Sarah Clifton, its founder Every Body Stream | Yoga for Momis passionate about supporting mothers and parents through one of life’s most transformative stages. She believes in the power of movement, breath and community to cultivate both physical and emotional well-being. 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 empowered. Drawing on her specialized training in pregnancy and postpartum yoga, along with her experience as a mother and stepmother, she founded her business to offer inclusive pregnancy and postpartum classes that balance strength, stability, gentle release, and calmness. Her baby-inclusive approach not only supports recovery and resilience for mothers and parents, but also creates a calm, inviting 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’s overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to create 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. It is this experience that led me to create inclusive spaces where people can come as they are on their unique parenting 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 moms and parents can make a huge difference to one’s well-being. For me, it’s always been about creating not just a yoga class, but a place where moms feel understood and supported, surrounded by others at the same time of life.
When I was pregnant I called so many studios in Auckland to ask if they offered pregnancy yoga classes and most said no because there weren’t enough qualified teachers in town. It quickly became clear that there was a real shortage. Postpartum, I loved going to yoga and pilates classes, but only had time for one studio class a week, so I had to choose between the two, even though I needed elements of both, especially as I was dealing with pelvic instability and back pain. That experience stayed with me. I knew other moms would be doing the same thing, needing strength and release with limited time. This inspired me to specialize in teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga. My classes focus on both the calming and liberating aspects of yoga as well as building strength and stability in the core, pelvic floor and other muscles that support mothers in everyday life.
While I was still on parental leave, I started an online pregnancy and postpartum yoga teacher training. It was amazing to experience this during my own postpartum period. I even watched some of the live video calls while nursing and was hooked! Becoming a parent also gave me the space to figure out what I wanted to do with my time. I’ve always envisioned being an entrepreneur and had tried to start something in the past but never got anywhere. 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 postpartum 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 upset baby, that inspired me to create something different. I wanted to offer baby-inclusive classes where babies aren’t just lying on the mat, but can be gently integrated into the practice and given sensory stimulation so the experience benefits them too. A happier baby often means a more relaxed practice for mom and becomes a beautiful bonding time. I love watching babies respond to the music, movement and calm energy in the room. Some of the older babies are even starting to participate. Children’s yoga and massage are also part of the course.
The launch: How did you get started in the first place?
I had been very focused on my freelance work, but that went quiet for about eight weeks. Around the same time, I realized that I had been spending too much time “procrastinating” and researching without actually starting anything about the business I was planning to start. I took that as a sign to go all in with yoga.
I started posting consistently on my Instagram page and started a very simple first version of my website, trying to let go of my perfectionist tendencies. I knew it was better to have something and improve it later. After that, I printed posters and put them in local libraries, cramming them into whatever space I could find on busy community bulletin boards.
I decided to start with one Postnatal and baby yoga class to see how things go. My site was a little quiet in the weeks leading up to the class, and I was worried that I had spent all that money to rent the room with very few signups.
Then, in the days leading up to the class, it was suddenly completely full! The room ended up full of babies on mats, strollers parked along the wall, and lots of tired but smiling moms. I was so excited to have a packed house and honored to serve such an amazing group of new moms and their babies. It was great to also offer an after class space to connect over coffee and cookies.
Since then, I’ve expanded to offer more pregnancy and postpartum classes and started hearing from other local businesses interested in my services. I am also starting to expand into South Oakland and West Oakland into community spaces where there is a need for more specialized yoga options for moms-to-be and new moms. I am also hoping to secure funding so that I can offer subsidized courses as I truly believe that everyone deserves access to support during this special time of life.
Innovation: What has been 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 had to be brave and start publishing content, launch the website, use stock photos at first and spend some of my savings on all the start-up costs. I also had to overcome impostor syndrome, believe that I am expert enough to do this and that I have the passion, skill and lived experience to hold space for others on their parenting journey. This change is what allowed me to get started and start building momentum.
I have also started a business coaching program for yoga business owners which has been so empowering. All this means a lot of growth and a lot of plates in the air. The actual teaching of yoga is really only the tip of the iceberg in running this business.
Despite the challenges, I’m genuinely enjoying the process and learning to take the setbacks one step at a time. Any failure is just a learning experience on how to do it better next time. As a former educator, I’m a big believer in lifelong learning, and running a business certainly offers a lot of that.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m not sure I’ve found the balance yet because every day seems different and I’m so early in my career journey.
I chose shorter daycare days for my son because I really want to spend time with him. Then when they are in bed I often go back to work. I think the first year of a business is often like this, especially when you’re a busy mom. Do the work when you can and progress may look a little different than someone with more time on their hands. I truly believe that motherhood has made me more efficient and better able to prioritize, as my time is more limited and I am deeply committed to my whānau and their well-being.
I often schedule my yoga classes with my son by my side. Sometimes he’s under me while I’m doing downward dog or he’s sitting on my hips while I’m doing 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 love it when I do. I also try to take yoga off the mat and into everyday life, especially when faced with challenges like toddler tantrums or juggling mental workload. I go back to my breathing and try to find kindness for myself in those moments.
