Prenatal Movement Class

An Invitation to Listen, Soften, and Trust

This class is an invitation to listen, soften, and trust the wisdom of your body and your baby. Rooted in prenatal movement science, birth psychology, and body-based awareness, Shape Shift supports pregnancy as a time of intelligent adaptation — not something to fix, force, or control.

Through gentle, intentional movement, breath, and guided awareness, you’ll learn how to work with your pelvis, tissues, and baby to prepare for labour and birth. Rather than following a preset yoga sequence, each class explores responsive, body-led practices that help create space, relieve pressure, and support the natural mechanics of birth.

Birth is not something the body needs to be taught — it is something the body needs to be supported to remember. Modern life often pulls us out of our bodies and creates holding patterns that can make birth more challenging.

We sit more, move less, override discomfort, and rely on external advice instead of internal cues.

Yet birth asks for the opposite: listening, responsiveness, trust, and cooperation between body and baby. This class exists to bridge that gap.

Instead of training your body to perform poses or chasing flexibility, Shape Shift helps your body communicate clearly — so you can sense what brings ease, what creates space, and what you and your baby need in each moment.

This series is built on the Body Ready Method 5 Pillars — a whole-body framework that helps the pregnant body become more balanced, mobile, coordinated, and birth-ready. Each class blends practical movement with body-led awareness, so you’re not just “doing exercises,” you’re learning how to read your body’s cues and respond in ways that support labour and help the body recover better after.

We explore how rib cage mobility, posture, and shoulder/upper back patterns affect:

breathing efficiency and pressure management
the way the core and pelvic floor respond
comfort in pregnancy and endurance in labour

You’ll learn to engage the core as a system that manages intra-abdominal pressure and supports movement and birth.

We move the pelvis to find access through the three levels of birth biomechanics your baby needs to pass through:

inlet (engagement)

midpelvis (rotation)

outlet (yielding and opening)

As well as:

Functional pelvic floor awareness (beyond Kegels)
How everyday movement patterns become the patterns your body uses in labour, and how to create more options and adaptability to access the space needed for baby
Breath, sound, and movement to support labour
Scar tissue awareness and tissue responsiveness
Prenatal bonding practices to deepen connection with your baby
Practices that strengthen instinct, intuition, and body trust
Exploration of the deeper communication behind symptoms, tension, or discomfort you may be experiencing
and so much more.

Joanne Yanke began teaching yoga teacher in 2006, certifying in Pre-post natal yoga in 2010. She is a BodyTalk Practitioner, birthkeeper, and infant sleep educator (neuroscience based), with a background in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) and is just completing her certification in Body Ready Method

. She supports individuals through pregnancy and birth using a birth psychology and prenatal bonding–based approach that honours the intelligence of both body and baby. Her work integrates BodyTalk, helping clients reconnect with their innate ability to sense what their body needs in each moment, and the Body Ready Method

, where she applies functional alignment, pelvic mobility, breath, and movement to support the pregnant body under changing load. Rather than prescribing poses or pushing flexibility, Joanne guides movement as a process of listening, trust, and communication. Giving you the understanding of how different movements support baby's birth journey. Joanne views pregnancy as a relational experience between body, nervous system, and baby. Her classes focus on building strength, space, and coherence to support efficient labour, smoother recovery, and deeper confidence in the body’s wisdom.

Jenel Maruk is a mother, Women’s Traditional Medicine Practitioner, and highly experienced birthworker with a deep commitment to supporting the female body through conception, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She is a Certified Body Ready Method

Pro, Registered Massage Therapist, doula, and movement teacher whose work is rooted in ancestral wisdom, hands-on pelvic care, and functional preparation for birth. Jenel brings a rare depth of experience in working directly with the tissues of the body, helping to restore mobility, responsiveness, and balance in the pelvis and surrounding structures. Her approach integrates traditional womb care, myofascial release, visceral and pelvic work, prenatal and postnatal movement, and trauma-informed bodywork. Through skilled touch and intuitive assessment, Jenel supports the body in releasing restriction, improving circulation, and creating space for both baby and birthing person. Jenel views pregnancy and birth as profoundly physical, physiological, and instinctual processes. Her work focuses on preparing the body for the demands of labour by supporting pelvic mobility, tissue adaptability, nervous system regulation, and functional movement patterns that translate directly into birth. In class, Jenel offers grounded, embodied guidance that helps participants feel safer, more connected, and more capable in their body — laying a strong physical foundation for efficient labour, supported birth, and smoother postpartum recovery.

Together, Jenel and Joanne offer the best of two worlds:

Jenel prepares the tissues, pelvis, and physical body through skilled, hands-on and movement-based work
Joanne supports body consciousness, prenatal bonding, and intuitive listening, helping participants understand what their body and baby are communicating

Both work from a shared Body Ready Method

foundation, ensuring continuity, safety, and functional integrity — while each brings a distinct and complementary lens to pregnancy and birth preparation.

How is this different from prenatal yoga or traditional birth classes?
This class combines:

Functional pelvic preparation grounded in the Body Ready Method®

A deeper understanding of how your body and baby move through pregnancy and birth together

Breath, sound, and awareness as practical tools for labour, surgery, and recovery

Prenatal bonding and intuitive listening, not just physical preparation

The goal is not to perfect poses or memorize techniques, but to help your body feel capable, responsive, and trusted — whether you are preparing for vaginal birth, a planned cesarean, or simply wanting to experience pregnancy with more ease, comfort, and confidence.
No prior yoga or movement experience is needed.

Practices are adapted as pregnancy progresses, and many participants attend throughout their pregnancy, returning to the same tools in different ways as their body changes.

These practices support:

Reduced tension and discomfort during pregnancy

Nervous system regulation before and after birth

A smoother physical and emotional transition into postpartum
What if I’m planning to use pain medication or have an epidural?
This class is highly beneficial. With an epidural often comes less movement, making this body preparation work more important.

Even with medication, your body is still doing the work of labour. Pelvic mobility, breath, positioning, and body awareness can support progress, reduce strain, and improve recovery.

Many participants find the breathing, movement, and awareness practices especially helpful before and after receiving pain relief.
What if I'm planning a c-section?
This class is supportive for any pregnant body.

The focus is on helping your body move, adapt, and respond more efficiently to the changes pregnancy brings and bring more balance— regardless of whether you are planning an vaginal birth, induction, or cesarean.
While we will cover movements that support vaginal birth specifically, the tools you’ll learn support comfort in pregnancy, nervous system regulation, and postpartum recovery across all birth paths.
What if I’m experiencing SPD, pelvic pain, or other discomfort?
Yes — this class can be supportive, with important considerations.

We work with gentle, adaptable movement and focus on awareness rather than forcing range or symmetry. Modifications are always offered, and participants are encouraged to listen closely to their body.

That said, this class is not a replacement for medical care or pelvic health physiotherapy. If pain is severe, worsening, or limiting daily function, we recommend working alongside an appropriate healthcare provider.
Is this class appropriate if I’m carrying multiples or have a higher-risk pregnancy?
If you are carrying multiples or have medical considerations, we recommend checking with your healthcare provider first.

You are always encouraged to move gently, take breaks, and modify as needed. Please let the instructors know privately if you have any specific concerns so we can support you appropriately.
Will this class help with labour positions?
Yes.

You’ll learn which positions support baby moving through the different levels of the pelvis and, more importantly, you’ll practice finding them in your own body. This helps your body recognize and access supportive positions instinctively during labour, rather than trying to remember instructions.

The class also addresses how modern daily habits can limit access to these positions — and how to restore that range so your body has more options when labour unfolds.
Is this class educational or more movement-based?
This is a movement-oriented class, guided by a framework that helps you understand how birth works and how to best support your body and baby through it.

Education is woven into the movement so you’re learning through experience — feeling what supports space, mobility, and ease — rather than memorizing information.
What if I miss a class?
Because this is an ongoing series, each class explores different aspects of preparation.

If you miss a week, you’re welcome to ask for a brief review of key concepts at the next class, and in some cases a handout may be available. Every class continues to support balance, strength, mobility, and space for baby, so you can rejoin without feeling behind.
What should I wear and bring to class?
Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move and breathe freely. Layers are helpful so you can adjust throughout class.

Classes are held in a martial arts space with a padded floor, so a yoga mat is optional — however, many participants enjoy bringing one for added grip and comfort.

Please bring:

A water bottle

A yoga mat (optional)

Any personal props you enjoy using (bolster, block, blanket, pillow)

All essential props will be provided.

You may also enjoy bringing a journal or notebook to reflect or jot down insights after class.

Classes Held Thursdays 7-8:15 pm

Session 1: February 5 - March 26 2026

Session 2: April 2- May 21

Session 3: May 28 - July 9

Classes are taught alternating between Joanne and Jenel. While a registered session is encouraged we know there is shift work, living out of town and life!

You can sign up and join for 8-week set or 6 session pass at anytime. Drop ins are available as space allows.

1635 29th St W Saskatoon

It is a nice big space on the lower level of the Mount Royal strip mall. Access through the Asylum Training doors next to the convenience store.

* Please Note- there is a Kitten on site, let us know if that is an issue and the owner will take her home. *

We are so excited to bring this much need class back to being in-person in Saskatoon. We look forward to seeing you there.

Questions or need support? Reach out to Joanne at Joanne@consciousbirth.ca or 3063413695

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