Prenatal yoga classes provide a safe and supportive atmosphere for expectant moms to exercise. They focus on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, helping pregnant women prepare for labor and delivery.
Prenatal yoga can offer many benefits to pregnant women, such as improved sleep quality and strength, increased flexibility and stress reduction. But before beginning any prenatal yoga practice it’s essential to consult your healthcare provider first to determine if it is beneficial for you.
Benefits
Prenatal yoga classes are an excellent way to stay in shape and prepare for childbirth, while also keeping your mind relaxed and in the present.
These classes include stretches, postures, core and pelvic floor work as well as breathing techniques. The exercises help strengthen the muscles that support your organs while relieving pain in your back.
One study revealed that women who took part in a prenatal yoga program experienced improved strides while walking and had less back pain and other pregnancy-related symptoms.
Exercising yoga during pregnancy not only helps you maintain a healthy weight, but it will give you extra energy to keep up with daily tasks.
The class can also provide you with a strong support network by connecting to other expectant moms. Being surrounded by people who understand your situation will boost your confidence and prepare you better for labor.
Adaptations
Yoga can be a wonderful support system for pregnant women to nurture their body, mind and spirit. Doing yoga during pregnancy not only helps reduce anxiety and stress but it also improves sleep quality as well as increasing flexibility, endurance and strength.
However, early in pregnancy it may be difficult to find classes that accommodate your current state of health and fitness. Pregnancy brings about many changes to your body such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
In these instances, it may be beneficial to modify some yoga poses and incorporate modifications tailored specifically for pregnant bodies. For instance, place bolsters under your thighs for Cobra poses or use blocks as modifications on lunges.
No matter where you practice yoga – at home or in a studio – taking a prenatal yoga class can be an excellent way to ease into pregnancy and prepare for labor and delivery. Furthermore, joining a prenatal yoga class provides you with the chance to build community and share experiences with other expecting mothers.
Preparation for Birth
Yoga during pregnancy is an invaluable asset to birth preparation. It helps women find peace and connect to their divine nature and unstoppable strength within themselves.
Yoga practice offers pregnant women the tools of pranyama, strengthening and restorative asana, as well as calming meditation. These three components of the practice help create a more comfortable pregnancy, easier labor, and a smoother postpartum period.
Prenatal yoga also prepares the pelvic floor and abdominal wall for labor. Additionally, it offers a safe and beneficial form of exercise for women who may experience health complications associated with pregnancy, such as high blood pressure or obesity.
Preparing for birth requires several key physical poses, including the revolved half lunge and child’s pose. For some pregnant women, internal rotation of the femur (opening up the lower mid pelvis) may be a challenging posture to find.
Community
Prenatal yoga is an invaluable way to strengthen both body and mind during pregnancy, as well as build bonds with other women going through similar physical and emotional transitions.
Karen Prior, creator of Mamaste Yoga, states that it can be a form of support group and an inspirational source for continued progress. “Mixing up different practices together creates an atmosphere conducive to good mental health and physical fitness,” she adds.
When looking for a online prenatal yoga class, look one that is led by an instructor certified in this specialty. This will guarantee the poses are safe for you and your unborn child during this critical stage.
Yoga prenatal classes typically avoid inversions (like down dog or standing forward folds), since they place too much strain on your organs and blood vessels that could be hazardous for both you and your unborn child. You can still practice modified versions of these poses in regular yoga classes with the instructor’s knowledge that you are pregnant; however, make sure they know beforehand!
