Dear Members,
You may have seen the recent CBC article about a pregnant student who was asked to withdraw from one of our Hot Yoga classes.
At Yoga Shack, we take the safety of all of our students and teachers very seriously. Despite our best intentions, and although we were following our own guidelines, it is understandable that this has caused questions and discomfort.
Like many stories that are layered and emotionally charged, the full story can sometimes initially get lost. I am committed to continuing our culture of openness and transparency and it is for this reason I’m writing you today, so you can hear the full story directly from me.
Our guidelines to protect expectant mothers and babies are based on analysis by the MOTHERISK program at the Hospital for Sick Children. With increased risks of neural tube defects and other possible malformations in pregnant women exposed to excessive heat, they conclude that practising hot yoga should be avoided. We understand that there are multiple philosophies when it comes to practicing yoga during pregnancy and Yoga Shack’s policies - regardless of pregnancy - are rooted in safety first - they always have been.
Please know I am always coming from a place of care, that said, I take responsibility for the situation that was created. A yoga student participated in our Hot Yoga class against our guidelines and she was asked to withdraw from the class. When it was discussed, we were unclear about the specific reason the participant was asked to withdraw from the class. I have taken immediate action to: update our website information related to expectant mothers and hot yoga, update our team and we are developing additional operational changes including the retraining of staff and informing affected students. We have been in communication with the Ontario Association of Midwives to begin a dialogue. This conversation is also ongoing in our community, including an even more recent CBC article that features an opinion on this topic from the chair of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Queen’s University.
I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that I would never do anything other than run my studio in a way that keeps clients and staff as safe as possible, especially in matters relating to expectant mothers, an area in which I have had much personal experience and loss. As a mother to two daughters aged 11-months and 5-years, I know the power of yoga and the importance of all forms of exercise both during and after pregnancy.
We need to continue to work together as a wellness community, fostering an environment of safety. If you would like to talk about any of our policies, I would be happy to continue the dialogue directly with you at info@yogashack.ca. It is through these open conversations that we ensure a safe and supportive yoga environment for everyone.
Sincerely,
Lisa Shackelton
Yoga Shack
P.S. - Thank you to everyone that continues to write and call daily with messages of support and love. It means the world to me. Many of you have asked questions about this issue and below are a few questions and answers that I’d like to share in an effort to continue to connect with everyone openly and honestly. I hope they help.
When did you create / implement this policy?
Yoga Shack is a small business, started by Lisa Shackelton in 2008. We offer the longest running prenatal programs in London and this has always been our policy.
Have you had this issue arise with other members before?
We have had this conversation with a number of women over our 8+ years of business. Most haven’t thought about the potential impact of hot yoga and switch out to an alternate, non-heated option until they deliver their babies.
Why do other yoga studios allow pregnant women to practice?
There is a lack of consensus among the medical community about the level of risk of hot yoga for expectant mothers and because of this lack of clarity and to protect everyone’s health, we have chosen to have a policy that diverts our members to alternate class options.
What other yoga options are there at your studio for pregnant women?
We offer a flexible class pass to take advantage of non-heated prenatal yoga that offers modifications to poses.
Why not train your staff to work with pregnant women in the hot studio?
Our teachers have diverse teaching backgrounds including prenatal classes.