“We were at home for almost all of our labor, and put the massage skills Kari taught us to excellent use. Counter-pressure on my back was enormously helpful and I credit the techniques for allowing us to sidestep any pain medication.” 

- Amy D.

Deepen your birth preparation through essential massage, yoga, breath, and relaxation practice.

This workshop will provide you and your birth partner with confidence and an invaluable array of tools to support labor and birth, whether for your first baby or beyond.


 
 

In this workshop, together you will:

  • Learn how to relieve labor pain and muscle and joint discomforts of pregnancy using specific massage techniques.  This includes where and how to apply counter-pressure, appropriate types of touch during and between contractions, and use of good body mechanics to facilitate comfort and endurance in offering support.

  • Learn foundational breath techniques to gain energy, focus and calm.

  • Practice partner yoga postures to strengthen and open the body for labor and birth.

  • Practice positions that tap your body’s wisdom, align with gravity to ease your body’s work, and aid progression of labor.

  • Learn to use vocalization to focus your mind and relax your body through contractions.

  • Discuss the importance of mindset in framing a positive birth experience.

  • Receive 1:1 personalized guidance, only possible in this focused and intimate private or small group setting.

  • I regularly offer Yoga & Massage for Labor as a three hour private workshop at your home or at my office ($375 if in San Francisco).

A private allows me to fully focus on your personal questions and birth intentions, to discover what techniques may work best for the two of you, and to identify ways you can optimally use your home space for early labor (if planning hospital or birth center birth) or all of labor (if planning a homebirth). 


My husband Craig and I taught group Yoga & Massage for Labor workshops for 20 years until yoga studios and our hospital teaching space shut down due to Covid. We hope to bring these back perhaps later this year.

  • “Kari's intuition is both gentle and strong, and her presence brought my wife and I closer together. She is a skilled and experienced teacher, of both mind and body. I needed help becoming the strong, calm presence that I wanted to be as a birth partner, and Kari gave me the knowledge, confidence and toolkit I needed. “ - Bill S.

  • "Kari's coaching for labor/delivery transformed how I approached giving birth to my second baby compared to my first before I met Kari. The mantras, breathwork, and visualizations we practiced together played an essential role in navigating a medically complex labor. Despite the birth being challenging “on paper,” I was able to stay brave and connected in the moment to my baby and my own body and self - all thanks to Kari’s coaching." - Rachel R.

  • “Many thanks and blessings for your warmth and depth of knowledge leading up to our little one’s birth. You showed us how to connect like never before, and as a result, our labor was full of love, respect and beauty. You are certainly a healer and we will forever be grateful for our time spent with you and Craig.” - Jamie M.

  • "Kari and Craig's pace, content, resource listings and practical demonstrations were extremely helpful! The variety of partner poses and massage techniques were invaluable during labor, and because my husband and I learned them together, he was able to assist me in remaining present and focused when it got tough during labor. We acted as a team and felt closer than ever." ​“My husband and I LOVED Kari and Craig’s workshop. He feels so confident and enthusiastic now about what he can do to support me in labor and is looking forward to it!" "For 13 (!) years Kari has been both an inspiring and a steadying presence in my life. I am so grateful to have connected with her during my first pregnancy, and to have stayed connected since then. I hope to be lucky enough to keep learning from Kari for years to come.” "Kari is a gift. Practicing with her has expanded my heart and helped me to live more aligned with my authentic self and my values." —Laura B​​

 
 

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Learn more about my group classes and private offerings.