If your health care provider allows you to do so, we encourage you to stay active during your pregnancy. It can help reduce the risk of problems such as pre-eclampsia and relieve problems such as back pain and constipation.
Looking for a way to stay active during pregnancy? Prenatal yoga, an adaptation of yoga for pregnancy, may be the perfect activity to incorporate, especially considering its benefits.
“Prenatal yoga is designed to support the changes that occur in your body during pregnancy,” says Jane, a San Francisco-based prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher and founder of the prenatal yoga school Mama Tree. Austin says. We offer a safe and healthy way to stretch and strengthen your rapidly changing pregnant body.
Here’s what you need to know about prenatal yoga and how it can positively impact your pregnancy.
What happens in a prenatal yoga class?
In addition to providing your mat, here’s what you should expect during your prenatal yoga class.
- breathing method
- stretch
- Yoga poses that are safe during pregnancy
- Cool down stretches and relaxation
Benefits of prenatal yoga
Prenatal yoga provides physical and mental health benefits to pregnant people. Here are some important points to know.
tone the muscles
Prenatal yoga “tightens the body in preparation for the birthing process, especially the core muscles of the pelvic floor, hips, and abdomen,” says Liz Owen, a Massachusetts-based yoga teacher and co-author of the book. . Yoga for a healthy waist.
Properly toned muscles have the right balance of length and strength. Not too loose, not too tight. Building and maintaining muscle tone during pregnancy with yoga poses like lunges and gentle backbends can help minimize pain for nine months and is key to getting your body back toned after giving birth. Owen explains.
Prepare your body for childbirth
Prenatal yoga helps teach people to trust their bodies and how to use breathing techniques. According to Austin, practicing the yoga technique of deep, mindful breathing can help your body loosen up and relax. This facilitates childbirth, and studies have shown that yoga can improve pregnancy and birth outcomes.
Helps with common complaints during pregnancy
Stretching and toning your muscles helps blood circulate throughout your body in a healthy way. Deep breathing also delivers necessary oxygen to your muscles. All of these can help reduce common discomforts during pregnancy such as back pain, nausea, insomnia, headaches, shortness of breath, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Improving mental health
Pregnancy is a stressful time for everyone. Prenatal yoga has been found to help pregnant people manage stress and anxiety, which can also affect the fetus.
Additionally, one study shows that mindfulness yoga, which combines physical poses and meditation practices, can ease feelings of depression associated with the emotional journey of pregnancy.
Of course, yoga won’t make all your symptoms go away, and it’s important to be aware of your mental health before, during, and after pregnancy. If you are struggling with your mental health, it is important to seek professional help.
Promotes a healthier pregnancy
Studies have shown that yoga not only improves strength, endurance, and flexibility, but also lowers blood pressure. This is important because high blood pressure during pregnancy can have a negative effect on the kidneys and other organs, leading to premature birth and low birth weight.
If you suffer from high blood pressure during pregnancy, it is important to see your doctor because treatment can help you have a safe pregnancy.
can improve sleep
During pregnancy, getting a good night’s sleep can feel impossible. Yoga has been shown to improve the quality of your sleep through physical and mental exercise of your muscles.
Create a much-needed community
One of the biggest benefits of prenatal yoga may be the community you get with other expectant parents. Oklahoma City-based doula, childbirth educator, prenatal yoga instructor and Mamaste Yoga program.
Having a support system like this is a great way to ease the anxiety of impending parenthood and help you have someone to lean on.
In what trimester of pregnancy should you do prenatal yoga?
You can do or start prenatal yoga in any trimester with your health care provider’s permission. Modifications may be necessary as your belly grows and various pregnancy symptoms occur.
Prenatal yoga safety guidelines
It’s important to avoid hot yoga classes during pregnancy. Excessive heat during pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects and other fetal malformations. Hot yoga can also cause dehydration and heat stroke.
There are a few other things to consider.
- Don’t overdo it. It’s okay if you can’t exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a week. During class, don’t push yourself too hard and do as much as your body allows.
- Pay attention to the pose. After 16 to 20 weeks, avoid lying on your stomach or back. Tilt the uterus away from the vena cava using a wedge or pillow. (This is the largest vein in the body, and the inferior vena cava is located between the lumbar vertebrae and the uterus.) Also, avoid bending too far forward or backward or stretching to put too much pressure on your abdomen.
- Drink water. Staying hydrated is important during pregnancy, especially when exercising.
Most importantly, be sure to consult your health care provider before beginning prenatal yoga, and continue to see your doctor if you experience pain or problems after exercising.
Where to do maternity yoga
Attend a prenatal yoga class at your local fitness center or follow videos online. If possible, choose in-person classes to ensure safe movement. An instructor will guide you and answer any questions. However, be sure to look for an instructor with experience in prenatal yoga.
