Solmaz, Creator Of The Curious Creature Discusses How She Became A Yoga Mama

Written by Solmaz, Creator of The Curious Creature

The best thing I ever did during my pregnancy was spend one night a week in a prenatal yoga class filled with other expecting moms. You see, as my belly grew bigger and bigger I quickly realized the importance of building and maintaining muscle tone to minimize the aches and pains. Not to mention the benefits of stretching, increasing blood circulation and oxygen to Little L, the emotional boost and community building. But having never really practiced, I was a bit hesitant to enrol until my equally-pregnant friend Jazz (aka The Urban Traveler) asked me to join her at Toronto Yoga Mamas. I took that as a sign and, together, we embarked on a prenatal yoga journey — one that had me smiling from ear-to-ear after every class…

While there are a gazillion places you could practice prenatal yoga in the city, I’m convinced no one does it better than Toronto Yoga Mamas. That’s because they go beyond offering classes and truly make the space a community for moms. This studio has it ALL — I’m talking massage therapy, pelvic floor physio, info sessions (many of which are free), doula services, dozens of workshops (I went to the baby CPR training and it was fab) etc. etc. They even have the cutest little retail store with the most beautifully-curated baby products…

The moment I stepped foot inside the Queen East studio, I knew I was going to love it. There’s just something different about Toronto Yoga Mamas — a warmth radiates through the welcoming space and the smallest of details are considered. It’s like entering a well-loved home.

The studio is truly the perfect refuge for some “me time”: think sun-soaked yoga rooms (or candlelit if you go at night like I did) lined with all of the gear you’ll need (mats, blocks, blankets), relaxing music and softly-spoken instructors who guide you through a series of movements that will leave you feeling your very best. Add to this complimentary lemon water and DavidsTea (I always drank a mug during our sessions), a community library where you can borrow parenting books and, most importantly, the loveliest staff who understand exactly what you and your body are going through during pregnancy. Oh, and I hear they also have amazing post-natal services — I was hoping to sign up for the Yoga Babies classes, but time flew by and now Little L is crawling so I’ll have to check out the Crawlers Yoga Class with him. I digress… Back to how incredible Toronto Yoga Mamas really is; they truly gave me exactly what I needed at a time when I needed it most. With a body that was rapidly changing, a mind that wouldn’t stop and a schedule that was bursting at the seams, the prenatal yoga classes at the studio helped me slow down, relax and focus on the beautiful human growing inside me…

If you’re pregnant, do yourself a favour and just try ONE class. I guarantee you’ll love every single second and will wonder why it took you so long to join such a phenomenal community of women. Kudos to the founder, Jamie Kalynuik, for creating such an incredible space for moms. The ripples of your passion project are felt beyond the walls of the studio and have filled the hearts of many, big and small.

Solmaz is the Creator of The Curious Creature.
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