Yoga during pregnancy has physical and mental benefits, including building muscle strength and flexibility, relieving discomforts, reducing stress, and increasing awareness of breath. Prenatal yoga classes are available, but modifications are necessary, and women should consult their doctor. Yoga may also benefit the developing fetus and can be resumed after giving birth with a doctor’s recommendation.
Yoga during pregnancy has both physical and mental benefits. Physically, yoga during pregnancy provides the mother with exercise that will build muscle strength and flexibility, both of which will be helpful during labor and delivery. Yoga poses and movements during pregnancy can also relieve some of the discomforts of pregnancy, such as lower back pain and fluid retention. Yoga promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and creates awareness of the breath, all of which will benefit the mother during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
Some women report that yoga also helps relieve additional unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, such as fatigue and mood swings. The benefits of yoga during pregnancy can also extend beyond the time of delivery. Some yoga practitioners claim that prenatal yoga can reduce stretch marks and help the new mother get in shape faster after the baby is born.
In addition to the benefits for the expectant mother, yoga during pregnancy may provide benefits for the developing fetus. As yoga includes breathing techniques, more oxygen is supplied to the whole body during the practice. This puts more oxygen in the blood that is pumped to the fetus.
Women should consult their doctor before beginning or continuing a yoga practice if they are pregnant. Although the benefits of yoga during pregnancy are numerous, some modifications are necessary. Poses that overstretch the muscles should be avoided because they are more likely to tear or strain the muscles during pregnancy.
Any posture that is practiced on the back should be avoided after the first trimester. These positions can reduce blood flow to the fetus. Any posture that puts the mother at risk of losing her balance and possibly hurting herself or the fetus should be avoided, or a prop should be used to ensure that the mother-to-be does not lose her balance.
Yoga classes designed specifically for pregnant women are available at many studios and gyms. One benefit of attending a prenatal yoga class is that the instructor is likely specifically trained in yoga during pregnancy. If attending a general yoga class, the mother-to-be must notify the instructor that she is pregnant.
The time to start practicing yoga again after giving birth should be based on a doctor’s recommendations. With vaginal delivery, yoga is generally not recommended for about six weeks. If the delivery was by cesarean section, many doctors recommend waiting even longer. There are additional postnatal benefits to resuming yoga once a woman has been cleared by a doctor to start practicing again.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
