Pregnant women require different forms of activities to help them relax and prepare for childbirth, and prenatal yoga is one major form of exercise for pregnant women.
Who Can Practice Prenatal Yoga?
Prenatal yoga is especially helpful for pregnant women, especially during childbirth.
Although it aims to make delivery easier, pregnant women can start yoga sessions as early as in their first trimester to enjoy comfort and ease during pregnancy.
However, prenatal yoga is not for pregnant women alone; even women who are not pregnant can practice and benefit from it.
What Does Prenatal Yoga Involve?
Prenatal yoga involves a series of exercises focusing on different aspects of a pregnant woman's health. Some areas touched during prenatal yoga include
Body Posture Exercises
Prenatal yoga involves different exercises that help body posture, whether lying down, sitting, or standing. It also involves different positions that improve the balance and strength of the woman.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing is a major part of pregnancy, especially during childbirth. Prenatal yoga also involves breathing exercises that equip pregnant women with the proper techniques to manage their breathing during labor.
Flexibility and Relaxation Exercises
One significant aspect of yoga is to help people relax and get comfortable.
Pregnant women deal with a lot of discomfort and unease, and prenatal yoga can help them relax and boost their flexibility to relieve stiff muscles.
What are Some of the Common Prenatal Yoga Poses and Their Functions?
Pregnant women practice several poses during prenatal yoga. Here are some of them and their functions:
Forward-Bend Pose
This involves bending the head forward to the knees and is aimed at stretching the hips, back, and legs. This pose aids relaxation and easier digestion of food.
Cat-Cow Pose
The cat-cow pose is done on the hand and knees. It involves arching the back inwards and outwards while practicing breathing. It boosts relaxation, flexibility of the spine, and better circulation of blood.
Other safe yoga poses for pregnant women include the child’s pose, triangle pose, warrior pose, garland pose, side corpse pose, and lots more.
What are the Benefits of Prenatal Yoga?
There are several benefits of prenatal yoga for pregnant women, and some of them are:
It Makes It Easier to Handle the Changes Caused by Pregnancy
Prenatal yoga is designed to cater to the body changes that pregnant women experience.
Women experience constant physical, emotional, and mental changes in their bodies. Prenatal yoga equips their bodies to handle these physical, emotional, and psychological changes.
Makes Labor Easier
Many pregnant women, especially new mothers, are weary during and after the labor period. Prenatal yoga helps to prepare the body for yoga, making the process easier and more bearable.
Provides Comfort
Different yoga poses can help pregnant women deal with many discomforts they experience as a result of their pregnancy, such as pains and aches in their joints or muscles, stiff muscles, and lots more.
Improves Strength and Muscle Tone
Pregnant women can't handle heavy exercise routines, making pregnancy yoga an excellent substitute for building strength, stamina, and toning muscles. All of these are very important for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
What are you waiting for? Register with Shift Yoga today to begin your prenatal yoga exercises!