Prenatal Yoga Center

Helpful and casual class
Instructor was very relatable and easy going but also very knowledgable

This place was my sanctuary throughout my pregnancy. I started coming at around 16 weeks, and went all the way through my pregnancy, which since overdue, meant I got an extra week of classes! I even did my best to structure my work and school schedules so that they would allow me to come to my favorite weekly classes.
Coming here allowed me to find peace and centering during the transition into motherhood. It allowed me to find physical stability while dealing with the emotional, psychological, and life in general transitions of this time. The classes are so informative — Deb, the owner, director, and one of my weekly teachers, is a fountain of information about the pregnant body, yoga, breathing, birthing procedures… and basically anything you may want to know. Plus, everything she talks about in class is supplemented by her extensive and informative blog. She personally trains all the teachers in the studio, and so the philosophy and commitment is evident throughout. I can personally attest to class with Deb, Jennifer, and Tara, as well as a couple of the teachers in training/​subs. The class environment is warm, friendly, and all aches, pains, questions, and concerns are welcome. In fact, each class is geared towards allowing the students to work through their physical changes and sensations. The studio says their tenets are community, education, and asana — and that comes through every class I took here.
The most important and beneficial asset to note about PYC, however, is how helpful the classes are in preparing for labor and birth. Class is geared towards teaching how to manage and relax during intense sensations. During labor, I found myself turning repeatedly to the techniques, mantras, breathing exercises, and physical tools I learned through PYC. Beyond that — the most important tool to have for a pregnant woman is information– the more she knows about pregnancy, labor, birth, the pregnant body, her rights… etc., the more powerful and in control she will feel. Birth never goes as planned — mine certainly didn’t– but all the information I had gave me a voice, allowed me to ask the right questions and make important requests that allowed me to have an experience that was beautiful and nurturing despite not being what I had wanted. The childbirth Ed classes and yoga classes at PYC were integral to my highly positive transition into motherhood.
I am already counting down the days until I can come back and take postnatal and mommy and me yoga!

My favorite part of being pregnant (besides getting subway seats), was going to prenatal yoga. I looked forward to this class every week. I did some yoga and pilates before pregnancy, and I always felt like hour-​long classes were too long. Here, the 90 minutes flew by every time.
Why did I love it?
1. Pregnancy is tough on your body, and these teachers know exactly how to stretch and move to make the aches feel better.
2. The teachers are so knowledgable. I think they are all doulas, and they always had great tips and advice on labor – and they are happy to talk before and after class. Seriously the nicest women ever.
3. It’s good to feel normal! To hear that others were going the same aches, pains, and emotions that I was helped me answer the persistent question I had all through pregnancy: Is this normal?
4. No judgments. While they teach you techniques to get through contractions, they don’t judge if you do an epidural. And I share their philosophy of trying to make labor as natural as possible (like avoiding c-​section) but overall just doing what’s best for baby and knowing that your body will be equipped to handle anything.
The only downside is that sometimes the classes got very full. But certain nights had a lot fewer people, so I tried to schedule around those classes when possible.
I don’t miss much about being pregnant, but I do really miss prenatal yoga. I have recommended this studio to all my pregnant friends.

Hands down the best studio for PRENATAL, POSTNATAL, and Mommy&Me YOGA. The instructors are all excellent and trained to teach under the tutelage of Deb herself (the owner/​founder).
The studio is also wonderful about getting back to you if you have a concern or question. Deb usually answers the emails herself.
Deb’s blog, is another favorite read of mine:
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I wrote a review several weeks ago. Recounting an experience in which my wife arrived at a class just to be turned away and told that it was full. Along with several other PREGNANT women.
And it happened again today. One of the women turned away is due in TWO WEEKS.
Several pregnant women, traveling in the freezing cold of NYC in Feb., and arriving at a facility to practice prenatal Yoga, just to be turned away.
Let that sink in for a moment.
When I wrote the review, I got what I would consider a fairly weak response. Indicating that sold out classes are «rare» (apparently not on Saturday), and that they chose not to offer pre-​registration because they serve «a unique population» (you mean like pregnant women who shouldn’t be traveling somewhere for no reason?) and that studios that offer pre-​registration «also have a cancellation policy ranging from 1 — 24 hours advance notice without being charged» (this is at the discretion of the studio. They can EASILY offer an incredibly liberal cancellation policy for their «unique population». My trainer allows me to both pre-​register AND cancel at my own discretion. Because he does good business with loyal clients. This facility should take notes…).
So apparently they believe that their unique population is better served by NOT offering pre-​registration, but instead by running the risk of traveling in the freezing cold while pregnant just to be turned away because their classes are full. But of course you’re only made aware of this when you show up for no reason.
Brilliant. Don’t present yourself as an entity offering a service in the best interests of your «unique population» if you’re going to inconvenience them to this degree.
But I guess when you know your client base will likely only be with you for 9 months, you don’t have to treat them well.
They really need to get their act together here.

I started here when I was about 16 weeks and it was a pretty instant game changer for me. I almost immediately started feeling a lot better, less achy and have learned a great deal of tips from the instructors. I find them to be extremely knowledgable and excellent instructors, all have a little different style which is also nice to experience.
The only drawback is the space, some classes are very packed and as others have mentioned sometimes difficult to constantly adjust to make sure you have enough room to practice. A couple of times the classes were too full so I wasn’t able to attend but if you get there early enough it shouldn’t be a problem (especially on Saturdays). That and I find the studio to be a little on the pricey side but overall it’s been so beneficial that it’s been worth it to me to continue throughout the pregnancy. I would love to continue post pregnancy but I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford it.

My husband and I took the childbirth class with Terry and loved it. She’s a great teacher– engaging, tells lots of stories, clearly has a ton of hands-​on experience as a doula and extremely supportive. We feel much better prepared after taking the class and can’t imagine NOT taking the class. I think a lot of it has to do with Terry’s teaching style. If I didn’t already have a doula, I probably would have hired her.

I can’t say enough good things about this studio. Deb, the owner, is probably the best yoga instructor I’ve ever had– and I’ve been doing yoga for over 10 years. I keep joking that I’m going to pretend to be pregnant so that I can continue to do the prenatal classes! they are so good and really prepare your body for pregnancy. the good news is that you can take post-​natal classes after you give birth, which I’m presently doing, but there are only 2 of those offered a week. But there’s also «mommy and me» classes which are really cute, and depending on the instructor, you really get a decent workout! For prenatal yoga, in addition to Deb, Michelle and Donna were also FANTASTIC.

I am a 2^nd time mom.
Being a healthy 2^nd pregnancy and having a penchant for active yoga, I was initially skeptical about completing prenatal (as opposed to regular) yoga classes. However, the PYC classes proved extremely worthwhile and certainly helped me achieve the all natural birth I desired.
Admittedly, Saturday classes were a little cramped. However, I would see this as a testament to PYC’s popularity. If prospective PYC goers perceive this as problematic, they could attend weekly classes where crowding was never a problem.
Instructors are knowledgeable and put their own ‘spin’ on each class. Therefore, if you attend more than once a week, it was helpful to have the option to attend classes with different instructors to vary the experience.
Finally, instructors thoughtfully remember students. They make the prenatal experience for 2^nd timers every bit as special as that of 1^st timers.
I’m looking forward to sampling PYC’s Mommy & Me with my baby boy in the coming weeks!

I have given this place a few try’s before writing a review…
First, the biggest reason they’ve lost 3 stars is the studio itself. It’s way too crowded for starters. You can’t achieve most posses without adjusting for mom’s next to you or the wall. In my opinion, yoga is supposed to be relaxing and even more importantly, spiritual. When you’re constantly having to shift about and be cautious of others space, it takes away from that. Also, the lighting, street noise and loud AC unit all take away from the experience.
I neither have anything good or bad to say on the instructors themselves… I personally only experienced 2 of them and they’re sweet but as far as prenatal yoga goes, I’ve had MUCH more personal experiences else where.
They do offer the best prenatal scheduling that I’ve seen; compared to a lot of places only offering prenatal specific classes once or twice a week. And I thought their introductory monthly cost, as well as the regular monthly cost was very reasonable. Going 2 times a week only ends up being $ 15 a class!
Before committing to this studio, I would recommend checking it out first. Good luck and happy baby days! :)

This review is for the Childbirth Education class (though the yoga is great — but can get quite crowded!). We just had our 2 day intensive Childbirth Education class with Terry Richmond, and it was by far one of the best things we’ve done for ourselves since we found out we were pregnant. What’s great:
— Terry! She’s incredibly personable, knowledgeable (has so much experience with every hospital and knew almost every doctor named in the room), open-​minded, honest and non-​biased. She fairly explained the pros and cons of all birth plans and choices — she never pushed any agenda.
— Small, intimate class size — a very comfortable environment to ask questions
— More information than you could ever read in any book, magazine or hear from any friend
— You leave with a sense of confidence about your options and what is most important to you, your partner and your baby
Tips:
— Wear comfortable clothes — for women, if you can, wear yoga pants or leggings
— Women, be prepared for some pretty uncomfortable sitting — any time you’re sitting for that long, it gets a little painful, but you’re sitting on bolsters, balls or portable seats on the floor for 2 hours at a time (Terry gave very generous breaks at the 2 hr mark) — so it can get quite uncomfortable.
— Take the class once you’re past the 30 week mark. We are only 21 weeks, and if we could do it again, we’d wait until we were closer to delivery to ensure that we retain all/​most of the information.
All in all — we’re very happy we took the class!

Great place for expecting mothers. Some of my clients where very happy with this place

I’m not a yoga person. I usually feel antsy during yoga and like my workouts to be a bit more intense. I was nervous about going to classes at the Prenatal Yoga Center because they seemed so long (90 min) on the schedule and I had no idea how I was going to be able to sit through a Yoga class that was twice as long as my Soul Cycle classes! That being said, classes at the PYC have become something I really look forward to attending (and even may ‘work from home’ for so that I can be sure to attend Deb’s classes). I began at about 30 weeks because I just felt that I was getting so large that I needed to focus on stretching and moving in a different way and after my first class with Deb, my body felt so much more flexible and less achy.
I had taken yoga classes before at various locations but always felt that they were a bit risky because one wrong move and you’ve pulled something in your back. In the past, instructors don’t really take the time to walk around and make sure that you’re doing the poses correctly and not injuring yourself. This is especially important while pregnant and the instructors at PYC really watch out to make sure everyone is being careful and doing the poses correctly.
Classes begin with everyone going around the room and sharing their name, how far along and any issues going on with their pregnancy. If you’re like me, and don’t have many pregnant friends or friends with kids, this is a nice way to feel more connected and part of a larger community during your pregnancy. The mix of people who go to the classes is also nice. It’s not one of those places where everyone is die-​hard yogis who only eat organic and have their favorite ashram they visit in India. It’s a place for regular Manhattan-​ites who just need a little bit of yoga in their lives.
Deb, the owner, is a great instructor who is always available after class or by email with recommendations and advice. The studio as a whole is very approachable, warm and friendly. Support classes are offered for a range of different topics and all are affordable. The PYC is a real community with instructors remembering your name after the first class and showing a genuine interest in how you’re doing during your pregnancy. I’d highly recommend it to any pregnant woman.

I love the Prenatal Yoga Center on 72^nd str! I’ve had several instructors but have sticking to the Wednesday sessions with Michelle. She is my favorite! I was new to yoga and had heard of the benefits so I started early, around my 13^th week so I could improve before I got too big. Michelle has been wonderful! The music she uses is very relaxing and she does a great job of varying the poses and taking extra special care for people with specific issues. I really enjoy the flow of her classes, and I also appreciate how she weaves good tips into the exercises for what is great for contractions and/​or alleviating aches and pains in certain areas. I have also been with 2 or 3 of the other instructors and they’ve also been great. if you’re new to yoga, its perfect or even for the experienced person looking for modifications while you’re pregnant. I highly recommend them!

My wife and I recently attended childbirth education classes at the PYC and were very happy we did so. We both felt so much more confident about our upcoming experience afterward the classes, which were given over a Sat & Sun.
While we had a unique birthing experience, so does everyone else! But the point, for us, was just feeling like we understood what was going on and where we would likely have opportunities to participate in decision making. When active labor is only a handful of minutes, you may not have all the choices you thought you may have!
We had different instructors each day which was interesting and nice because everyone has different experiences. We enjoyed both instructors and felt the information was consistent between the two (where there was overlap, which there wasn’t much of).
There were 4 or 5 other couples in the classes and the instructors did a good job at getting everyone comfortable with each other, which I felt was important because the «good» questions/​concerns may not be asked otherwise.
We chose to attend classes at the PYC because the website for my wife’s local prenatal yoga class listed the PYC as a great reference for more information, and after checking it out, we agreed… so the next time we were visiting friends in the city we attended class.

I am a first-​time mom. My pregnancy has been healthy, but for the first half of pregnancy, I experienced hyperemesis (extreme morning sickness). By about 14 weeks, I had lost almost 15 pounds from my already small, toned frame, and then was on IV fluids for a month. So I was grateful that baby was doing great, but as an expectant mom, I was feeling frustrated day to day.
At that midway point of pregnancy, I started yoga, taking a prenatal class at both Pure Yoga and PYC. I hoped to regain stamina for labor, and felt unsure about what was possible with my rocky start.
What occurred for me was about 100% more fulfilling and wonderful than that! While the class at Pure Yoga was just a yoga class, and I left feeling tired and indifferent, the class at PYC was the opposite. As I started, I could feel the tone of the place was focused on support for entering motherhood.
Beyond the classes I took, PYC provides a network of classes on the relevant pregnancy topics, many of which I hadn’t previously found time to explore: teaching your partner how to massage you during pregnancy, breastfeeding instruction, baby CPR, etc. Why would you go to a yoga center that JUST offers a yoga class, without any of the complimentary resources for the rest of your pregnancy experience? Over weeks, I found a treasure in the guided classes, a sincerely warm environment lead by knowledgable teachers.
They are versed not only in yoga, but also a host of other pregnancy resources, from books to recommendations of colleagues, and some are even doulas, happy to dispense great advice upon your inquiry.
I highly recommend, and I’m partial to Deb’s classes– I will certainly do post-​natal there. We also did the partner massage class which was nice. Read her blogs at the website, and give it a try (no matter how rough a time you may be having!)

I just went back to the Prenatal Yoga center for POSTnatal classes. I have a 4 and 2 year old and even with all the other exercise I do, I just feel that they understand women’s bodies and how much they change to make those cute babies. I appreciate being in the same room with other moms and the teachers know what they are doing. It’s great to be back there.

Space is cramped, find it a bit pricey, staff is knowledgeable and helpful but I was the only brown girl there —
Three stars and I’m being generous

After «yoga-​ing» for most of my pregnancy, I decided to try the postnatal and mommy and me classes since they allow you to use your prenatal classes for postnatal classes if you go into labor. These classes provide the same calming environment as the previous prenatal classes… with the addition of screaming babies. If you can find your «Oms» through baby wails (my munchkin contributes), then it is a good class and this place provides a good class.
P. S. It is nice to be able to go to a place where they know your name by heart… sorta like CHEERS but without the alcohol and of course not a TV series.
They offer a drop in on your first time so why not just try it. If you don’t like it or like their policy then don’t join. It seems pretty risk free to me.

I really like the classes themselves and find that each instructor adds their own benefit to the class, but I feel like they are only catering to the demographic of those who live in that neighborhood or vicinity, which you can put together by their address.
They, being Debra Flashenberg the owner, are extremely rigid with their rules; like drop ins only on Saturdays and no extensions on your series packages no matter what. If you don’t use your classes you lose them. I don’t object to these rules and can even understand them. However, we just experienced two snow storms almost back-​to-​back and the center remained opened during the storms and classes went on uninterrupted. She stated that many individuals actually showed up to those classes even while the snow was coming down, so she was not lenient on extensions due to the weather. What they don’t realize, or realize and simply don’t care as I suspect, is that probably everyone who showed up to those classes lived in the neighborhood or even in Manhattan, so it wasn’t a difficult trek. For those of use who live further away, like the boroughs, commuting in a snow storm while very pregnant is absurd and risky. I tried to explain that my streets/​sidewalks don’t even get shoveled or plowed until the snow stops, making it very difficult to maneuver, but they simply would not budge.
I honestly felt offended at this blatant bias and lack of consideration for the health of my baby and myself. I understand remaining open for those who can make it, but you should be lenient to those who cannot make it in severe weather! Because of my schedule missing those two classes meant that I either take evening classes, which would get me home close to 9pm, which for an exhausted pregnant woman working full-​time just sucks, or lose the two classes. Complete rip-​off.
So, if you live in the city and don’t foresee any complications in getting your classes in, regardless of weather, or you simply don’t care about losing a couple of classes, then this is the place for you. But if, however, you live a distance away or are concerned about losing unused classes, you may want to reconsider joining PYC.
A side note, Debra «Deb» Flashenberg is also a registered doula, so I’d keep her business practices in mind if ever considering hiring her as a doula. Although I do think she only accepts clients that are members of the yoga center.
I’d originally given them 3 stars but then a further incident occurred and I posted an update, then Unilocal removed my update at the request of PYC, so now they get 1 star.
I find it interesting that there had only ever been one review on here prior to mine, over many months. On the same day that the owner, Debra F., comments on my review, they get another 5 star review praising them and disputing my review, and now a 5 star review every day since. Coincidence? I rather think if you’re smart enough to be checking reviews before giving your business to someone, then you’re smart enough to know that is likely a phony review instigated by PYC. That, to me, loses yet another star or two. For seven months there was one review, and now there is daily activity!
As I said, I understand their practices and guidelines, but you have to be fair, even in successful business practices. I didn’t expect them to make an exception for me, I expected them to do it for everyone in the same situation. I’m no novice to running a business, and am well versed on solid and satisfactory customer relations. Call a spade a spade; they’re biased.
Will Unilocal sensor me yet again?