Prenatal Yoga – Suitable for You?
Prenatal Yoga strengthens, refines and stabilises your body, breath and mind. During the pregnancy, your body is going through a monumental change – Hormone, energy-level, mood and breathing etc.
Each trimester brings different gifts and challenges to each woman. One of the blessings of prenatal yoga is learning how to tune in and bring awareness to the changing state of your body, breath and mind.
The primary focus of Prenatal Yoga is to support a pregnant woman. An ideal practice of Prenatal Yoga is consist of the following elements:
- Connecting, Listening and Communication
- Starting with gentle stretching
- Gentle Postures (asana) with deep breathing
- Asana Practice with deep and controlled breathing with some gentle adjustments
- Relaxing
- Breathing exercises
- Guided meditation
Main Elements of Prenatal Yoga
Stretching: A gentle and mindful stretching slowly allows a woman to groove in. With steady, controlled and deep breathing stretching helps to warm-up and relax. The flexibility increases for asana.
Asana (Pose/ Postures): Prenatal Yoga poses from Hatha Yoga. Asanas adapted to a woman’s growing belly, joints and ligaments. Generally, a pregnant woman can practice all the poses with the legs and hips-width. Jumping, deep forward bend or back bands and all poses that put pressure on the baby are not recommended. Deep and controlled breathing is highly recommended with, slow movement and holding on a pose multiply the benefits.
Relaxing: Shavasana (Corpse Pose) is the best to relax after a steady Prenatal Yoga practice. It is also recommended not to lie on your back after the fourth month. Because the femoral arteries can be compressed. It could interfere with blood flow to the fetus. A good and deep relaxing benefit your yoga practice.
Breathing Practice: The body, mind and breath are interdependent. Working with our Pranayama (breath control practice) can help you cope with stressful situations, increases your energy, access your intuition, relax and become more peaceful. It brings new awareness. Breathing practice should be started slowly and gradually increase the control and awareness of breathing. Make sure not to do any forceful breathing or rotation of the breath. You become peaceful and completely relaxed after the breathing exercises.
Meditation: A meditation practice allows to turn in during pregnancy and find themselves drawn to a quiet and contemplative observation. There are many methods of meditation. I recommend using affirmative and use-of-positive-emotion meditation. By observing the oneness between you and your baby. With deep emotions of love, gratitude and harmony woman bonds with her baby. A deep sense of security, love and compassion arises.
Benefits of Prenatal Yoga
- Prenatal Yoga improves blood circulation, flexibility, stamina and balance.
- Strengthens back muscles, increases mental alertness and concentration.
- Improves digestion, uplifts energy and cut fatigue and stress.
- Prenatal Yoga improves sleep, relieves lower back pain, reduce nausea, headache and shortness of breath.
Prenatal Yoga helps a woman to prepare for a peaceful and natural birth. It develops self-confidence and trust, and to feel comfortable. Overall prepares a woman in her journey to become a mother.
Research Link: Benefits of Prenatal Yoga: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-yoga/art-20047193
Conclusion
This helpful post gives a clear glimpse of Prenatal Yoga. Every woman is different and every trimester is with new changes and challenges. You should consult with your physician and make your Yoga teacher well-informed of your limits and issues. This will help you become confident and enjoy a healthy Prenatal Yoga.
Are you pregnant and looking for expert advice on prenatal yoga, breathing and meditation? Comment or write to me, I will be glad to help you.