Yoga and Pregnancy: How Yoga Can Help You In Pregnancy

Yoga is one of the most beneficial exercise routines for pregnant women. It is ideal for soon-to-be moms because it allows them to remain in tune with their body and how it is feeling, and to adapt and modify postures as needed. It is low impact, with minimal risk of injury to the mother or baby.

Yoga can help you to find balance as your center of gravity shifts

The weight of your growing womb causes your center of gravity to shift. This can be uncomfortable as your muscles rebalance to support the change in weight. Find your balance and strengthen your little muscles by moving through standing and warrior pose.

Yoga helps with lower back pain

One of the most frequent complaints during a pregnancy is lower back pain. This is the result of additional weight in the abdomen, as well as stress on the muscles and ligaments throughout the torso. Yoga provides an excellent means for the stretching and release of tight lower back muscles. With regular practice, lower back pain may diminish noticeably, making your pregnancy more comfortable.

Yoga helps to strengthen the pelvic floor

Pregnant women may hear quite a lot about the importance of the pelvic floor, but they may receive less information on the best ways to strengthen it. Yoga’s attention to engaging the abdominal wall and pelvic floor during routines provides important strengthening that can aid in both childbirth and recovery.

Yoga reinforces the reliance on the breath to overcome intense physical experiences

Yoga relies on breathwork to carry individuals through the practice and to help encourage them to stay in difficult stretches for longer than they might otherwise like to. It cultivates an awareness of the breath so that one can return to it time and time again to carry them through difficult situations. This type of deep breathing is very important for expectant mothers.

Yoga relieves stress and anxiety

Dropping into a regular yoga practice reduces stress and anxiety, which is beneficial to the overall health of mothers-to-be, and can help to keep important vitals, such as blood pressure, within healthy limits. A regular yoga practice also carves out time in your day when you can get into your body and out of your head, allowing you to decompress.

Also Read: 20 Natural Remedies to Cure Anxiety

Yoga reminds you to be patient with your body

While pregnancy can certainly be a beautiful experience, it can also be a frustrating time for new mothers as their body’s change rapidly. Yoga is all about meeting your body where it is on any given day, and it helps practitioners to develop compassion for the body, its capabilities, and its limitations. This can be especially beneficial to women in later stages of pregnancy when they may be restricted from other forms of exercise that they enjoy.

How to practice yoga while pregnant

As with any exercise routine, it is recommended to check with your doctor first. Certain postures, such as inversions and poses while lying on the stomach, should be avoided. Other postures, such as Down Dog, may be safer for expecting mother than previously thought.

For optimal safety, let the yoga instructor know that you are pregnant before class begins.

Prenatal yoga classes have also become popular in recent years. These classes avoid any of the controversial postures for optimal safety, and you can expect a gentle restorative, yet strengthening practice formulated specifically for pregnant women.

These classes take into account the increased flexibility that most pregnant women experience due to physiological changes during pregnancy. This ensures that you do truly stretch your body, but without risking injury due to loosened ligaments.

If you are a long-time yoga practitioner, be gentle with yourself and expect that postures will feel different to your pregnant body.

For new yogis, it is recommended to go slow and to listen to your body. The goal is to create a balanced practice each time that challenges you without pushing your body too far.

Conclusion

Yoga can provide a great workout for any pregnant woman, and comes with an entire host of health benefits.

Remember to take things slow and to listen to your body, and you can expect to experience increased strength, diminished stress and anxiety and an increased ability to rely on the breath to carry you through difficult experiences.