The Role of a Prenatal Educator
A prenatal educator plays a vital role in supporting and inspiring not only expecting mothers and families, but society as a whole, by highlighting the importance of gestation as a foundational stage in human development.
The prenatal educator helps women and families recognize that pregnant women are, in fact, the first natural educators of all humanity. A woman carries within her the innate power to shape, give birth to, nourish, and inspire the next generation—not only through genetics, but through who she is, how she feels, what she thinks, and how she perceives the world around her. Her inner life and emotional landscape contribute to the formation of both the body and the psyche of the baby she carries. Her inner world—her hopes and fears, serenity or stress, strength or vulnerability—constantly “informs” the developing baby, influencing the formation of the baby’s neurophysiology. This developing body, in turn, will become the very instrument through which the child will one day relate to others, to the environment, and to themselves.
The mission of a prenatal educator is to raise awareness, provide accurate and empowering information, and help transform the way conception, pregnancy, and motherhood are perceived. By shifting our collective understanding and care of these crucial life stages, we can influence the future of humanity—because how we welcome new life into the world deeply affects the kind of society we create.
Modern science is now affirming what ancient wisdom traditions have long known: the experiences during conception, pregnancy, and birth are critical to a child’s development and future wellbeing. While genes are inherited at conception, epigenetics teaches us that the expression of these genes is shaped throughout pregnancy by the mother’s emotional, mental, and physical environment. A pregnant woman’s heightened sensitivity means that her experiences are not just her own—they become the biological and psychological foundation for her baby's development, encoded in every cell. The inner harmony of the mother directly transmits security, love, and wellbeing to the baby in the womb.
In today’s world, the process of being born is often treated in a mechanized, clinical way—overlooking the deeply need for human connection, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of this profound journey. Recognizing prenatal life as a cornerstone of health, wellbeing, and social development places prenatal education at the heart of sustainable, inclusive progress. Investing in this early stage of life aligns with the green growth strategies that prioritize preventative health care and education.
Reaching expecting mothers and families with this knowledge is essential. Parents must be encouraged and empowered to provide the best possible conditions for their child’s development from the very beginning. This includes not only supporting the mother’s physical health, but also nurturing her psychological and spiritual wellbeing. The role of the prenatal educator is, therefore, crucial: to inform, accompany, and help the mother create an environment of emotional balance and conscious awareness. The quality of our future depends on the way we educate our children—and that education begins before birth.
Prenatal education is the education that a mother conveys to her baby from the earliest stages of life: from the months before conception, throughout pregnancy, and continuing until the end of breastfeeding.
No one would question the need for training before driving a car. So why not seek the knowledge and support necessary before starting a family? This is a matter of education. As UNICEF states, “Children represent our future.” A prenatal educator would add: “Our future begins before birth.”
About the Author
Susana Lopes is the Founder and Secretary-General of Prenatal Alliance, an advocate for World Pregnancy Day – March 22, a Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Teacher, a Pilates Teacher, a Humanized Pregnancy and Birth Advocate, Speaker, and the author of “Yoga e Maternidade”. Her present work includes guiding women to effectively release stress and anxiety from their body and improve their overall health and connection with their baby.