Mum & Baby Yoga Teacher Training: Postnatal Insights with Orla Crosse
Women’s physiotherapist and yoga teacher Orla Crosse joins our Mum & Baby Yoga Teacher Training with Melissa Curtis each year as a guest speaker. 
Orla will be part of the training again for a special online session on Saturday, June 6th (9–11am), bringing her expertise in women’s health, pelvic floor function and postnatal recovery.
Understanding the postnatal body is essential when teaching mums and babies. During this session, Orla shares clear, practical insights to help teachers support mothers safely and confidently after birth. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of topics such as pelvic floor health, common postnatal conditions, and how movement and yoga can support recovery.
This session adds a valuable clinical perspective to the training and is always a highlight for participants.
Q&A with Orla Crosse
Why is pelvic floor health so important in the postnatal period?
Because the pelvic floor has undergone significant load, stretch and sometimes injury during pregnancy and birth. Restoring its function supports continence, core stability, sexual comfort, and confidence in movement. It’s also the foundation for returning to exercise safely.
What’s one thing most yoga teachers don’t know about teaching postnatal bodies?
That healing timelines are far longer than the traditional “6-week check.” Connective tissue, abdominal fascia, and pelvic floor function continue to remodel for months. Without this understanding, teachers may unintentionally offer movements that increase pressure or strain on tissues that are still vulnerable.
How can yoga support recovery after birth in a safe way?
By using yoga as a graded rehabilitation tool. Breath-led movement reconnects the diaphragm–core–pelvic floor system, gentle strengthening rebuilds tolerance, and mindful pacing prevents overload. The more understanding teachers have about anatomy and physiology, the more yoga becomes a safe bridge back to strength, mobility, and confidence.
What’s your top tip for helping teachers understand postnatal anatomy?
I teach anatomy through function not just memorising the muscles. When teachers grasp how breath, load, and pressure affect the pelvic floor and abdominal wall, they can instantly adapt poses, transitions, and cues. I have been told I have a way of simplifying movement and I want to share that.
What makes this online guest session unique compared to other trainings?
It blends physiotherapy, women’s health expertise, and yoga teaching in a way that’s rarely offered. I bring clinical insight from years of treating real postnatal women, combined with movement strategies that yoga teachers can apply immediately. It’s practical, evidence-informed, and grounded in the realities of postnatal recovery — not just theory.
For teachers who want to go deeper and spend more time learning with Orla, this session also links beautifully with her two signature in-person trainings:
- The Teachers Course — a physio-led deep dive into safe, confident teaching for all movement professionals
- The Women’s Health Course — a comprehensive, accessible education in pelvic health for all movement professionals working with women across the lifespan
More information is available via Orla Crosse Physio:
https://orlacrossephysio.ie/yoga/teacher-training-courses/
Mum & Baby Yoga Teacher Training in Dublin 2026 Dates
• 23–24 May 2026
• 4–5 July 2026
• Online guest lecture with Orla: June 6th (9–11am)
This training offers a well-rounded, practical approach to supporting postnatal students — combining yoga, real-world teaching skills, and expert clinical insight. Click here for more information.