​Practicing Yoga During Pregnancy

Many people don’t know that yoga is one of the best exercises for pregnant women. It is de-stressing, low impact, and great for easy stretching and pain relief. When done right, practicing yoga during pregnancy can benefit the mother and baby. It calms both bodies and can help prepare the mother for an active lifestyle after giving birth. There are many benefits to practicing yoga when pregnant, but it must be done the right way.

Benefits to practicing Yoga:

Yoga is a low impact workout.

While yoga still helps to build and stretch muscle, it does so through slow and relaxed movements. Unlike cardio and strength workouts, yoga helps to restore and build muscle in a gentle and simple way. There are no high impact movements such as jumping or running, making yoga the perfect exercise for a pregnant mother. High impact movements can take a toll on the body, leading to injury or pain. These types of workouts can be dangerous for pregnant women, so they should seek out more relaxed, low impact workouts such as yoga. Through yoga, pregnant women can continue a healthy fitness regimen without putting their body or their baby in harm’s way.

Yoga relieves stress.

Stress during pregnancy can have negative effects on the mother and the baby. It can lead to poor sleep or unhealthy eating habits which impact the growth of the baby and the happiness of the mother. Fortunately, yoga is an easy way to de-stress. Yoga flows focus on restoring the mind and body. They encourage each individual to take control of their mind and relieve themselves of any stressful thoughts. As the mind begins to destress, the body follows, and the individual begins to feel calm and relaxed. Consistently practicing yoga during your pregnancy can help you to remain steady and untroubled, counter balancing mood swings and helping you deal with any new stressors along the way.

Yoga stretches the body and eases pain.

Pregnancy can be painful. As you and your baby’s bodies begin to change, your muscles may grow weary, and you may experience new aches and pains. Yoga can help to relieve these pains through stretching the muscles. Most yoga flows incorporate deep stretching during each pose. This stretching of the body can help to ease any aches and pains and keep your muscles strong and flexible. You might find it helpful to look for a flow that specifically helps with back pain as pregnancy tends to put extra strain on the lower back and spine.

What to do and what to avoid when it comes to Yoga:

Take restorative or prenatal yoga classes.

Depending on what stage of pregnancy you are in, certain types of yoga may be more reasonable to practice than others. The best kind of classes for pregnant women tend to be restorative or prenatal classes. Restorative yoga is slower and has less difficult movements and poses than other yoga classes. It is made to relieve the body without overworking muscles, and it is perfect for those looking for a steady and calm workout. Prenatal yoga is specifically for pregnant women, and it will include deep stretches to relieve common pains and mind exercises that help you connect with your body. Both restorative and prenatal classes are good choices for pregnant women, and they each have unique benefits to offer.

Avoid flows with strenuous poses or quick movements.

While you may be used to working your body hard, it is important to remember that simpler is greater during pregnancy. Even if you do not choose to do restorative or prenatal yoga, make sure you pick flows that are not too hard on your body. You should avoid any strenuous poses or yoga-cardio combinations that require quick movements. No matter what kind of yoga you choose to practice, you want to be able to remain controlled and steady the entire time.

Do not push your limits.

Stop or change positions if you feel pain or are uncomfortable. No matter how easy you may think the class is, if you start to feel uncomfortable don’t be afraid to stop. Your job as a mother is to take care of your body, and you should not push your limits. Do what makes you comfortable and listen to what your body has to tell you.

Specific poses:

If you do not want to take a class, you can try some restorative poses at home. Try Pigeon, Warrior II, or Triangle Pose for easy stretching throughout your pregnancy.