Article on Pre-natal Yoga by Kat Frost
For Haslemere and Midhurst Branch NCT Magazine, Spring 2010.
I have practised yoga since I was a teenager, and I have found it beneficial to my well-being ever since. Yoga helps to keep your body healthy and balanced, your muscles strong and flexible, and your mind calm and energised. During my time as a yoga teacher I have been often approached by pregnant women looking to practise yoga, and I was motivated to study yoga for pregnancy so that I could bring the benefits of yoga safely and specifically to mums to be.
Most women like to wait until the beginning of the second trimester to begin yoga, because this is a peaceful and more energetic time compared to the first trimester when tiredness and nausea can prevail! By about week 14, the pregnancy has established itself, and many women prefer to wait until this time before attending a group yoga class, and therefore announcing their pregnancy.
Pre-natal yoga is modified versions of traditional yoga practises and can be safely practised from the very beginning of pregnancy until the very end. The techniques learnt in class can be very helpful in labour, in keeping things moving along, and managing pain.
Yoga can help you connect and bond with your unborn baby. Practising yoga helps to increase your intuition, and during meditation, relaxation and visualisation you can communicate with your baby, whether it is through feelings, images, or simply a greater awareness of the baby’s consciousness and presence.
The pre-natal yoga stretches and postures help keep muscles flexible and relieve tension. Through yoga you can learn how to maintain correct posture as your spine is placed under pressure from the growing baby. Everything learnt in class can be practised at home, and most are simple enough for you to recall easily. The yogic breathing practises are especially useful in your everyday life for relieving nausea and stress, and they are effective techniques to help manage pain naturally during labour.
Yogic techniques help to bring the baby into optimal foetal position for birth. You can discover postures which help ease the strain of labour by opening the pelvis, and reducing the strain on the pelvic floor muscles. You will also build a greater mental awareness of the pelvic floor, and this will help you to release them during the birth and to help you tone up afterwards!
It is generally recommended to wait until 6 weeks after the birth to begin any physical exercise, and you should wait until after your post-natal check up before returning to your normal yoga routine. You can however maintain your relationship with yoga in the first 6 weeks after birth even if it means just sitting on your mat each day for a few minutes and doing some breathing!
