Yoga is my exercise of choice during pregnancy. I find the movements, stretching and breathing helps me relax and relieves stress. Doing yoga helps me slow down my hectic pace and focus inward on my body and the baby growing within. I enjoy being in the moment and not thinking about work or other problems.
Prenatal yoga has many benefits for mothers to be. It helps relieve backaches, which are common during pregnancy. Yoga lowers anxiety levels and helps improve sleep. Lack of sleep is a common problem for pregnant women. Yoga also improves your circulation and the breathing helps bring more oxygen to the baby. Regular yoga practice helps tone the muscles in preparation for childbirth. Fatigue is a big problem for me with the fourth pregnancy and with regular yoga practice; I find I have more energy.
The breathing patterns in yoga are relaxing during pregnancy and have benefits in labor. The breathing and relaxation can be used during labor to help you focus inward and relax your muscles. Natural birth works best when the mother is able to relax. Yoga is an excellent way to practice this throughout your pregnancy.
Prenatal yoga classes are available at many studios. Call a yoga studio in your area to find out if they offer prenatal classes. If that studio doesn’t, they can often refer you to another studio that offers them. The class is great for meeting other pregnant mothers. The instructor will be knowledgeable about pregnancy and yoga. She will know which poses are safe for pregnancy, which should be avoided and how to modify poses for your changing shape.
Some classes incorporate positive visualization about the birth process. This helps relieve fears of child birth. Time is devoted during class to relaxation, breathing and visualization. These techniques can be used when labor begins to help you stay relaxed and focused.
If you can’t find a studio that offers these classes, or the time isn’t convenient, you can practice at home. A wide variety of DVDs are available for doing prenatal yoga at home. These can be found in video stores, maternity shops or on the Internet. Books are also available for prenatal yoga. These have full color pictures of pregnant women at varying stages of pregnancy in the poses.
If you are using a workout from a book, you will need music. I found my yoga CD at Target. The music helps you relax and focus during your practice. As with any exercise routine, check with your doctor before beginning.