Pregnancy Yoga - Is it Right For You?

Discovering you are pregnant, for many women is the signal to surrender to the momentous forces at work in your body. Suddenly, the career, and normal day-to-day routines like going to the gym can take a back seat. The nine months of pregnancy also give you an opportunity to slowly get prepare mentally for the massive life change of having a child.

To make the most of this time it is important to switch to a gentler lifestyle. Unfortunately due to the reduced physical activity that tends to come with pregnancy's restricted movement, women can feel inhibited and sedentary! In reality it does not have to be this way. Keeping the body active is one of the best ways to stay healthy. Gentle walking is a great low impact exercise, swimming is excellent for soothing and supporting the body as it expands. All things considered, Yoga is possibly the perfect all round activity for pregnant women because it is one of the few
purely non-competitive forms of exercise, as well as providing all the excellent benefits which yoga is well known for.

The benefits especially relevant during pregnancy include proper alignment, relaxation and breathing. Most antenatal advisors will talk ad nauseum about the importance of breathing during labour. It sounds obvious and somewhat patronising, yet during the intensity of a contraction, your breath can seem like the only thing you can focus on and control. By practicing yoga-style breathing in the lead up to labour, you are more likely to remember it when it counts, it can help level you out when you are excited, scared or tired. Don't worry if it takes some time to master
some of the breathing exercises - just focusing on deep Yoga breathing will have a profound affect on how you feel.

A good yoga teacher should also encourage better ways of sitting, standing and moving during pregnancy as your centre of gravity is altered. You can expect classes to be made up of a mix of traditional yoga poses slightly modified to work around a pregnant belly and a variety of possible labour positions. The notion of "active birthing' that you hear so much about actually is very in tune with exploring different Yoga postures. This basically means the mother is encouraged to move around as much as she likes during her labour and find positions that instinctively feel right,
often making the most of gravity by squatting or leaning forward on hands and knees. This is in direct contrast to the old fashioned delivery wards that would keep women lying on their backs during labour.

Although prenatal yoga is a vary gentle activity, as with all physical exercise, it is possible to overdo it. It is very important to remember not to over stretch during a posture as joints can be much looser during pregnancy. This is because a hormone called Relaxin is produced which helps your pelvis soften and open slightly during childbirth.

Taking it easy is a simple rule to accommodate and applies to all areas of life during pregnancy. Listening the body which is working hard to create a new life is the best thing you can do for yourself and your unborn child. Excellent practice for the years ahead!