Meet Elissa Cirignotta

Tell us a bit about your prenatal yoga series. Why did you start the series?

I’ve been teaching yoga for a very long time but this transition to Prenatal Yoga has been quite healing for me. Yoga has become one of my constant companions. It has helped me move more gracefully through many transitions of life. I started this series last year because I needed it. In the midst of a global pandemic, parenting a toddler, and experiencing two pregnancy losses I was craving a community of women. I wanted connection to women who were experiencing a similar life evolution. I wanted to hear stories, hold space, be heard, breathe together, and share intentional movement and my love of this practice with other women.

This series is ideal for women between 11 weeks and in labor. Yoga beginners are welcome and encouraged.

What makes your approach different?

These classes are a balance of connecting with other women, breathwork, meditation, and physical yoga asana. This series is not about advancing our practice. It is dedicated to connection with others, internalizing our awareness, calming the central nervous & hormonal systems, toning birthing muscles, improving stamina, balance, focus, and coordination, and alleviating common aches that may occur during pregnancy or postpartum.

How does Prenatal Yoga benefit people?

For me, motherhood, pregnancy, and postpartum has been the most vulnerable time of my life. It’s expansive and raw and beautiful and wildly difficult at times. Having other women that we can share this journey with is priceless- especially right now. After my c-section in 2018 I poured myself into learning about and healing my own pelvic bowl. This Prenatal series is intentionally designed to equip pregnant people with tools for a healthy, calm, and mindful approach to their experience through pregnancy, labor, and birth.

We cultivate both awareness and function in the core, including the pelvic floor and incorporate movements designed to encourage optimal fetal positioning. Every week we focus on a different part of the body and address many common pregnancy aches and pains. Postures that can support you through labor and birth are introduced throughout the series as well as sent home in our weekly resource email.

I hold several intentions for this series:

• One very important one is to enhance the enjoyment of pregnancy and motherhood as this sacred and special time in our lives.
• I hope this series helps women experience ease in their bodies while gently and slowly stretching tight muscles and that it reminds them to return back to their breath and body.
• I hope that through this series we will all choose to reach for helpful mental stories when things feel hard or scary.
• I hope that it helps us to trust in the unfolding, surrender to the process, trust in our bizarrely magnificent bodies, and trust in the brilliant intuition in which we have been gifted.
• I hope it helps women to connect to their beloved baby(ies).
• I hope it reminds them that they are not alone.

What gets you up in the morning?

Dark coffee with cream, knowing toddler giggles are around the corner, and watching my garden grow.

What do you love about the Greater Des Moines community?

I love that this community is in such a nascent stage. There is so much change and growth happening and it’s really exciting to both witness and be a part of.

What’s next?

Next up I plan to birth my second child! We’re expecting our little one to arrive sometime in July. I’ll be taking a 3 month maternity leave to rest, heal, and snuggle and then plan to start in-person Prenatal and Postpartum Mom and Baby Classes at Sacred Health this fall.

What do you have coming up?

The upcoming series is a mini virtual offering so you can participate from the comfort of your home:
May 23rd, June 6th, 20th, 27th
Sundays 2-3:15 p.m. Central
$50 for all 4 Classes OR Drop-in for $15 a class.

May 23rd: Classical Prenatal Yoga Postures
June 6th: Lateral Stretches & Releasing Postures
June 20th: Prenatal Slow Flow w/ Classical & Releasing Postures, Lateral Stretches, and Restorative Poses
June 27th: Restorative Prenatal Yoga

Info and Registration: http://www.happymindfulpeople.com/yoga-classes
ElissaCirignotta@gmail.com

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About the Our Health Community Series

“Our Health Community” is a blog series by Capital Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center designed to celebrate health-centered causes, services, and businesses in Greater Des Moines (DSM). Explore “Our Health Community.”