Prenatal Yoga
Preparing for Childbirth
Twelve women sit on the floor of a yoga studio at 6 pm on Wednesday night. They range in stages of pregnancy from six weeks to one mom who was due last week. "I'd like to do some labor inducing poses" she jokes. Everyone laughs. We briefly go around the circle for introductions: names, how far along, any requests for class. From there we settle into comfortable seated poses. "Feel the breath moving in and out of your body", I say. "Notice if you can also feel the baby. Now allow yourself to come into this present moment, and be here now."
If you have never practiced yoga, pregnancy is a great time to begin because of the enhanced awareness it may bring to your experience. If you already have an established yoga practice, there is no need to abandon it simply because your body now carries two lives. In fact yoga practice may be just what your body needs to stay flexible and strong to cope with the changing body and hormones.
A prenatal yoga class is more than a regular yoga class adapted for a larger belly. For many pregnant moms these classes offer a refuge; a time when they can be themselves, connect with other soon-to-be moms, gently stretch and strengthen their bodies in a safe environment, and make space and time to connect with the baby. The postures are geared towards relieving common pregnancy aches and pains while teaching confidence and focusing techniques used in natural childbirth. Classes are designed for beginning students, but advanced practitioners can easily intensify the practice if they wish.
Along with stretching and strengthening, prenatal yoga incorporates calming breathing techniques to reduce tension and promote relaxation. Ujayi breathing, a technique of deep, abdominal breathing, teaches moms to breathe into the belly, while creating a gentle whispering sound. This practice helps avoid the fight or flight response, which may be triggered by shallow chest breathing. The ability to eliminate panic and relax may reduce the length of a mom's labor and her experience of pain during contractions.
The benefits of prenatal yoga practice extend beyond preparation for labor and childbirth. Yoga brings an enhanced body awareness allowing moms to adapt to the physical and mental changes of pregnancy, and fosters a sense of deep inner connection to body and baby.
First trimester:
A gentle yoga practice encourages the baby's growth with poses that create space through the hips and belly and relaxing chronically held tension. Yoga can also help in simply deepening a connection to your body, bringing greater awareness to the changes from pregnancy. Potential nausea that can come with the shifting hormones can be reduced through specific poses and calming breathing. Likewise, yoga practice helps to reduce stress in your life, which becomes vital as you move closer to birthing and motherhood
Second trimester:
Many women regain some of their energy and feel more comfortable. Yoga is a great way to continue to feel energized and remain active while working on strength and balance. The postures shift to accommodate the body's changing shape. Forward bends, for example, may begin to have the feet and knees wider apart, and closed twists, which squeeze and compress the belly probably won't be possible anymore (these should really be avoided from the start to promote space as the baby grows). This is also the time when a woman's posture begins to change. The internal awareness cultivated in yoga helps keep the body balanced in its new alignment rather than leading to backache and leg cramps.
Third trimester:
If the body is given the room to shift during second trimester, many of the aches and pains associated with third trimester never appear, and if they do gentle yoga helps minimize discomfort. Bending and stretching keep the increased fluid within the body flowing, rather than pooling and swelling in the feet and legs. Squatting and other hip openers keep the hips and pelvis loose and flexible, avoiding nerve compressions like sciatica. Standing poses and lunges improve energy and stamina, vital during labor and delivery, while also creating a sense of being strong and powerful. Women during third trimester can also become more flexible due to hormonal changes. Prenatal yoga teaches a mother how to enjoy stretching safely, without destabilizing her body.
During birth:
The focus and confidence gained in yoga are put into practice off the mat, creating an empowering experience of birthing in awareness. Having previously learned to breathe calmly in challenging postures, mom is better prepared to remain calm during contractions. The stretching of the body allows her to choose any number of positions to help give space for the baby to move. The deep breathing practices help mental and emotional focus with the physical intensity of birthing.
Following birth:
The strength gathered through the physical yoga asanas helps mom to recover quickly. The meditative, calm awareness gained through consistent practice helps in the unfamiliar world of new motherhood, when sleep is at a premium and anxiety can run high. The routine of taking care of her body, and paying attention to emotions and feelings which lodge in her muscles, now becomes a part of taking care of herself and the baby. Aching shoulders or stiff lower back muscles can be gently eased out through stretches learned while pregnant, and the commitment to an exercise practice helps to regain shape and vitality.
