Prenatal Yoga teacher Training

The journey…

Expectations of Birthing People
The Birth Landscape
Maternal Mortality Crisis
The Intersection of Oppression and Birth/Mothering
History of Birth
The Modern Birthing Person
Benefits of Prenatal Yoga
Birth and the Eight Limbs of Yoga
Ayurveda for the Birthing Year
Embodying Dark Goddess Energy
Womb Cycles and Reproductive Organs
Hormones
Blood and Fluids
Changes to Joints and Connective Tissue
Energetics
Common Complaints
Focus for Practice
Addressing Spiritual and Emotional Thresholds
Breaking down each asana and sequence for the pregnant body
Transitions: Entering and exiting postures safely and with ease
Elite cuing so anyone can enjoy your class
Sequencing and theming your classes
Utilizing props and wall work
Supporting core and pelvic floor health during movement
Building a business that speaks from your heart
Branding and your voice
What and how to offer your services
Creating a private clientele
Building relationships with providers and spaces
Ethics, Language, and Holding Community with Compassion
Reading list
Homework
Practice Teaching Hours
Submission of 60 min Prenatal Yoga Class teaching video
Village Network List
Monthly 2-hour virtual group circles to check in, ask questions, and have meaningful conversations facilitated by Lauren Shields.
Three 1-hour virtual private coaching sessions with Lauren to dig into your specific concerns, goals, and vision for the work.

Current Students Access On Demand Content Here:

Student Portal

Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

85 hours

Yoga Alliance Accredited
One In-person weekend in Atlanta with Lauren Shields
Virtual sessions for lecture and conversation
OnDemand content to go at your own pace
12 months of mentorship
Spiral Bound Full Color Training Manual
After completion, trainees will:
lead prenatal yoga classes, workshops, and private sessions
support their students with conscious birth conversation and preparation
create a sustainable business model to support their local birth community
teach yoga for all trimesters and special considerations
Early Bird Pricing $1,200

I'M READY!

The 85-hour breakdown:

in-person 30 hours

homework + reading 15 hours

practice teaching 10 hours

personal practice 10 hours

Mentorship Group calls 12 hours

Private Mentorship Calls 3 hours

Shadowing Lauren 5 hours

Birth Work as 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.

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
You do not need a yoga certification to participate in our program.

VIRTUAL SESSIONS

April 13th & 20th 6-9pm via Zoom
Group Mentorship Calls: Tuesday evenings 5-7pm (dates TBD)
Private Coaching sessions: Once registered, you can self-schedule your private coaching sessions.
IN PERSON WEEKEND IN ATLANTA

April 23-25, 2027
Friday, Saturday + Sunday 10-6pm
North Decatur (address provided upon registration)
MENTORSHIP

12 months of access to support from Lauren Shields as you start teaching, building your business, and attending birth/postpartum space via private What’s App chat group.
Group Mentorship Calls: Tuesday evenings 5-7pm (dates TBD)
Private Coaching sessions: Once registered, you can self-schedule your private coaching sessions.
Opportunities to Shadow Lauren

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

FAQs

We have a strict no refund policy. Please make sure you are ready for this training prior to getting started.
Yes, you’ll be ready to lead prenatal yoga classes, private instruction after our in-person weekend.
I highly encourage participants to start teaching immediately after our in-person weekend so that trainees can work through any concerns or barriers during the mentorship timeframe.
Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training: $1300
Early Bird Pricing: $1200
Bundle Prenatal and Postpartum Training for $1999 (programs slightly overlap)
Find out more about the Postpartum Yoga Teacher Training program here.
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.