Prenatal Yoga: Good for pregnancy, childbirth, and infant health!

From your physical body to your emotional state, practicing yoga during pregnancy can be a key ingredient to a healthy and happy pregnancy, labor and postpartum.

Research consistently shows that practicing yoga during any stage of life can help reduce stress and improve health - but did you know there are added benefits to practicing yoga during pregnancy? Not only can it reduce common aches and pains experienced during pregnancy, but it might also help you prepare for labor and promote your baby’s health.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, prenatal yoga can help:

• Improve sleep

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Increase the strength, flexibility, and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth

• Decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome

• Reduction of hypertension-related complications

• Improvement of fetal outcome

• Lower risk of intrauterine growth restriction

• Facilitate a bond with other pregnant women and prepare for the stress of being a new parent

Childbirth requires the birthing person to become aware of the mind-body connection. A body that knows how to let go, release, and open is more prepared and ready for labor and delivery. Knowing how to do this takes practice! Prenatal yoga is one of the ways we can train the body to be ready for childbirth.

There is a term in the birth work field called the “fear-tension-pain” cycle that can stall labor from progressing. A regular yoga and mindfulness practice during pregnancy can help prepare the mind and body to recognize any present fear and tension and know how to physically let it go so labor can progress. This skill cannot be taught in a book or lecture - but instead is learned through direct experience that can be learned during a yoga class with a qualified teacher.

Before beginning a prenatal yoga practice it is important to talk to your health care provider to be cleared. You might not be able to do prenatal yoga if you are at increased risk of preterm labor or have certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or back problems.

During pregnancy, it is important to avoid hot yoga and more strenuous practices. The best classes to try are either prenatal, hatha, or restorative yoga. There are certain postures to void such as deep twists, backbends, and any poses where you are laying on your back or belly. Make sure to check-in with your yoga teacher before class to be sure they know you are pregnant.