Fall in Love with Yoga During Your Pregnancy

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."   ~ Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Pregnancy is such a beautiful time in a woman's life. Not only does she have the miraculous privilege of creating a whole new life inside of herself, but she also has the opportunity and the inspiration to re-evaluate and re-invest in her own life. Pregnant women often find themselves creating new goals, tackling old fears, and giving their lifestyle a major overhaul.  

Whether it's taking vitamins, eating more kale, or trying a new exercise, an expectant mom is willing to do almost anything in order to create a safe, nurturing, and peaceful space for her growing child. 

Prenatal yoga can help to create the ideal physical and emotional space for an unborn child. Practicing yoga at anytime can help to relieve stress and alleviate depression, both of which many mothers-to-be are prone to. Practicing yoga during pregnancy can target special areas of concern, while also creating more space for the growing child and preparing the breath, abdomen, and hips for the actual birth. 

There are components of yoga that can be enjoyed during every phase of pregnancy. However, most women will want to discuss all physical activities with their specific care provider before partaking. A woman who has a regular yoga practice and is experiencing a typical pregnancy can continue her practice with minimal modifications, initially. As her body begins to change and the baby develops, a certified prenatal yoga instructor can guide the mother through the modifications necessary for each phase, ache, and ailment. 

One of the many fantastic attributes of yoga is that anyone can practice it at anytime. A mother-to-be can begin a yoga practice, even without any prior yoga experience, and still receive tremendous benefits, including increased flexibility, balance, strength, and pain management. 

Numerous studies support the purported benefits of prenatal yoga, from a decreased risk of prenatal depression to improved sleep to decreased backpain, and nausea, according to the Mayo Clinic. A 2012 study also found that prenatal yoga could decrease the likelihood of complications during pregnancy. The research showed that pregnant women who practiced yoga for one hour, three times per week, were less likely to have low birthweight babies, pregnancy-related diabetes and high blood pressure.

Breathe

Our breath is our life force. It's more important than food, water, and even love. It is the rare act that both happens automatically and is also controlled by us. Yoga helps us to focus on our breath and breathing in ways that we never have before. Virayoga founder and Art of Attention author Elena Brower says that the focus on breathing, in particular, can help moms-to-be decompress.

“When we practice when we’re pregnant, it makes a space in our bodies that we need ... for the baby and for ourselves," says Brower. "Breathing helps us create that opening inside of ourselves. Breathing helps us to see that we don’t have to react so quickly… Having that kind of space helps us be patient and helps us realize there’s time for everything.”

Stretch

Prenatal yoga includes specific postures that safely stretch the ligaments, tendons, and muscles that either become more taut during pregnancy, and/ or need to be released for an easier and safer labor and birth. Practicing yoga during pregnancy may help an expectant mom to better accept the beautiful and necessary changes (or challenges) that she and her body are experiencing. 

Strengthen 

Prenatal yoga can help to increase a mom's mental & physical strength and endurance in preparation for some of the toughest work that she will ever do- birth a child. Prenatal yoga classes may vary in intensity from very physically challenging to restorative. Additionally, moms within the same class may require varied modifications from each other, based on their previous level of physical fitness, current state of health, prescribed precautions, or daily energy level (women in their 2nd trimester typically have more energy than women in their first or late in their third). 

Love 

Whether a mom is having her first child or her fifth, her world is about to change dramatically with the birth of this miracle. Taking time out to practice yoga during her pregnancy may be the last selfish act that she will have the time for, and even it is not entirely selfish, since the yoga also helps with a developing fetus' brain and physical health. It is a time for the mother-to-be to connect with herself, as well as with her child. Each time she transitions to a more meditative state during yoga, she has the ability to experience her baby's flips and flutters more deeply. Finally, in a class or community setting, she has the opportunity to meet and gain support from other moms who are vibing with her pregnant self. These connections during pregnancy often blossom into lifelong friendships among the mothers and their children. 

Photo by Robyn Elicia

Prenatal yoga should be safe, enjoyable, invigorating, and empowering. There is no place for judgement or shaming, even within the mother's own head. It is a time to be wholly present with self, while falling  in love with her new self, her new body, and new baby. 

Tell us about how you fell in love with prenatal yoga experience. 

Photos: 1: Jada, 4 hours before going into labor at 40 weeks. 2: Jada, 29 weeks, still teaching and practicing yoga 

Attend a FREE Prenatal Yoga Class with Jada in Memphis during National Yoga Month!