teaching prenatal yogaBy Faye Martins

As Prenatal Yoga becomes more popular with gynecologists and their patients, there is a growing demand for classes. Teaching Prenatal Yoga, however, requires special training. Attending a level 1 200-hour training to teach the general population does not give Yoga teachers enough specialist knowledge about teaching pregnant students.

Not only can this training be expensive, but it may also involve travel expenses and absences from work or family. Long distance Yoga teacher instruction is one way to get affordable instruction without sacrificing the quality of education, and Aura Wellness Center has successfully trained and certified Yoga teachers around the globe.

What do Prenatal Yoga teachers need to know?

• Routines that are safe for pregnant women during each trimester

• Physical and emotional changes that occur during pregnancy

• How to adapt Yoga postures and use props to make poses comfortable and safe

• Ways to alleviate the discomforts of pregnancy; for example, techniques to help with nausea, mood, swelling, sleep problems, backaches, and indigestion

• Restorative Yoga poses and practices to eliminate fatigue and build stamina

• Breathing exercises (pranayama) to calm the nerves and relax the muscles

• Meditation and breathing techniques to ease the labor process

• Techniques to ease postnatal recovery

How do students benefit from Prenatal Yoga?

• Tones and relaxes muscles

• Increases circulation and improves balance

• Raises levels of oxytocin and lowers levels of adrenalin

• Relaxes nervous system

• Lowers blood pressure during stress

• Provides supportive environment

• Teaches how to use meditation and breathing techniques to ease pain of contractions

What poses are appropriate for most Prenatal Yoga classes?

• Warrior I and II, especially for sciatica, balance, and strength

• Tree Pose for balance and stamina

• Cobbler’s Pose to build strength in the legs and open the pelvis

• Pelvic Tilt to relieve back pain

• Side-lying Pose for resting

As with any activity or exercise, pregnant students should have the approval of their doctors before starting a new program, and prenatal Yoga teachers need to be aware of complications like previous miscarriages or high blood pressure. Certain Yoga poses, such as inversions or techniques that stretch, twist, or compress the abdominal muscles, are especially risky; and any Yoga practice that is intense or done in hot rooms can be dangerous.

Students in Prenatal Yoga classes are already undergoing changes with which they are unfamiliar. Having a confident, qualified, and certified prenatal Yoga teacher specialist who can provide reassurance and ensure safety makes all the difference in the world.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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