As well as being a time of joy and delight, pregnancy can be a time of uncertainty and fear, not to mention physical discomfort and emotional adjustment. The good news is that incorporating regular pregnancy or prenatal Yoga sessions into your week can be a key factor for a happy and healthy pregnancy.
With more and more expectant mothers turning to alternative methods to help them during pregnancy, birth and beyond the benefits of pregnancy Yoga are becoming more mainstream and demand is on the increase.
Pommama, London’s first and only private pregnancy service brings specialist prenatal yoga to expectant mums at a place and time that’s convenient for them. Here they share the top benefits of pregnancy Yoga that will help support you throughout your pregnancy:
Toning the Right Muscles: Various yoga poses such as lunges, stretches or easy backbends amongst others help to tone and strengthen muscles to make those nine months of pregnancy healthier and happier. Building up as well as maintaining the muscle tone is crucial not only for experiencing a relatively comfortable pregnancy but also to help to bring the body back to a toned state after delivery.
Reduces stress and anxiety: Breathing is something we do unconsciously but can be one of our most powerful allies helping us to stay calm and focused especially during labour. Yoga breath work increases the depth of our breath encouraging deep relaxation and helping us to ‘still the mind’.
Helps you to bond with your unborn baby: Mindfulness and meditation are both aspects of yoga, bringing ourselves into the present moment and enjoying the full connection with the physical body whilst calming the mind. Deep relaxation is a wonderful way to bond with baby and find a little bubble of peace together.
Tones pelvic floor: The pelvic floor muscles help to support the vital reproductive and digestive organs, as well as the baby during pregnancy. In Yoga, you are encouraged to lift the pelvic floor to strengthen the muscles to help compensate for the increased weight load. Regular yoga sessions from the 2nd trimester onwards can help to strengthen your pelvic floor and contribute to a speedier recovery post labour!
Improves posture: As the baby grows over the course of 9 months the body’s centre of gravity changes which can lead to poor posture. The increased weight in the belly causes the abdominal muscles to become weaker leading to strain on the lower back. Yoga is a great way to help alleviate this pressure on the lower back and specific yoga postures targeting the upper leg muscles and lower back can also help release tension.
Preparing for Labour and Delivery: As mammals, our bodies are capable of following its instincts to give birth. However, fear, tension and stress cause our body to tighten up, making the process of childbirth painful and strenuous. Prenatal yoga classes train expecting mothers to keep their body calm through yogic methods. It gives a deep and calm breathing routine that can be followed, helping the body to relax and deliver more easily.
About Pommama:
Pommama is a network of pregnancy yoga teachers in Central London bringing specialist antenatal yoga to you, wherever you are – at home, in the office, at any time of day. At Pommama, our aim is to help make your journey through pregnancy life-enhancing and enjoyable. For more information and tips please visit www.pommama.com
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