as dance and yoga.

However, the Intentionally Embodied Birth experience emphasizes yogic and ancestral practices that connect our students/clients to body wisdom, balance their energies, and integrate new information.

This approach enables birthers to easily access a sense of calm and acceptance amidst the chaotic and stressful moments of the child-bearing year.

The Intentionally Embodied Birth draws on principles of yogic & Ayurvedic practices, physical therapy, Pilates, midwifery care, psychology, sociology, and reiki energy healing to connect practitioners to the Divine Feminine energies of creativity, surrender, and grounding. It emphasizes finding balance and rhythm to facilitate the birthing experience, and create a deeper sense of awareness and connection between the mind and body.

What previous students are saying:

 

Lauren Bernazza, Doulas of ATL

"Training with Lauren Shields and Meraki Mama Collective was life changing and career growing training that I recommend to anyone interested in reproductive health. Perinatal yoga is so much more than modifications to asanas, it's about understanding optimal fetal positioning to prepare birthing people for labor and delivery, pelvic floor health, and healing the body after pregnancy and delivery. Lauren Shields is an amazing teacher."

Jinel Payne, MoBa Lactation and Fitness

I took Lauren’s prenatal teacher training course. I took the course with the intention of learning as much as I could to best serve the women in my community. I received more than expected. The teacher training course was an experience I will never forget. Lauren is knowledgeable, patient and resourceful. As a prenatal yoga teacher I felt more confident after completing this training course.

Mahogany Harrington

The perinatal yoga teacher training is FANTASTIC. Lauren gave us the tools to safely guide pregnant and postpartum students through yoga specifically created for the perinatal body. This training really opened my eyes to so many (more) of the disparities within the birthing community. This training played a huge part in enrolling in additional birthwork and wanting to do my part in helping bridge the gap between expecting parents and new aged ideologies surrounding birth. I will forever be grateful for my experiences at Meraki 💕

Marnie Memmelo, Maha Moon

"Lead teacher, Lauren Shields is highly knowledgeable and skilled instructor. She is well organized. Co-ordinated skilled and accomplished guest presenters. The program was well thought out and she was able to easily adapt the training to an on-line format in the midst of the pandemic crisis."

This training is for you if you:

  • feel called to support birthing people in your community

  • are a doula

  • are a yoga teacher

  • are a pilates instructor

  • are a chiropractor

  • are a physical therapist

  • are a lactation consultant

  • already work as a birth keeper, but would like to integrate more mindfulness and movement into your practice

The journey…

 
  • The realities of birth work and the need for evolution

    Understanding your connection to birth

    Meeting your shadow

    Balance of masculine and feminine energies

    Conscious activism

    Boundaries in birth work

    Healing the mother and sister wound

    Conscious birth keeping

    Holding Space

    Removing shame and fear from your toolbox

    Processing emotions and energies

    Establishing your personal practice

  • The history of birth

    The shadow of birth

    Yoga: The Ancient Practice

    Ayurveda: The Ancient Science of Balance

    Foundations of Pilates

    Energetics 101

  • Anatomy of the birthing body

    The Four Trimesters

    Physiological Birth

    The Energies of the Childbearing Year

    The Sacred Portal

    Nourishing Postpartum

    What is Success?

    Mothering and Nourishment

    Birthing after Trauma

  • Intentional Embodiment

    The Practices

    Bring birth from the shadows

    Creating movement classes

    Leading partner energy sessions

    Language Matters

    Feeding Intuition during sessions

    Birth & Postpartum Planning

    Postpartum Doula Support

    Moving like Water: The Birth

    Integrating the Energies: Opening, Grounding, Rhythms

    Neutral Support

    Teaching peace through chaos and pain

    Guiding the home practice

  • Creating a business that reflects you

    Building your network

    Attaining your clients

    How to create an engaging website

    Your ideal client

    Finding your unique voice in the world

    Money magnetism

    Social Media that doesn’t suck

    Your packages

    Contracts

    Systems of your business

 

In Person Weekends

 
  • February 27- March 1

    Setting your Practice Space

    Needs Across Each Trimester

    Common Complaints

    Anatomical & Physiological Changes

    Seated Postures and Sequences

    Quadruped Postures and Sequences

    Stading and Balancing Postures and Sequences

    Wall Work

    Sequencing and Theming Your Class

    Private Clients and Sessions

    Meditation and Pranayama for Birthing Students

    Yoga for Birth Prep

    Birth Planning

  • April 24-26

    Energies of Postpartum

    Ancestral Practices

    Ayurveda for Nourishing the First 40 Days

    Pilates Fundamentals for Core Restoration

    Baby and Me Yoga Class

    Functional Movement Progression

    Postpartum Planning and Support

    Mental Health Concerns

  • June 5-7

    Niching Your Birth Business

    Writing Contracts and Setting Boundaries

    Pricing Your Offerings and Knowing Your Worth

    Comfort Measures for Birth

    Hands On Maneuvers

    Leading Mindful Couples Sessions & Workshops

    Energetic & Spiritual Hygiene

    Client Life Cycle

 
  • IN PERSON WEEKENDS IN ATLANTA

    Three in person weekends to learn hands on. This space is reserved for learning posture practices, sequencing, practice teaching, and our personal practice.

    Fridays 4-8pm, Sat/Sun 9-5pm

    February 27th-March 21; April 24-26th; June 5th-7th

  • WEEKLY VIRTUALS

    Lecture and conscious conversation

    Tuesdays 6-8pm // February 2nd-June 2nd

    *The last three sessions are office hours used for answering questions and offering any further assistance specific to the trainee’s needs.

  • MENTORSHIP

    12 months of access to support from Lauren Shields as you start teaching, building your business, and attending birth/postpartum space.

Meet your Guides

  • Lauren Shields, E-RYPT200, RPYT, YACEP, MS, CCC-SLP, CD(DONA)

    LEAD INSTRUCTOR

    Lauren Shields has attended over 90 births including home birth, hospital birth, vaginal birth + surgical birth, and has worked intimately with hundreds of birthing people in her studio. Her curriculum is designed with the intention of developing students into strong community leaders that can fully support students in the childbearing year with compassion and unbiased information, able to design effective and creative classes that address all the needs of their students. She is passionate that more knowledgeable prenatal and postpartum yoga instructors in the community can help to improve maternal mortality rates in the US, especially for black women.

  • Keisha Reeves, LPC

    PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH

    Keisha Reeves is a certified in perinatal mental health serving women who are trying to conceive, have fertility issues, have experienced infant loss, transitioning into motherhood as well as postpartum depression. She is the founder and clinical director of her group practice, Push Thru Therapy, in Atlanta, Ga. She has volunteered with Northside Hospital’s bereavement group. She serves on the Postpartum Support International Georgia Chapter Board. And she currently is one of the facilitators of the Mocha Moms Group at Atlanta Birth Center. Black maternal health and reproductive education is a strong passion of hers. Providing access to resources and providing mental health services to women of color is a mission of Keisha’s. Having suffered from postpartum anxiety disorder herself she understands the importance of creating a platform to help other black mothers going through the same thing.

    Keisha is a mother of two boys and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

    https://www.pushthrumom.com

  • Christina Kanu

    BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS

    Christina Kanu was named one of World Wide Women Group’s Women Influencers in 2016. She is the CEO of Christina Kanu Consulting LLC. Christina Kanu Consulting is a business and brand consulting firm. Her personal motto is “Changing the world one leader at a time” and she does this daily through her efforts. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated. Christina was named one of the Top 22 Sorors under 40 by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 2021. Christina also serves on the Board of Directors for World Wide Women Group. She received her BA from Old Dominion University in English Literature. She received her MA in African American Studies from Clark Atlanta University in 2018. She also received her Certificate in Women’s Entrepreneurship from Cornell University. Christina is the host of the Babies, Books, and Business Podcast. She uses this platform to help women navigate motherhood, business, and higher education.

    https://christinakanu.com

  • Iman Briann

    ROLE OF THE DOULA, COMFORT MEASURES, BIRTH PLANNING

    Iman Briann, Owner of Sacred Beginnings Births LLC is a dedicated and passionate sacred full spectrum birth and End of Life Keeper with over 11 years’ experience committed to transforming the realm of birth and death. 

    From the age of three, Iman felt an undeniable calling towards birth work, which has evolved into her life’s mission grounded in love and support for families. With a special focus on belly binding and the importance of healing during the fourth trimester (postpartum), she emphasizes the need for love and support during this critical time. 

    Through her compassionate approach and energy work, Iman becomes an integral part of each family’s journey, reminding them of their inherent greatness. She integrates her studies of metaphysics and ancestral traditions of birth into her practice, recognizing birth work as a form of ancestral healing. 

    Her powerful motto, "BIRTH WORK IS LIFE WORK," resonates deeply in her approach. Iman infuses life-changing honor and reverence into every family she touches, making her a vital advocate for those in need of support. Her unwavering commitment to birth work and community empowerment serves as a beacon of hope and love, inspiring others to embrace their own greatness and connection to the transformative experience of birth.ription goes here

  • Danielle Barton

    POSTPARTUM PLANNING + HEALING

    Danielle Lyles Barton is a bridge between worlds. Her work rests at the intersection of science and Spirit, rooted in ancestral womb work, womanism, reproductive justice, and transformation through education. Danielle is an alchemist, tending to life’s most vulnerable and sacred transitions—birth, loss, and rebirth. As a Postpartum Specialist with a deep reverence for women, she stands for the mothers, the ones who hold the generations (literally or metaphorically).

    As the visionary behind Blooming All Over and a certified birth worker with formal degrees in Psychology, Biology, and Public Health, Danielle has spent the past 15 years studying and weaving together holistic wellness practices that nurture the whole being, rather than simply treating symptoms. She stands at the forefront of the postpartum revolution, inviting Black and Brown families to reclaim what has always been theirs: sacred care, deep rest, and the right to heal fully.

    Her journey has been intentionally global. Danielle spent four transformative years living in South Korea, immersing herself in eastern medicine, followed by several months in Tanzania, deepening her connection to the land and ancestral practices. She furthered her studies in traditional healing under the renowned Queen Afua, whose teachings left an indelible mark on her work. Teachers and birth workers like Latham Thomas, Summayah Franklin, and Panquetzani have shaped the evolution of her care philosophy—layered, intentional, and deeply holistic.

    Danielle’s path has been blessed by sacred encounters with Afro-Colombian midwives in Buenaventura, Colombia—a reminder that her calling is ancestral. Her hands have been guided by those who recognize postpartum care as a sacred rite of passage, and she has traveled the world to sit at the feet of the wise ones. From midwives and herbalists in Guatemala to womb healers and elders in Thailand, Danielle has devoted her life to this work.

    Whether hosting international retreats or offering courses that walk women through their own healing, Danielle curates spaces where Black women and families can rest and restore.

    Designed to nourish and realign the Spirit, her offerings feel less like programs and more like portals. This same energy is carried deeply and intentionally into her postpartum work. While everyone else is thinking about the baby, Danielle is thinking about the mother—ensuring she feels deeply seen, held, and honored. As The MUTHA of Postpartum Healing, Danielle is here to teach you how to do the same.

FAQs

  • We have a strict no refund policy. Please make sure you are ready for this training prior to getting started.

  • Scholarship OPPORTUNITY:

    MMC offers scholarships to BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) trainees who plan to serve our most vulnurable birthing People, black & brown women.

    Requirements:

    •500 word essay sharing why you’d like to complete this TRAININg, the area you plan to serve, your background, etc.

    • must commit to the full 12 week program

    • share A photo of you serving your Village

    • share your IG PROFILE

    • SHARE YOUR WEBSITE (if you already have one.)

    Submission can be made below.

  • Yes, and we hope that you will. After this training, you will be ready to support birthing people as they prepare for birth, birth their babies, and coach them through postpartum. You’ll be prepared to do it both in person and virtually.

  • Yes, you’ll be ready to lead prenatal yoga, postpartum yoga, prenatal pilates and postpartum pilates Foundations class.

  • Paid in full at the start of training, the program is $3,000.

    We also have payment plans and offer Affirm

  • IEB integrates mindfulness and movement into how we support clients, and trains you for a wide range of offerings so that you can show up for your community how ever they most need you. Our program also focuses on helping you to create healthy boundaries and practices to help you build a sustainable business.

    Our program is also one of few doula and prenatal yoga programs that is led by women of color. Our program focuses on centering the voices and needs of BIPOC birthing people who don’t see themselves in other wellness spaces.

  • This program deeply integrates doula support to train a well-informed yoga and movement teacher who can show up for their students like a doula in the classroom or studio. A better understanding of birth culture supports inclusive conversations around the childbearing year, further building community where birthers feel safe and protected.

    Again, few prenatal yoga programs are written and led by women of color. This program aims to center BIPOC voices and needs to improve maternal outcomes for all birthers.

  • Yes. If you are a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance prior to the start of this program, you are eligible for your Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher designation after this training. YA requires that you teach 30 prenatal yoga hours prior between the training and receiving your new designation.

The Investment

Signing up for our program is not only an investment in yourself and your career, but also an investment in all the birthing communities that you’ll touch through with your new skills and new view of the childbearing year.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION: Take $300 off the full price when you register at an Open House or by December 21st, 2025.

What you’ll get:

  • IEBC Training Manual

  • Three 20 hour in person weekends in Atlanta with Lauren and guest teachers

  • 15 weekly virtual group calls

  • 12 months of mentorship with Lauren Shields

  • Over 75 resource links, articles, and pdfs

  • Access to Meraki Mama Collective in person yoga classes (observation + practice)

  • Eligibility for Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher designation with Yoga Alliance (given 200 or 500hr status)


OUR PROGRAM IS FULLY ACCREDITED BY YOGA ALLIANCE. ATTENDANTS HOLDING RYT DESIGNATIONS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR REGISTERED PRENATAL YOGA TEACHER DESIGNATION AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM**


$3000

$2700

UNTIL DECEMBER 21ST

Payment plans available

 

 

Apply for a scholarship to cover up to $500 towards your tuition

FILL OUT THIS FORM AND HIT SUBMIT TO APPLY FOR $500 CREDIT TOWARD YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PRIORITIZED TO BIPOC TRAINEES AND TRAINEES PLANNING TO SERVE BIPOC COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES.

 

** Yoga Alliance requires 30 hours of prenatal yoga instruction post certification to receive Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher designation.