“What are the benefits of prenatal yoga? Is prenatal yoga different from regular yoga? Does doing prenatal yoga in pregnancy help in labor and birth?” These are some of the most common questions we get. And, while we offer yoga classes and workshops for people at any stage of life, preconception to parenting is our specialty. Our specially trained instructors have put together the following answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Prenatal Yoga helps to align the body, just like a traditional yoga practice, but here we focus on alignment to carry your baby most comfortably, preventing or relieving many common discomforts of pregnancy including backache, water retention, fatigue, and sciatic pain.
Improved sleep, reduced stress, increased flexibility and endurance, decreased back pain, decreased nausea, eased carpal tunnel discomfort, decreased headaches, reduced risk of preterm labor, and being in community with other expecting parents are just some of the benefits of joining a prenatal class. Even if you are not experiencing negative health or issues, you will definitely feel better leaving!
All yoga helps to stabilize the emotions, relieve stress, and integrate changes in the body, and in prenatal yoga, we specifically address emotions, stress and changes around pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood.
Prenatal Yoga uses stretching and strength-building poses to tone muscles without straining them, improve flexibility without inducing hypermobility, and promote healthy blood flow, keeping your body active and strong as it changes to carry your growing baby. Healthy muscles, including birthing muscles, stretch more easily, and are less likely to ache, tear, or be injured no matter what kind of birth you are planning.
We know that fear, tension, and stress can be a barrier in childbirth. All yoga builds strength and confidence in your physical body and stimulates the relaxation response. Over time, in a prenatal yoga practice, we develop body and breath awareness, focus, and concentration, learning to relax “on demand” quickly and completely, while softening around the sensations of opening up. These are the skills that will help you as you move through your labor.
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Do you have more questions about prenatal or postnatal yoga or massage? Look for more articles in our FAQs series coming soon! Or contact us at babymoonlex@gmail.com and find us on social media: @babymoonlex .
