Sarah Clifton, founder of Every Body Flow | Yoga for Māmā, is passionate about supporting mothers and parents through one of the most transformative stages of life. She believes in the power of movement, breath and community to nurture both physical and emotional wellbeing. After experiencing the physical and mental demands of an IVF journey, pregnancy and early motherhood, Sarah set out to create a space where parents feel seen, supported and strong. Drawing on her specialised training in pregnancy and postnatal yoga, along with her lived experience as a mother and stepmother, she founded her business to offer inclusive pregnancy and postnatal classes that balance strength, stability, gentle release and calm. Her baby-inclusive approach not only supports recovery and resilience for mothers and parents, but also creates a calm, engaging environment where babies can be part of the practice. Here, she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind her work, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I’ve always loved movement, but after becoming a mother, I needed it in a completely different way. Yoga became one of the most powerful tools I had to support both my mental and physical health, especially as someone living with ADHD. That experience is what led me to create inclusive spaces where people can come as they are on their unique parenthood journey and feel safe and supported. Inclusion and accessibility are central to my ethos. Motherhood can also be incredibly isolating, and having a space to move, breathe and connect with other mums and parents can make an enormous difference to someone’s wellbeing. For me, it was always about creating not just a yoga class, but a place where mums feel understood and supported, surrounded by others in the same season of life.
When I was pregnant, I called so many studios in Auckland to ask if they offered pregnancy yoga classes, and most of them said no because there weren’t enough specialised teachers in the city. It quickly became clear that there was a real shortage. In my postnatal period, I loved going to yoga and Pilates classes, but I only really had time for one studio class a week, so I had to choose between them, even though I needed elements from both, especially as I was dealing with pelvic instability and back pain. That experience stayed with me. I knew other mums would be navigating the same thing, needing both strength and release with limited time. That inspired me to specialise in pre- and postnatal yoga teaching. My classes focus on both the calming and releasing aspects of yoga and on building strength and stability in the core, pelvic floor and other muscles that support mothers in daily life.
While I was still on parental leave, I started an online pregnancy and postnatal yoga teacher training. It was amazing to experience it during my own postnatal period. I even attended some of the live video calls while breastfeeding and nap-trapped! Becoming a parent also gave me the space to get clear on what I wanted to do with my time. I had always envisioned being an entrepreneur and had dabbled in trying to start something before, but never quite got anything going. As a new mother, I felt like this was the moment if there was ever going to be one. After completing my training, I began teaching pregnancy and postnatal yoga at Unity Studios, which gave me invaluable hands-on experience and helped me refine my approach while continuing to learn from an established community of practitioners.
It was actually my own experience as a mother, trying to attend classes with a very unsettled baby, that inspired me to create something different. I wanted to offer baby-inclusive classes where babies are not just lying on the mat, but can be gently incorporated into the practice and offered sensory stimulation so the experience benefits them too. A happier baby often means a more relaxed practice for mum, and it becomes a beautiful time to bond. I love watching babies respond to the music, the movement and the calm energy in the room. Some of the older babies even start to join in. Baby yoga and massage are also part of the class.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I had been focusing a lot on my freelance learning design work, but that went quiet for about eight weeks. Around the same time, I realised I had spent far too much time “procrasti-learning” and researching without actually launching anything for the business I had been planning on starting. I took that as my sign to go all in with the yoga.
I started posting consistently on my Instagram page and launched a very simple first version of my website, trying to let go of my perfectionist tendencies. I knew it was better to have something up and improve it later. After that, I printed posters and put them up in local libraries, squeezing them into whatever space I could find on the busy community noticeboards.
I decided to begin with a Postnatal and Baby Yoga class just to see how things would go. My website was a bit quiet in the weeks leading up to the class, and I was worried I had spent all this money hiring the room with very few sign-ups.
Then in the days leading up to the class, it suddenly filled up completely! The room ended up full of babies on mats, prams parked along the wall, and a lot of tired but smiling mums. I was so excited to have a full house and felt honoured to serve such an amazing group of new mums and their babies. It was great to also offer a space after class to connect over coffee and cookies.
Since then, I have expanded to offer more pregnancy and postnatal classes and have started hearing from other local businesses interested in my services. I am also beginning to expand into South Auckland and West Auckland in community spaces where there’s a need for more specialised yoga options for mums-to-be and new mums. I am also hoping to secure funding so I can offer subsidised classes, as I truly believe everyone deserves access to support during this special time of life.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough for me was letting go of my perfectionist tendencies. I had to accept that I just needed to be brave and start posting content, launch the website, use stock photos at the beginning and spend some of my savings on all the startup costs. I also had to get past the imposter syndrome, believe that I am expert enough to do this and that I have passion, skill and the lived experience to hold space for others on their parenthood journey. That shift is what allowed me to actually launch and start building momentum.
I have also started a business mentorship programme for yoga business owners, which has been so empowering. All of this means a lot of growth and a lot of plates in the air. The actual teaching of yoga is really just the tip of the iceberg in running this business.
Despite the challenges, I have genuinely been enjoying the process and learning to take setbacks in stride. Any failure is simply a learning experience about how to do it better next time. As a former educator, I am a big believer in lifelong learning, and running a business certainly offers plenty of that.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m not sure I have found the balance yet because every day looks different and I am so early in my business journey.
I chose shorter daycare days for my son because I really want to spend time with him. Then once he is in bed, I often go back to work. I think the first year of a business often looks like this, especially when you are a busy mum. You do the work when you can, and progress may look a little different from someone who has more time available. I do actually believe that motherhood has made me more efficient and better able to prioritise, as my time is more limited and I am deeply committed to my whānau and their wellbeing.
I often plan my yoga lessons with my son next to me. Sometimes he is under me while I am doing downward facing dog, or sitting on my hips while I lift up into bridge pose. I try to get myself to a yoga class for “me time” about once a week, which doesn’t always happen, but I cherish this time when I get it. I also try to take yoga off the mat and into everyday life, especially when I am handling challenges like toddler tantrums or juggling the mental load. I come back to my breath and try to find kindness for myself in those moments.
