Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Pre-Natal Yoga and Why It Is Good For You and Your Child
By Milla Krogh

Yoga is a type of exercise that is very beneficial during pregnancy. It is a very healthy form of training that most women will enjoy while being pregnant. Yoga has so many positive effects and the gentle exercises can actually help you get through your pregnancy. Yoga teaches you how to listen to your body and your baby as well, and how to have full awareness of your body and its great powers. Listening to your body is one of the best preparations for childbirth, as it will help you while going through labour. Focusing on the breath will also be a great advantage in the delivery room and if you have practised breathing exercises regularly it will even come to you so naturally.

Many women, most women actually, suffer from some pregnancy related problems during their pregnancy. Typically, these problems are back pains, especially the lower back, shoulder pains, cramps, breathing problems etc. Yoga practise can prevent or relieve some of these problems. If you are an experienced yoga practitioner you can continue your usual yoga practice for the first months and slowly adjust your routine to your pregnancy.

The beauty of pre-natal yoga is that you can prepare your body for childbirth. Many yoga positions help the body prepare for the great accomplishment of delivering a child. For example there are yoga positions that help the baby get in the correct position, and help the body soften up around the pelvis area, as well as strengthening the abdominal muscles to help push the baby out. You can also learn yoga positions that will even help you during the actual birth, as certain positions help gravity along as the child is finding its way out. In the modern Western world we have become accustomed to lying down during childbirth, but this is actually the worst way to deliver a child as we do not let gravity help us. During a pre-natal yoga class you can learn alternative positions that will let nature support you in the delivery room.

The breathing exercises that are an important part of every yoga class will help you manage and control the pain. This also has a meditative effect and will help you maintain focus on yourself and the process that your body is going through. During pre-natal yoga you will learn and discover new abilities of your body and its resources, as well as the internal forces that take over during pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, yoga during pregnancy is preparation for both mind and body, and will help you feel a deeper connection to your baby, both while in the womb and when it is ready to come out into our world.