Inspiring Mumprenuer Series | Tessa Sanderson| Author, yoga teacher and menstrual educator

Welcome to the inspiring mumprenuer series featuring Tessa Sanderson who is an author, yoga teacher and menstrual educator

Imagine if you could have your dream job whilst being a mum.

Every month I invite business owners who inspire and help pregnant ladies and new mums with the service that they provide and who have also conquered this challenge to share their stories, from how old they were when they fell pregnant to how they have found the perfect work-life balance for their families now.

If you want to be inspired by stories of other mums in business and learn from their challenges and lessons read on to learn how their business can help you as a mum, how they can help you with the work-life balance and to live the life you want to.

I have known Tessa many years now and class her as a really great friend and colleague who has a really positive impact on my life. Tessa is such a warm, gentle and knowledgeable lady and I often refer people to her who I think she may be able to help.

We are both members of Everything Baby Berkshire, we have attended the same belly dancing classes, I am lucky enough to talk at the end of some of Tessa’s beautiful yoga classes for pregnant mummies, I attended and photographed Tessa’s really amazing 40th birthday which included a women’s circle, a belly dance teacher, photo booth, the most gorgeous vegan food served by a really lovely lady and inspiring guests. I have also attended a red tent evening that Tessa holds and have photographed Tessa’s family and business. I have even been known to recommend this Tessa’s services to my own family too.

Tessa is the author of Ruby Luna’s curious journey and Ruby Luna’s moontime (Think Adrian Mole's Secret Diary but for girls), Tessa has also created the pregnancy and birth colouring book with yoga Nidra, Tessa is also a yoga teacher and a menstrual educator, we’re going to talk about how Tessa got into her work and ask if she has any advice for pregnant mums.

Lets start with a bio? 

I've been a yoga teacher for 15 years with nearly 1000 women attending my pregnancy yoga classes. I have a PhD in Medical Sociology and an MSc in Nutrition, Exercise and Public Health. I volunteer as part of the Maternity Voices Forum at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. I'm also a Menstrual Educator and Author of five books.

What age were you when you got pregnant? 

I'm a mum of two daughters and I was pregnant at 34 and 36 years old.

Did you have any cravings or go off anything? 

I didn't have any cravings or aversions, but I was really, really hungry!

How do you get the balance between being at work and be a mum?

Now that my girls are primary school age, it's a little bit easier.  With the girls being at home because of the pandemic, I'm balancing their home learning with my online yoga classes.  We start at 9am and then on days I have a mother & baby yoga class they have an extended break while I'm teaching.  It works best if we're flexible. 

How did you get into your work?

When I was at university I started going to meditation classes.  I loved the calming effect the practice had and started going to yoga classes.  I wanted to share the benefits I experienced so completed my training.  After having my first child, I became interested in tracking my menstrual cycle and found that it really help me to manage my energy throughout the whole month. I trained to become a menstrual educator, which fits in well around the yoga classes.

What is your favourite thing about your work?

I love building community.  As a pregnant woman or new mum, it can feel isolating. When we find others that think the same way as us, it boosts our confidence in our parenting skills 110%.

What does your average working week look like?

I currently teach five virtual yoga classes. Around that I teach hypopressives 121 (good for prolapse, diastasis recti and incontinence) and birth preparation workshops as they're needed.  I love writing and that usually happens after the girls have gone to bed.

What is the biggest challenge about your work?

Yoga and hypnobirthing are well known now for the benefits for pregnancy and birth, but menstrual cycle awareness is still new to a lot of women.  Becoming aware of patterns in my cycle has really helped me find time to be productive with the time that I have around childcare and not burn out with juggling work and family life.  Often mums are interested in learning more about their bodies post-birth.

If you could give any advice to pregnant mums what would it be? 

Awareness leads to choice.  The more you are aware of the options available to you, the better you can create the right birth for you. The more you can be aware of what feels good for your body and keeps you calm, the better you're able to feel confident and positive approaching the birth.

Do you have a self care routine?

Menstrual cycle awareness and yoga nidra (relaxation) are essential. Go to www.tessayoga.co.uk/download-resources to try a yoga nidra for free.

What are your long term goals for being able to grow your business while raising your children?

I will be running more online courses for mums and daughters approaching puberty.  When mums have a positive experience through their pregnancy, they realise the importance of body image and self-care and that we can help our daughters feel positive about the changes their body go through and have higher self-esteem.  I'm running an online course around menstrual cycle awareness now with women from Italy, Spain, Italy, Ireland and England.  It's really exciting.

What treatments/services do you have for pregnant ladies and new parents? 

I teach pregnancy and mother & baby yoga classes (via Zoom at the moment; see www.tessayoga.co.uk).  I'm really proud of the online birth preparation course. It costs under £40 and is a wonderful gift for a couple expecting a baby (www.pearlsofbirthwisdom.com). There is also an online Mother & Baby Yoga course that you can do at a time that suits you, from newborn to crawling for less than £15 (https://womenswisdom1.teachable.com/p/mother-baby-yoga).

Best places to visit locally with children?

We always love going to Grey's Court National Trust property near Henley. With the play areas and beautiful woods it's a great place to burn off energy. They have a lovely café in the old dairy.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have childcare? 

I love to go to the Thames Lido for a swim and massage.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

It can feel like a whole new world when you find out that you're pregnant for the first time.  Let me reassure you that within a few days of your baby being born, you will be the expert on how your baby likes to be held and what song calms your baby down.  Being a mum can be hard work, but it also has the greatest rewards.

Please include your website here? 

www.tessayoga.co.uk (and for the menstrual cycle awareness www.cyclicalwisdom.com)  Follow me on FB @tessavenutiyoga or on Instagram @birth_wisdom_pearls