Welcome to our first Expert Spotlight, featuring yoga & hypnobirthing teacher Krishna Hassomal! I met Krishna completely by chance while out for a walk in Rembrandtpark. We both recognized that we were trying to let our 2-year-olds loose in the park for them to get some energy out — better to join forces for efficiency! It led to a lovely, deep conversation, and a reminder of how small yet mighty the Amsterdam postpartum village is.

Introducing: The One Ask

We're trying out a new thing for our APP Spotlights: The One Ask! So many community parents have one cause or action that could really help shift the needle on something they care about in the Amsterdam parenting realm. Let's celebrate both asking for help and small acts of community service ❤️

Krishna's One Ask: Help spread word of her practice! You can follow her and share on Instagram at @krish_yoga.

Bio

Name: Krishna Hassomal
Originally from: Spain (3rd generation Indian)
Age and gender of your child(ren): 4 kids: A 7 year old girl, 5 year old boy, and twin 2 year old boys
Service/expertise: Yoga (prenatal, postnatal and for mums) and hypnobirthing teacher
Company: Krish Yoga

Interview

"I see us mums comparing ourselves to each other, and to what we're sold online, only to make ourselves feel worse. Through my work, and my personal experience, I've seen the importance of learning how to ask for help (it's a skill!), communicating and reaching out to others, and to slow down and rest more often (which often seems impossible when you have a baby to care for)."

Tell us about what you do for the postpartum community!

I support postpartum mums straight from birth until years after through yoga and coaching.

What inspired you to start your postpartum business and/or deepen your expertise?

I realised during my first pregnancy, that most of our attention is focused on pregnant mums, and once the baby arrives - the mums get forgotten! I myself only used to teach prenatal yoga for years, until I had my first child. When my first baby was 4 months old, I trained as a postnatal yoga teacher, to ensure I can continue supporting mums after birth. I wanted them to know they still have their safe space, to practice yoga (with or without baby), take a moment for themselves, work on their recovery which often gets forgotten and have that weekly chance to reconnect with their bodies and other mums.

What has your work as a postpartum expert taught you about yourself, as a parent and professional?

How we're all struggling with the internal battles, of wanting to do it all and do nothing at the same time. I see us mums comparing ourselves to each other, and to what we're sold online, only to make ourselves feel worse. Through my work, and my personal experience, I've seen the importance of learning how to ask for help (it's a skill!), communicating and reaching out to others, and to slow down and rest more often (which often seems impossible when you have a baby to care for). These are things I've seen and experienced and now offer them in my classes and programs.

What has been easier about postpartum (for yourself or for your clients) than you thought it would be?

Travelling!! It's still pretty tough, but it's way more do-able than I ever imagined.

What has been more challenging?

Going back to my day job after my second child. I couldn't handle it and quit after a few months and moved to Spain to be closer to my parents. I felt like I'd failed. It felt like a failure careerwise (because all the other women made it look to easy) and a failure as a mother (because all the other mothers were doing it on their own, or so it seemed).

"Until I became a mom, I considered myself to be my career — and then I felt like I'd been hit by a bus and didn't know how I was."

What's a postpartum belief you find yourself talking about (and perhaps correcting) often with new parents?

Re-defying and finding our identity now as mothers and how that combines with whoever/whatever we were before we became mothers. This is something I struggled with a lot and I see often in my students (it even starts during pregnancy and then hits them later when they return to work). Until I became a mom, I considered myself to be my career - and then I felt like I'd been hit by a bus and didn't know how I was.

Why have you chosen to practice here in Amsterdam?

We moved to Amsterdam a few years ago and love it! I teach in-person and also online because I know how hard it is for mums to get out of the house sometimes.

Getting my kids to like my kind of music and finally having dance parties at home with them (bye-bye cocomelon!)

What is one current goal you have for yourself: as a parent, expert, or business owner?

To strike that ideal balance. I want to work 3x days a week and be able to switch off my laptop once I collect my kids from school and be fully present with them until the next day. But I find myself writing emails and editing my website after their bedtime - so I'm working on setting healthier boundaries for myself.

What is one thing we can do as community parents to support you?

Spread the word! Follow me on Instagram, join one of my online yoga classes (postnatal yoga or strong mama yoga) and leave me a review, that's the best support for a small business!

What’s your best piece of advice for parents-to-be or new parents?

You're always allowed to change your mind. You may have been fixed on one thing before you had a baby - know that it's ok to change your mind about it!

Want to be featured in a future Expert Spotlight? Reach out to us at amsterdamparentproject@gmail.com.