Whether you’re new to the practice of yoga, or a seasoned yogi, there are so many benefits to coming to the mat while pregnant. Some women practice all the way up to their delivery date. There are so many ways to modify and adjust yoga poses to make them comfortable at any stage of pregnancy. Your trained instructor is there to assist you into all postures and offer helpful tips and props to support your practice. The added bonus is you leave class feeling amazing, both physically and mentally with a deeper connection to your growing baby.
Here are fives reasons to include Yoga in your pregnancy.
1. Ease your aches and pains
Pregnancy is a beautiful time where women experience lots of changes to their bodies and growing bellies and often there is pain associated with these changes. Yoga is the perfect opportunity to stretch, relax, release and improve circulation. If there’s a specific area of the body where you’re experiencing discomfort, let your teacher know ahead of time and they can add specific poses and stretches to the class so you can walk out of the class feeling refreshed and spacious.
2. Stay active and healthy
Often women who are very active have trouble transitioning to the less active lifestyle that pregnancy sometimes requires. Yoga is the perfect way to stay active while being gentle and honouring your changing body. It can also strengthen muscles that can help you through the labour process. Despite changes to your body, it’s important to stay as active as possible throughout your pregnancy to keep you feeling your best.
3. Pranayama
Pranayama, or breathing exercises, are a great way to practice for labour and birth. Breath is such an important tool. It helps you manage contractions and to bring your baby into the world. When the time comes you’ll be prepared and practiced!
4. Meditation
Pregnancy is a time of change, growth and often stress with the anticipation of huge life changes ahead. Meditation can help you to stay grounded, calm your anxieties and surrender to all the changes coming your way.
5. Community
Having a supportive community around you during pregnancy is so important. Spending time with other moms-to-be and sharing advice, tips and asking questions can help to minimize anxiousness about becoming a new mom. Surrounding yourself with other women who are going through or have gone through pregnancy and feeling their love and support is perhaps one of the most rewarding parts of attending prenatal yoga classes!
Resigning from her job as a schoolteacher and taking the leap into teaching yoga full time, Lindsay has always been a go-getter and fearlessly lives her life with passion, curiosity, trust and an open heart. Following the breadcrumbs the universe lays before her, she is a seeker of truth, a dreamer of dreams and a lover of all beings.
Lindsay is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher (RYT 500 & ERYT 200) as well as the owner and director of Discover Your Yoga.
