Yoga Teacher Training Forum

How Yoga Moves Can Benefit Pregnant Women
By Piper Michaels

Doing yoga during pregnancy is an excellent choice for mother-to-be and baby. There are many benefits to prenatal yoga. It's very important to do prenatal yoga and not regular yoga. There are some yoga poses that are not recommended for pregnant women. Prenatal yoga is comprises a series of gentle stretches and breathing exercises. These stretches help elongate and strengthen key muscle groups used in delivery. It also helps to increase flexibility. Prenatal yoga can relieve back pain. Yoga minimizes water retention which contributes to leg and ankle swelling. Yoga also helps with balance during those sometimes awkward latter stages of pregnancy. The routines should be modified for each trimester of pregnancy.

Yoga also helps the baby by increasing the circulation of blood and oxygen to the baby. Yoga improves posture which helps the baby enjoy optimal space in the womb.

In addition to the physical benefits of yoga there are also benefits for the mind. Learning effective breathing techniques is very beneficial. Deep breathing can calm the mind and help manage pain. By consciously practicing breathing, you will help to meet the challenges of labor. When the body is in pain or highly anxious it produces adrenaline and inhibits the production of oxytocin which, ironically is the hormone the makes labor progress. Learning breathing techniques is a big part of standard prenatal classes. If you can incorporate deep breathing learned through yoga this will be an added benefit.

Yoga props will help you get the optimum results from your sessions. Some people will choose to purchase a thicker yoga mat for extra support. Yoga bricks and bolsters are also recommended to help with balance, especially in latter trimesters. There are some very good prenatal yoga dvds to choose from

Taking a prenatal yoga class is a wonderful way to fellowship with other expectant mothers. It gives you an opportunity to share and receive support during your pregnancy.

It's important to consult your doctor before you begin any exercise program. After you've had your baby and gotten approval from your doctor, yoga is an excellent way to get back in shape. Honor your body and do as much as it tells you it can handle.

Prenatal yoga is an excellent choice that you and your baby will appreciate.

Yoga classes for pregnant students: Teaching the therapeutic techniques of yoga to pregnant students is an inspiring and incredible task because experiencing the process of motherhood is a major alteration in the life of a woman. The exercises of this therapy work as a positive feature throughout the parental process as practicing yoga techniques in a class provide pregnant students a chance to spend quality time with other fellow women going through similar course of action. They share their experiences and worries particularly when someone is feeling not backed up, stressed and anxious. The process of given birth to child is a task that include working of muscles, sweat, blood and tendon, these exercises help a mother to understand the miraculous moments of child birth.

According to the expert practitioners there are some rules of attempting postures of yoga during pregnancy, the instructor guides the students about standard safety precautions such as, to avoid strong exercises, twists, over stretching, inversions during first trimester, holding breath for long time and lying on belly or back after 30 weeks. In parental yoga classes specific poses and asanas are formulated or design to keep the pregnant woman safe and comfortable. The teaching of yoga poses to pregnant students in a mixed class sometimes causes difficulties for concentrating on them individually or giving them enough time and personal attention therefore it is better to opt for parental yoga session for safe, secure and hassle-free therapy.

Practice of parental yoga exercises are highly beneficial and a magnificent way to contribute optimistic effects on the life of both mother and child. It is the responsibility of a teacher for assisting these students to feel relaxed or tension free physically, mentally and emotionally because they are experiencing a process of life change. Generally it is suggested by the certified professionals in the related field that someone who is a regular practitioner of yoga exercises before pregnancy is able to continue or carry out strong postures with the help of some adjustments and modification after first trimester under the supervision of a competent teacher in special parental yoga classes. If an individual never performed the poses or asanas before or she is a beginner than it is better to practice only simple relaxing exercises during pregnancy.

Here are some basic advices for practicing yoga postures during pregnancy:

In first trimester pregnant students feel exhausted, lightheaded and nauseous, encourage them to perform child pose in place of back and forward bends also told them to eat some healthy snacks before and after class to maintain their energy level, drink plenty of water and take necessary bathroom breaks. During second trimester they feel much better and energized at this time they should practice some strong poses carefully and in third trimester due to expanded belly the students feel heavy and tired physically they need adjustments and support while attempting some postures.

It is also kept in mind that no two students are alike in their physical and psychological conditions as each one has its own body pace, flexibility and requires variable modifications or adjustments. During pregnancy many people causes hyper flexibility in tissues and muscles, avoid over stretching as it risks in tearing placenta only perform poses that provide stability and strengthening. Many poses perform traditionally become uncomfortable and restrictive to practice, use the support of props like blocks under hands during standing forward bend, also perform dandasana or staff pose in place of seated forward bend.

Avoid lying on bellies as poses like back bends (cobra or locust) especially after first trimester instead of it practice ish pose. Inversions exercises like hand stand or head stand near the end of first trimester and starting of second (week 10-13) should be avoided in place of it perform bridge pose with the help of blocks under sacrum with feet on floor. Lower back pain is a common complaint by a pregnant woman, teacher should guide the students to perform tail bone centric techniques like cat, cow pose and downward dog pose to ease the tension from pelvis and hips. Abs working exercises should not practiced, keep working on steady breathing practice. Fast inhale and exhale pose kapalbhati is not safe to perform instead of it practice Nadishodhana (alternate nostril breathing) or Bhramari (bumble bee breath) to calm mind and settle energy.