Are you curious about what Prenatal Yoga is all about and how it can support you in your pregnancy?
To do or not to do pregnancy yoga is the question you will have an answer to by the end of this article!
3 Common Misconceptions About Prenatal Yoga
All about stretching and improving flexibility
You have to have practiced yoga before you can do prenatal yoga
It's nothing more than a safe and gentle exercise to do whilst pregnant
Prenatal yoga is one of the best things to have in your pregnancy journey and apart of your child birth preparation. You certainly don't have to be yogini to join a prenatal yoga class, series or program.
How Prenatal Yoga Supports you Throughout Your Pregnancy and with Child Birth Preparation
Aches and Pains come from muscular tension and Postural Misalignment
Your common aches and pains such as back pain, pelvic girdle pain, carpal tunnel, shoulder tension, headaches and so on are all a result of your changing body. Your posture has changed, the way you carry yourself has changed. Although Prenatal Yoga focuses mainly on strengthening your muscles, there are poses in the classes, series and programs that target areas of your body that are known to become tight and trigger pain.
Bond with Your Growing Baby
Stepping onto your yoga mat gives you the space to connect with your growing baby and bond. Your movement is mindful, therefore there is a focus on speaking to your baby, sending your baby love and being fully present for your pregnancy.
Emotional Support
Yoga philosophy that is infused into the prenatal yoga classes, series and programs is supportive to your emotional body. Changes are taking place. Change can feel overwhelming, scary, sad, frustrating and hard at times. Yoga philosophy helps you feel light, hopeful and loved. Yoga gives you space to feel your emotions and encourages you to lean into them in a safe space so that you are able to process them in a healthy way.
Pushing requires stamina and strength.
The yoga poses you do in a prenatal yoga class, series or program help you build stamina and strength.
Have you ever heard the following?
You wouldn’t run a marathon without training!
That can applied to child birth. I wouldn't recommend anyone to go into their child birth without any sort of preparation or knowledge.
Contractions are intense.
Learning to breath in the right way can shift your experience massively. The breathing techniques you use can reduce your risk of tearing. Breathing techniques can help your body soften and distract your from the intensity of your contractions.
Are you worried about tearing?
Pregnancy Yoga covers paper breathing to contribute to reducing your risk of tearing. You also learn how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles to prepare them for child birth.
It's All About Mindset
Preparing for child birth isn't all about the physical preparation. Birth is an uncontrollable process that asks of women to surrender and trust in the process. Learning mindset tools are invaluable when it comes to surrendering to the process of child birth.
If you feel that the above speaks to you, I invite you to sign up for a prenatal yoga class, series, program. If you feel none of the above speak to you, then you have your answer about if you should do or shouldn't do prenatal yoga.
Would you like to join a Prenatal Yoga Program?
I have created an online program for you to access prenatal yoga classes, birth education resources, guided meditations and more. To learn more about the program click the button below.
Warmth,
Jadine
Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Instructor (RPYT)