Prenatal Yoga
The Many Benefits
It is my hope that every pregnant woman will get to experience prenatal Yoga. Many doctors, midwives and other care providers are recommending that women practice Prenatal Yoga while they are pregnant and here is why. Your body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, both internally and externally. You may experience emotional, psychological and spiritual changes as well. After all, you are growing a new body, new being, and new spirit inside of you. Amazing, isn’t it? Prenatal Yoga will give you the physical, mental, and emotional tools to journey blissfully through your pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood.
Let’s start with the physical benefits. Prenatal Yoga can reduce and prevent some of the physical “pains” such as, headaches, nausea, swelling, back pain, sore joints, and loss of sleep, that come along with your body changing at such a rapid pace. In Prenatal Yoga, specific postures (Asanas) are taught to stretch the lower back, open the hips and pelvic region, and strengthen the pelvic floor. Stretching the entire body can enhance your comfort overall as your body changes. Not only is Yoga beneficial during pregnancy, but it will help you prepare for childbirth by increasing flexibility, building strength, and enhancing endurance. Practicing Yoga creates body awareness. Prenatal Yoga will teach you to connect with and trust your body. It is a beautiful time to connect with the precious life growing inside of your belly. After all, they are enjoying the experience with you.
Another major benefit to Yoga is the breath. At some point, when you have been stressed out, you have probably had someone say to you, “Take a deep breath”, and they are right. The body has a physiological response to deep breathing. The parasympathetic nervous system responds and you immediately begin to feel more relaxed, physically and mentally. This is an amazing tool to have in any stage of life but especially for your journey through childbirth. Prenatal Yoga will teach you how to breathe more deeply and mindfully. This mindful breathing, or Pranayama, helps you to stay focused and present in the moment while taking your mind off of worries, your on going “to do” list, and other chatter in the mind. The combination of practicing mindful breathing and postures blends the mental and physical benefits of Yoga into one blissful experience where you will leave the room feeling clear minded, relaxed, and rejuvenated all at the same time.
Prenatal Yoga is for all pregnant women regardless of their level of experience with Yoga. From beginners to advanced Yogis, everyone will benefit from the experience. It is a very special time in a woman’s life when she will need support more than ever before. Prenatal Yoga provides a community of women who are all experiencing the wonders of pregnancy including the changes in their bodies and in their lives. Because the physical body changes so quickly, your Yoga practice will continue to change as well so Prenatal Yoga is not about deepening into the postures, it is about experiencing the practice in your new body. So for those of you that are new to Yoga and may be worried, remind yourselves that every woman in class in experiencing Yoga in a new way. For these reasons and more, it is recommended to find a Prenatal Yoga class to attend versus any other Yoga class. A Prenatal Yoga class is specially designed for pregnant women from the postures taught to the temperature of the room. The instructor of a prenatal class should be trained to teach pregnant women and know what postures and practices to avoid teaching.
If you are pregnant and wanting to connect with your body, reduce discomfort, learn to breathe, relax, or just meet some like-minded women, start looking for a studio offering Prenatal Yoga near you. Enjoy this very special time in your life in mind, body and spirit.
