The Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy
The benefits of Yoga are well documented and attendance at classes is on the increase. I’ve been practicing yoga for over four decades but when I was pregnant I struggled to find a yoga class suitable for pregnancy.
It was then I set-off for London and trained to become a Yoga for Pregnancy teacher with the wonderful Wendy Teasdill, author of ‘Step-By-Step Yoga for Pregnancy’ and Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, author of ‘Teach Yourself Yoga for Pregnancy & Birth’ and ‘Yoni Shakti: A Woman’s Guide to Power’.
Since then I’ve been running short Yoga for Pregnancy courses in Cardiff and my local community. The courses are always well attended and student feedback is very positive. The classes are tailored to specifically work with the different areas that are important both during pregnancy and child-birth.
Focus
The Breath
In Yoga we use specific breathing exercises known as Pranayama which are particularly useful to prepare our body for the process of labour and birthing. It helps the body to relax, is very empowering and assists in all the stages of pregnancy, labour, birth, motherhood and beyond!
The Pelvic Floor
Is a hammock of muscles attached to the pelvis that can become weakened by the increased load during pregnancy. It is vital to exercise this part of our anatomy throughout our lifetime. When these muscles are well-toned they can assist the expectant mother to carry her baby more comfortably, help both mother and baby during labour and birthing, plus often speeds recovery from any stitches or episiotomy.
The Posture
Yoga Asana mainly focuses on the spine and helps alleviate pressure on the lower back, hips and feet. It also helps to strengthen muscles and joints as changes take place in the mum-to-be’s body in the miraculous process of pregnancy.
Research suggests that practicing prenatal yoga can also improve sleep quality, reduce stress, anxiety, increase strength, flexibility and endurance needed for childbirth.
As always it is wise to check with your physician, midwife, before you begin any new physical exercise routine.
Do contact me to discuss or join Yoga for Pregnancy classes.
