Meet Raisa Cuevas, a dedicated yoga teacher specializing in pre- and postnatal yoga. With a passion for supporting mothers through every stage of their journey, she creates a space where movement, breath, and mindfulness nurture both body and mind. In this month's Teacher Spotlight, she shares her insights on the power of yoga during pregnancy and postpartum, her teaching philosophy, and the moments that inspire her the most. Read about her journey and teaching below!
How did you find yoga and what was your path from student to teacher?
When I first tried yoga in 2008, it was simply a physical practice during a college course for one semester. I just wanted a good stretch in between classes, and at the time I kind of tuned out the philosophical themes woven into each lesson. It took me another decade of random studio visits, midday corporate classes, and occasional pop-up rooftop yoga, before craving more consistency and depth to my practice.
I signed up for my first teacher training and unexpectedly discovered ashtanga yoga from one of the instructors. My curiosity for this traditional style quickly took my practice to the next level, evolving to be more structured and more spiritual. I became a more dedicated student, practicing several times per week in the Mysore-style self-practice, and taking further trainings to deepen my understanding of the eight limbs of yoga.
What followed naturally was a desire to share this knowledge with others, so I started teaching weekly alongside my full-time job. This then led me to host yoga retreats in the south of Spain, where I later took a sabbatical to spend more time on rest, reflection, and creativity. It was during this sabbatical that I got pregnant and quickly became passionate about the specialty of prenatal and postnatal yoga.
What is your approach or philosophy to your teaching?
Inclusion and empowerment are key values that guide my classes. I make sure to offer clear instructions and options for students to progress and regress the postures to their abilities. At the same time, I also seek to challenge students, to help them break through the mental barriers that get in the way of their own potential. These values are especially important in prenatal and postnatal yoga, where students often feel disempowered by everything they’re told not to do. They may also feel insecure about their changing bodies and how their experience compares to someone else’s, and I want to make sure those students feel seen and included.
How has your personal experience shaped your approach to teaching pre- and postnatal yoga?
When I first discovered I was pregnant, I had been practicing Ashtanga yoga for two years and had recently started training contortion and handstands. It felt exhilarating to make progress and get stronger–and then suddenly, I started to feel anxious about what I could and couldn’t do in these early days of pregnancy. It felt overwhelming to filter through the conflicting information online and all the unsolicited advice from family and friends. I had to strike a fine balance between learning enough to feel empowered to make my own choices, while also listening to my body to get out of my head and do what feels right.
Thankfully, I had a healthy and energetic pregnancy through which I practiced and worked out strong until the end and gently into postpartum. I teach knowing that the pregnant body is capable of incredible things, but also with careful consideration for each person’s unique experience. Pregnancy is not the time to push yourself, but it is a beautiful time to mindfully explore your body’s capabilities, whether that’s a seated meditation or a headstand.
What is your primary focus when designing yoga practices for expectant and new mothers?
Whether I’m designing a prenatal or postnatal yoga practice, my goal is for the new or expectant mother to feel empowered to trust their body and make the best choices for themselves. This begins with tuning inwards, building mind-body awareness, and using the breath to move with intention. These tools alone already provide immense benefits in preparing for childbirth and postpartum recovery, so I make sure to spend enough time establishing this foundation. As the sequence progresses, I remind students to explore where they need to cultivate more softness versus strength, offering various options for everyone.
What are some key principles or foundational aspects of pre- and postnatal yoga that practitioners should be aware of?
The breath and pelvic floor are critical tools from pre- and postnatal yoga that can support your pregnancy and postpartum. Your breath aids in creating space with each posture, and engaging your core to support your growing baby. It helps you connect to your pelvic floor, an important group of muscles that experience a heavy load and stretch as your baby grows. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles is important to support this additional strain, but for many people, learning to relax it is just as challenging yet essential for childbirth.
What are the benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy?
Practicing yoga while pregnant can reduce stress, build strength, improve stability, and connect to your pelvic floor–all of which are important as you carry a heavier load physically and mentally. Most prenatal yoga classes incorporate breathwork that can be used during labor, birth, and pelvic floor rehabilitation. They may also invite you to practice visualisations and affirmations which can help you stay calm and focused through childbirth.
Additionally, yoga can help create mental resilience. Not only in pregnancy yoga, but also in general classes, we often work through challenging poses. It can be interesting to observe where the mind goes during these challenges–each time we notice this, we are training our minds to observe and come back to a place of inward focus and peace. This kind of training can be especially helpful during labor, especially as contractions get stronger. Personally, my breath and mental focus were two critical tools that helped me experience a calm and present birth–in just two hours and 22 minutes. And of course, you never know how birth will go, no matter how much you try to prepare, but my yoga practice definitely played a huge supportive role!
How do you modify poses to accommodate different stages of pregnancy?
While there are no one-size-fits-all modifications, I typically invite my students to think about creating space–both physically and energetically. Physically, this might look like widening the stance for a forward fold or taking open twists instead of squishing the belly against the thigh–not because of some general “pregnancy rule”, but because it spatially makes sense as the belly gets bigger, and probably feels better! Some students will also benefit from taking extra time in their transitions to make space for a strong and stable entry. Slowing down here is important as the ligaments get softer mid-pregnancy, and as the body gets heavier towards the later stages. It also requires mindful use of the breath to direct one’s energy and move with intention.
What advice do you have for students who are new to yoga but want to begin during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a great time to begin yoga if you haven’t already started. If it’s your first time, I recommend starting with a specifically prenatal yoga class from a qualified teacher. That way, your experience will be tailored to the unique needs of your changing body. You’ll also meet other pregnant students, which is a lovely opportunity to share experiences and feel a sense of community.
What are the main benefits of postnatal yoga for recovery and bonding with a baby?
Postnatal yoga itself is great for rebuilding strength and core function. A qualified teacher will make sure you’re moving at an appropriate pace according to your recovery, which varies for each person. You’ll gradually reconnect to your pelvic floor and core, which have taken on a significant load throughout pregnancy and birth. It’s important to build up slowly, and postnatal yoga is great for this rehabilitation. Once you start to build strength and mobility, these will be helpful for keeping up with the demands of baby care–carrying the baby, lifting up heavy car seats, and picking up toys from the floor.
If you are lucky enough to have ”baby & me” yoga classes in your area, or if you’re a teacher confident enough to move together with your baby in your own practice, it can be a beautiful bonding experience. Even if your baby just watches you practice, you’re showing them a strong example of dedicating time for your wellbeing. As they get older, you can engage more and more with them–for example, sitting them on your hips as you lift up into bridge pose, laying them on your thighs as you take boat pose, or playing peek-a-boo as you shift forward and back from child’s pose. Babies love the movement, and it’s great for their development.
Can you share any tips for incorporating yoga into the busy routines of new mothers?
As a new mother, it’s important to let go of your previous routines and of expectations for your practice. Experiment with timing that works best for you, and know that every day will look different. Here are some approaches that have worked for me at different moments:
- Before baby wakes: Practicing in the early mornings can be challenging as you navigate your baby’s sleep patterns and try to get adequate sleep as a new mother. But when the conditions are right, early mornings can be a peaceful time to practice, before the mind gets cluttered with everyday stresses and distractions. Just be sure to go to bed on time or get some extra naps during the day. Alternatively, a short practice during your baby’s daytime nap might be just the pick-me-up you need.
- Together with baby: Set a blanket or another yoga mat next to yours, and let them enjoy the peace that your practice cultivates. In the newborn stage, they may not last long before wanting to be held or getting hungry. As they become more engaged with you and their surroundings, you can buy more time for your practice by making it interactive and fun to move together.
- While enlisting help: There’s nothing quite like having dedicated time for your own, uninterrupted practice. Whether that’s at your local studio surrounded by a supportive community or outdoors to enjoy some fresh air–it’s so refreshing to step away from the home and know that your practice will last all the way through savasana. Consider planning a weekly time where your partner, family, or a babysitter can look after your little one while you enjoy some guaranteed me-time.
Have you encountered any misconceptions about pre- and postnatal yoga that you’d like to clarify?
There is so much fear around movement during pregnancy and postpartum, especially for first-time moms. On top of that, inexperienced teachers err on the side of making the class too gentle and use too much fear-based language. The most frustrating advice I heard all the time was to avoid working your core, to prevent abdominal separation. The result is often that pregnant people avoid core work completely, and lose connection to these important muscles that need to support your growing baby. With proper awareness and technique, core work can be hugely beneficial all throughout pregnancy and especially in postpartum recovery. For specific exercises, check out your local prenatal / postnatal class, or see a pelvic floor physiotherapist for even more in-depth training.
For readers interested in delving deeper into pre- and postnatal yoga, what advice or resources would you recommend to them?
There’s a lot of valuable knowledge out there, and it can easily become overwhelming. Rather than try to consume everything and feel pressured to do it all perfectly, pick out one or two resources that align with your interests and values. Personally, these are some books I enjoyed the most.
- Expecting Better - An excellent examination of common pregnancy myths and lays out the facts, helping you to make informed decisions that you feel good about.
- Yoga Sadhana for Mothers - As an Ashtanga practitioner, I loved reading the diverse experiences of dedicated ashtangis in their early days of motherhood. They share the joys and challenges of pregnancy and their practice, and I found it quite refreshing and relatable to read these honest accounts.
- Ayurveda Mama - A holistic approach to preparing your mind and body for pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I’m still early in this book as I’ve started to explore nutrition and Ayurvedic practices for this stage of life, but so far it has been really insightful. I only wish I had read it earlier to set myself up for better nourishment during pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
Any final thoughts or messages that you would like to share with readers who are curious about pre- and postnatal yoga?
The path to motherhood is a daily practice in itself, with endless scenarios that challenge your mental state and urge you to find inner peace. There are so many parallels between motherhood and yoga that lead us to have more meaningful experiences when we combine the two–and that’s why I love sharing the practice of prenatal and postnatal yoga. Whether you are new to yoga or an experienced practitioner, prenatal and postnatal yoga offer uniquely valuable tools to new and aspiring mothers that will last you a lifetime.
Which Manduka products do you currently practice on, and what makes this mat your go-to choice?
I love the PROlite® yoga mats because they’re easy to move between my indoor and outdoor practice spaces, while still durable for my strong Ashtanga yoga practice when I’m on-the-go.
Along with these mats, I equip my yoga retreats with lean cork blocks, enlight™ round bolsters, and AligN yoga straps for optimal support–especially for pre- and postnatal yoga, but really for everyone!
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- Website: navayoga.io
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