Perinatal Yoga with Jane Austin: The Strength of Connection
When I was in the early weeks of pregnancy with my daughter Mae, I started going to prenatal yoga with Jane Austin. Each class began with a check-in. We’d go around the room and share how far along we were. As a person who worked hard to become pregnant, it was such a thrill to know that I was finally a part of “the club”. The past-due moms were especially awe-inspiring, with their (to me, at the time) huge bellies and that calm, hormonal glow I recognized from my own clients- a sign that birth was near.
We weren’t just there to stretch and strengthen. We were there to be in community. To connect to ourselves and to remember the bigger picture of what was happening in our lives.
Later, my partner and I took Jane’s one-day birth prep class, where my partner did her first (and last!) downward dog. And after Mae was born, I returned for the postnatal yoga classes. Jane and her assistants would hold Mae, and any other baby who needed comfort, so we could get in a much-needed session (and just get out of the house already! Wasn’t I more than just a mom?! Who am I?!).
Jane is a well-known expert in the field of perinatal yoga, pregnancy, and birth and a beloved resource in San Francisco and around the world. If you see someone offering perinatal yoga, most likely they were trained by Jane or are within the lineage of her teaching. Her classes are something I recommend to all of my clients.
Why I Refer Clients to Jane Austin Yoga
My clients are navigating major physical transitions while also juggling careers, relationships, caregiving, and big emotions. What I love about Jane’s classes is that they offer space to show up as you are. Her humor and tell-it-like-it-is style is refreshing, especially when you feel like you’re carrying more than anyone else possibly could or that your worries are unique to you. Being in a community with 40 other women normalizes your experience. Jane brings you back down to earth.
Her work pairs beautifully with Chinese medicine. In clinic, I use acupuncture, herbs, and bodywork to regulate the nervous system, support hormonal shifts, and address pain or discomfort. Jane’s yoga extends that care into daily life. Her classes encourage gentle movement, breath, and self-awareness. Her deep focus on pelvic floor health, core recovery, and true community care helps my clients feel more confident and capable in their own bodies and less alone in this season of life.
More Than Just a Yoga Class
Jane offerings include:
Prenatal Yoga – Designed to support your changing body, prepare for labor, and build community with other expecting parents
Postnatal Yoga (with or without baby) – A gentle, supportive way to reconnect with your body, restore core strength, and meet other new parents
Partner Birth Prep Workshops – A fun, practical way for birthing parents and their partners to learn physical and emotional tools for labor
Pelvic Floor and Core Support – Thoughtfully woven into all of her offerings, this work is key to long-term recovery and well-being
You can learn more at www.janeaustinyoga.com. Whether you’re trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or newly postpartum, I truly believe Jane’s classes can be a steady, healing force in your life.
If you have questions about how yoga fits into your care plan? Ask me at your next appointment. I’m happy to help connect you with resources.