Gwyneth Paltrow did it. Kelly Ripa says she doesn’t do it. And many people other than celebrities have done it. Yoga’s popularity has increased in recent years, due partly to the media attention on celebrities and their exercise habits, and also due to the availability of all types of information on the Internet. And pregnant women have found that practicing prenatal yoga has many benefits.
Benefits of prenatal yoga
Yoga has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve sleep and digestion, strengthen muscles and joints, and increase flexibility. People who practice yoga regularly say they have more peace and less stress in their lives. Yoga is said to remove impurities from the body through the breath, sweat, liver, kidneys and digestive system. Pregnant women can gain additional benefits of practicing yoga - relief from back pain and nausea, and increased stamina. Prenatal yoga is designed to be low-impact to help pregnant mothers stay in shape. And the breathing exercises practiced during yoga class may come in handy during labor!
Changes during pregnancy
The female body greatly changes during pregnancy. yoga is a great way to slow down and appreciate these changes. Yoga encourages you to listen to your body and to be fully in the moment. Through gentle stretching and posture building poses, you can improve your physical health. And through meditation, you can improve your mental health.
Be aware…
If you are interested in practicing yoga during pregnancy, be aware that certain postures should be avoided, such as laying on your back or on your belly. It is best to take a yoga class or buy books or instructive videos designed specifically for pregnant women. Specific videos or classes have postures that help to reduce back pain, swelling and misalignment due to weight changes during pregnancy. Postures such as squats help to train muscles that will be used during labor. And during pregnancy, hormone changes cause joints to loosen up, which is why many women’s shoe sizes increase.
Prenatal Yoga can help you connect to your baby
The food that you eat, the oxygen that you breathe and how you feel are all transmitted to your baby. The stress or peace that you feel is the stress or peace that your baby feels. The word “yoga” is a Sanskrit word meaning yoke or connection. Yoga is meant to connect your mind, body and spirit. Yoga can help you to connect to your baby. The practice yoga helps you to create a world, your body, for your baby that is healthy and at peace.
Yogi Bhajan
The Yogi Bhajan once observed that “What a child learns in the womb cannot be learned on earth”. This is especially true for making sure that the baby is healthy and growing properly. If the mother is at peace, the baby is more likely to be also, resulting in an easier pregnancy and even delivery. The child may also be calmer after delivery and as he or she grows older.
By Virginia Zignego