By the time I was pregnant with my first child, I’d been teaching yoga for 8 years and practicing for 13. My home practice was robust and consistent, but I also regularly attended classes taught by other teachers at local studios, once or twice a week. Online yoga classes were not yet on my radar.
On an average day, I’d practice for 30-45 minutes at home, usually sequencing my personal practice like the classes I taught — a few warm ups and a little flow before building into a “fancy” pose.
On a really good day, I’d do an hour of yoga in the morning and then go to a 60-90 minute yoga class in the afternoon or evening.
I assumed that once I had my baby, I’d easily be able to get back into my daily home practice, plus a weekly class at a studio.
I was a movement professional. How hard could it be?
Turns out, very hard.
Everything changed when my first child was born.
Aside from the obvious — my body, my energy, and the fact that I was now responsible for keeping a tiny human alive — I no longer knew how to poop without freaking out, much less manage a daily yoga practice.
Getting to a class outside of my home was utterly out of the question. It took me more than a year after my first pregnancy to figure out how to restart my home practice, but it took me much longer to make it back to a studio for classes and I never went again regularly.
Studio classes are fantastic, but most aren’t really built with #momlife in mind.
On the other hand, online classes are fantastic for moms (and I know it’s not just me because I run an online studio of super short practices, specifically for moms) and I’m going to give you my top 5 reasons why moms can have a better yoga practice with online classes than they would at a studio.
1. Online yoga classes can be done anytime, anywhere.
Most studio classes have limited schedule options and not all are particularly mom-life friendly. When you do online classes, you can fit them into your schedule — especially a busy schedule that doesn’t stay the same week to week. The “anywhere” piece is also important. You can roll out your mat next to your bed, first thing in the morning if that works for you. You can do yoga in your living room with AirPods in while your kid watches Bluey or you can do yoga in your kitchen while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew. You can even take yoga with you on vacation if you have an internet connection. Having portable, accessible yoga is life changing.
2. You don’t need childcare.
Childcare is a huge challenge for moms in general and not just for a weekly yoga class. It can be an extra expense, in addition to the cost of the class, but it’s also a lot of labor to line up a sitter or friend or fellow parent. With online yoga, you don’t need childcare. Yes, if you practice at home while kids are around that might mean you get interrupted by a kid who needs a snack or their butt wiped, which is not ideal. But moving for a little bit or stopping then starting again is way better than not doing any movement at all.
3. Online classes are customizable.
You can choose practices that best support your needs.
Breastfeeding and have tight shoulders? Here’s one of my free classes for that.
Have a toddler at home with you and you still want to move your body? Here’s one for that.
Hips feeling tight and you have no idea how long your kid will nap? Here’s one for that.
Online yoga makes it very easy to give yourself exactly what you need.
4. Online yoga is more affordable.
This might be the most controversial reason I share, but as a mom with 3 kids, budgeting is important. Yoga on YouTube is free. Online studios typically cost $10/month to $60/month. Considering that you can take a yoga class everyday at home if you wanted to, those memberships are more bang for your buck than a $25 drop in class plus $$ for childcare that you might only manage to do once a month, if you’re lucky.
5. Online yoga takes less time.
It used to be that online yoga classes were just like studio classes, only filmed. They were long (60-90 minutes) and frankly, inefficient. Now you can find 5 minute morning yoga classes, 6 minute standing core flows, and so much more. There are yoga programs built around quick practices that make the most of your time instead of feeling like a time suck. I wish this had existed when I was a first time mom, because it’s definitely what I needed.
Motherhood is unpredictable. You need classes that are simple, quick, efficient, and fun. That’s where online yoga, when it’s done well, truly shines. Online yoga is ideal for busy moms who need something quick and effective, but that also feels good in our bodies. Because getting to a yoga class shouldn’t feel like a chore; it should feel like a gift to yourself.
Ever tried online yoga? What’s your take? –Naomi
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