What is Prenatal Yoga?
The pregnancy period is a very sacred time for the mother. However, it is not as glorious as portrayed by modern media. This duration is very challenging for the mother as she goes through numerous incredibly painful bodily changes. On top of these challenges, present-day life routines are demanding and time-consuming. Mothers hardly get an opportunity to halt their day and connect with the baby.
Additionally, your body goes through several major changes during pregnancy. Not only are these physical transformations painful for the body, but they might also negatively impact the mother’s mental health as well. Various women admit that their pregnancies led them to body dysmorphia and insecurity. Their brain automatically develops a negative perception of their bodies, and hence leads women to negative thoughts and feelings.
This is why physicians and doctors are so in favor of prenatal yoga. Prenatal yoga is a special type of gentle yoga designed specially to accommodate the changes pregnant women go through during all three trimesters.
Prenatal Yoga Basics:
Prenatal yoga comprises more than 21 asanas for every trimester. These poses include gentle stretches, deep breathing and breathing exercises, mindfulness, and mental strength. Yogis often ask who should practice prenatal yoga and what time is the best time to start it? The answer is:
Pregnant women can start prenatal yoga at any time of their pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists believe that prenatal yoga is one of the stables forms of exercise in the pregnancy period.
What are the Benefits of Prenatal Yoga?
Prenatal yoga is exceptionally beneficial for pregnant women due to its many benefits. Here’s everything you need to know about this pregnancy-friendly practice:
Strengthen your Mental Health:
Yoga’s main purpose is to relax the mind and connect a person’s body with their inner self. This strong connection of body and mind raises self-awareness, therefore, strengthening one’s mental health.
Say Goodbye to the Baby Weight Faster:
Weight is a sensitive Aspect of pregnancy. Not enough consumption of food is dangerous for the baby, and increased hormones give mothers “cravings”. Weight gain is very natural after childbirth, but losing weight is a challenging task. Women who practice prenatal yoga are already active, and their body is in better shape and are stronger than those who do not practice prenatal yoga. Better stamina gives them leverage, making it much easier for yogis to lose extra pounds.
Your Body & Mind will be Fit for Delivery:
Prenatal yoga develops mental and physical strength in women. Yoga mentally readies women for the challenges they may be facing during delivery. This helps the body be better equipped for labor. Yoga instructors also teach and focus on right hip placements and correct postures to stay in during labor. Yoga also practices muscle stretches, which proves to be a great benefit at the time of delivery.
Relaxes the Pains & Aches:
Pregnancy symptoms include insomnia, backache, nausea, headache, etc. Different asanas of yoga comprise different stretches. These stretches such as the Warrior III pose and dog pose regulate spine health. This results in reduced back pains. These asanas have a positive impact on neurological health, which results in fewer headaches as well.
Mamma Needs a Minute:
The mother is going through a tremendous amount of body pain in all trimesters and during labor as well. Other than that, mothers have a very busy routine that rarely ever gives them time for self-care. In this fast-moving routine, yoga is a great way to stop, pause and breathe for pregnant women. It gives them a chance to release stress and exhaustion and gives them much-needed mental and physical peace.
Gives you a Natural Glow:
Yoga is famous for being relaxing and stress-releasing, but only a handful of people know this benefit of yoga. Yoga gives your skin a natural glow. Dendy Engelman, a Ph.D. holder dermatologist, proved that yoga causes enlargement of blood vessels whichcauses better blood flow in the body. With better quality blood flowing in the skin, the skin of yogis is noticeably glowy and fresh.
Promote Connection with your Baby:
In a difficult routine, mothers do not get a chance to connect with the baby in their womb. Pregnancy is a very sacred nature’s gift to women, and not cherishing this time is something mothers regret ahead in life. Weekly yoga allows mothers to have uninterrupted time with their babies where they can fully focus on the being in their womb. This is a cherishable and sentimental time for the mother and also boosts maternal instincts.
Delivery Will Be Easier:
When you are better mentally prepared for delivery, it is much easier for the body to do in labor, causing less distress and pain to mothers. Yogis are already instructed about what to expect, and so they are much calmer and ready for unexpected possibilities.
Better Sleep Awaits:
Recent researchers have shown that over 75% of pregnant women suffer from insomnia. Lack of sleep is very common in pregnant women which also contributes to their fatigue and exhaustion.
As yoga helps yogis to relax and gives them more control over their minds, pregnant yogis are more likely to have better, deeper, and undisturbed sleep. They take less time falling asleep and stay in a peaceful sleep. This beats fatigue and tiredness, leaving women better prepared for their day.
Increased Flexibility:
A pregnant woman’s body is going through rapid changes. The body has to adjust to many changes. Yoga stretches and asana increase the flexibility of the body. Prenatal yoga helps stretch and strengthen the lower back, muscles around the belly, and the pelvic area. Increased flexibility eases the new changes and modifications to the body. It also reduces bloating and nausea.
Helps with Body Dysmorphia:
Pregnant women are more likely to develop body dysmorphia and insecurities, as extra weight gain might distort their perception of themselves. This negative set of feelings may lead to mental depression disorder or MDD. Yoga opens up your mind and connects you to your conscience. Yoga practices positivity and sanguinity through asanas. Mindfulness gives you a more self-loving approach to yourself and replaces negative feelings with positive ones.
Is Prenatal Yoga Safe?
Pregnant women may conceive yoga as “a bunch of difficult and complex physical poses” and may believe yoga to be risky. It is a common misconception that yoga is very complex. Science has proven this to be untrue. Physiotherapists believe yoga is far safer than the workouts pregnant women do that may include cross fits, running, boxing, Pilates, etc. Prenatal yoga is highly advised by gynecologists because it has many benefits to offer and is a pregnancy-friendly practice. It should be kept in mind to practice prenatal yoga during a pregnancy instead of classical yoga, as classical yoga is not safe during pregnancy. For example, yoga with too many severe abdominal stretches is to be avoided by pregnant women. This is why prenatal yoga has different and pregnancy-friendly asanas that are safe and comfortable enough to be practiced in second and third trimesters as well.