Benefits of Yoga during Pregnancy

By Mora Oommen

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice which provides physical, mental and spiritual benefits to relax the mind and strengthen the body. Over the last few decades this age-old eastern practice has gained popularity in the United States. For women who are pregnant, yoga is recommended as an important way to stay healthy and prepare for labor and birth. Participating in prenatal yoga classes also provides a space to connect with other women and build a support network for the journey of pregnancy and parenthood. Prenatal Yoga helps to make your body feel great Your body goes through many transformations during pregnancy, yoga helps to strengthen and relax your body and mind. "Practicing yoga enables a pregnant women's internal organs and organ systems to come into a healthy balance of mind, body, and emotions," according to Matra Majumdar, the author of Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Vibrant Life. Common pregnancy discomforts such as headaches, shortness of breath, sciatica, back pain, sore ribs, and leg cramps can be significantly decreased through regular yoga practice. Many women also report being able to sleep better and a reduction in stress and anxiety.

Prenatal Yoga helps prepare for labor and birth Practicing yoga regularly can put the fetus in optimal position for labor. Many of the postures and movements in yoga are useful to cope with discomfort experienced during labor so that the birth process progresses efficiently. The practice of yoga also teaches you the art of "letting go" - a necessity for the birthing process.

"The practice of yoga helps find acceptance for the limitations of the body and to bring the focus back to breathing each time the mind resists the difficulty of a yoga position (including sitting quietly in meditation)," says Jeanna Lurie, Program Manager and Prenatal Yoga Instructor at Blossom Birth Services in Palo Alto, CA. "Yoga teaches us to accept situations for what they are, with no attachment to any particular outcome."

The guidance of a well-trained prenatal yoga instructor is important for a pregnant woman to learn breathing methods, ideal labor positions, meditation techniques and other recommendations to help achieve easy labor.

Prenatal Yoga classes help build a support network: Connecting with other pregnant women is an important aspect of group prenatal yoga classes. These classes offer a great opportunity for participants to share experiences and make long-lasting friendships!

Salona Lutchminarain, a new Bay Area mom, describing her experience of taking prenatal yoga classes, said: "I was fortunate enough to be able to go to yoga on a daily basis for the last two months of my pregnancy. I think this is the key to why I had an extremely speedy, medication-free birth.

"The yoga helped me to build the physical and mental stamina to work through labor and strengthened my pelvic floor to deliver. The atmosphere in the classroom due to the very caring and knowledgeable instructors made my yoga practice feel like a sanctuary rather an exercise regime. My advice to an expecting mom would be: Yoga all the way!" Prenatal yoga is recommended as an important form of staying healthy during pregnancy because you don't need any previous experience of the practice. Lily Bastian, Certified Nurse Midwife at Kaiser Redwood City, CA recommends prenatal yoga as a great compliment to pregnancy, birth, and the postparum period. She says, "It is a wonderful way to keep your body fluid and flexible. The breathing techniques that accompany yoga are highly beneficial during labor and delivery. It is a valuable tool to quiet the mind and connect with your growing fetus." Women who are unsure of when to begin yoga should know prenatal yoga can begin at any stage of pregnancy. The sooner you begin, the more time you will have to prepare for giving birth, connect with other pregnant moms and avoid common discomforts of pregnancy.

By Mora Oommen, Executive Director, Blossom Birth Services, Palo Alto, CA. Blossom is a nonprofit organization providing daily prenatal yoga sessions in addition to a full range of childbirth education classes and postpartum offerings for new parents in the Bay Area. Blossom's mission is to provide women with resources and services for a healthy, informed and confident pregnancy and parenting journey. For more information visit www.blossombirth.org, email blossom@blossombirth.org or call 650-321-2326.