A healthy mind in a healthy body, this is what yoga during pregnancy can achieve.

Surely you’ve heard about yoga as a discipline or a relaxing exercise for your body and your mind. Well, that’s pretty much correct.

If you’ve seen anyone practicing yoga it looks like a very simple way to exercise. That’s also correct.

Maybe you’ve wondered if yoga could be a good choice to prepare your body during and after pregnancy, too. The truth is it’s a great activity for pregnant women.

What is Yoga: Many experts define yoga with several meanings, but the most common and that I fully agree is that yoga is a “harmonizing activity,” as simple as that.

The word Yoga means “Union.” I think it’s quite fitting because practicing yoga during my pregnancy, brought a perfect union with my baby and with my husband.

What are the benefits of yoga during pregnancy?

Yoga During Pregnancy - Pregnancy Exercises

By Glenda Furszyfer

Pregnancy is a natural process in which the body prepares itself to deal with all the changes of bringing a baby into the world. Apart from a lot of physiological changes, there are also mental and emotional changes.

The truth is that there is great need to give the process of pregnancy a little help, and for that, yoga is considered one of the best disciplines to help with the weight of all events, changes, discomforts, and complications of pregnancy.

Yoga prepares you to deal pregnancy with the best conditions and is generally considered quite favorable for pregnancy.

In the book of Ma Anand Gandha “Yoga and Maternity”, there are several reasons why yoga during pregnancy is beneficial. The context in this book considers:

  • Moms should fully enjoy pregnancy. They should identify changes in their body, and the development stages of their babies.
  • Moms should collaborate with their natural instincts, instead of trying to avoid them. They must take care of their body with the handling of their emotions.
  • Moms must acknowledge their role in pregnancy in order to handle the demands and requirements of their body. For example, if you react to a contraction as if it was an attack, you will create tensions that prevent the normal behavior of the uterus. However, if you know that this contraction is necessary in order for your baby to be born, then your attitude ought to be relaxing and of collaboration. Learning from yoga will help you soften or sublimate the pain response that sends your brain.

Yoga can help you focus on your pregnancy. For 9 months, you will be more sensitive to changes in your body, and will feel nature in a different way. You will be more aware of your health and the wellbeing of your baby. Intrinsically you will feel the need to get relaxed. Yoga definitely will help you to live more focused and relaxed. Yoga also can give you more energy.

Considering some pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion, yoga can balance your energy in harmony with your body and the changes that you are having.

With balanced energy, you can support the weight of your body, letting your muscles perform their task of moving the bones without stress.

One of the important aspects during labor and delivery is to control your breathing. Practicing yoga you will learn to let your breath flow naturally. Having control of your breathing allows you to better relax the rigidity of your muscles.

My own experience with yoga during pregnancy

During my visits to my gynecologist, I told her that I used to do some fitness and she immediately advised me to follow a yogs routine. In fact, she gave me a DVD with yoga exercises. I didn’t think twice, I bought a quilted blanket and started my yoga routine. I practiced yoga from the second month of pregnancy until the last month.

I did not have a teacher, nor did I take classes. It possibly would’ve been much better if I had, but unfortunately I was not financially able to pay for private or group classes. So I prepared myself mentally to take classes by television. I believe that with commitment and dedication, anything is possible, and at that moment I had the need to prepare my body and mind for the tough task of living my pregnancy with good health.

What were the benefits that yoga during pregnancy provided me? In principle, I can tell you that I did not have severe symptoms of pregnancy, in fact almost none. I also felt more relaxed, energized, and happy after practicing.

I was fortunate to have had the privilege of practicing yoga.

Final Thoughts:

Maybe I could give you more tips related to the benefits of yoga during pregnancy. However, I’ll conclude the following basic principles:

  • Yoga is a very effective way to discover and learn to release your natural instincts to get pregnant and to deal with your pregnancy as relaxed as possible.
  • You instinctively will be prepared to use your own potential to give birth.
  • Yoga will help you to have confidence in the strength of your body and to overcome the natural process of childbirth.

If you decide to practice yoga at home, that’s fine. However to complement your own practice, I recommend some group lessons with a yoga expert.

To have a higher benefit on your health, any exercise must be balanced with a healthy diet.

Other recommendations when practicing yoga during pregnancy:

  • Practice yoga on a yoga mat, folded blanket, or rug
  • Wear comfortable clothing, like maternity yoga pants.
  • Try yoga in the morning, or when your stomach is empty
  • Do not extend the practice over 15 or 20 minutes
  • Rest often when practicing yoga
  • Your breathing should be rhythmic and deep
  • Breathe through your nose and not through the mouth

You should look for a safe exercise during pregnancy. Practicing a workout routine is normally considered beneficial for pregnant moms. However, you can check what exercises to avoid during pregnancy.

Visit my favorite Prenatal Yoga Center.