Prenatal / Postnatal Yoga

 

Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga can offer a supportive way for Moms to connect with your body and baby by providing a gentle and effective workout.

 

Discover a powerful way to connect to the beauty and transformation of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Your body is unique. Our Prenatal Yoga instructors will guide you through the practices, encouraging you to create more awareness by listening to your body, your breath, and your baby. A practice filled with gentleness and grace.

 

Our Postnatal Yoga instructors understand that your body has gone through quite a transformation from pregnancy, birth and in the post partum time. Your body is recovering and healing and taking care of baby. Every body responds to having a baby differently and every birth is different. Some Moms are ready to return to yoga much faster than others and there are many factors that go into assessing whether you are ready. In our Postnatal Yoga programs, we plan your practices according to your individual condition and encourage healing in a safe and relaxing way.

 

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Benefits of Prenatal Yoga​

 

Prenatal Yoga is a multifaceted approach to exercise that encourages stretching, mental centering and focused breathing. There are many healing benefits to reap from a regular yoga practice during your pregnancy.

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Supports your changing body: Our bodies are always changing. However in pregnancy, Mom bodies experience an accelerated pace of change, which need help adjusting and compensating. Prenatal yoga practice is designed to support the changes that happen within the bodies by offering Moms healthy and safe ways to stretch their muscles and strengthen their bodies to ease the process of supporting a growing belly.

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Tones important muscle groups: Prenatal yoga tones the physical body, especially the pelvic floor, hip and abdominal core muscles, in preparation for the birthing process. A properly toned muscle has the right balance between length and strength. Building and maintaining muscle tone during pregnancy can help minimize the aches and pains of those nine months, and to bring your body back to a toned condition after delivery.

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Physical strength: Prenatal yoga offers physical strength and stamina in areas that are helpful during the late stages of pregnancy as well as birth; such as the shoulders, hips, legs and back. Prenatal yoga in general helps increase the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth

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Reduce stress and anxiety: An abundance of stress and anxiety can harm both Moms and babies. Stress has been linked to premature birth, neurodevelopmental disorders, anger, and even allergies. Furthermore, untreated stress and/or anxiety will dramatically increase chances of developing depression after the baby is born. Excessive stress during pregnancy may inhibit babies growth too. Prenatal yoga can help alleviate stress and anxiety during pregnancy, with calming practices.

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Relaxes the nervous system: With pranayama (yogic deep breathing techniques), Moms' body is given the opportunity to sink into a rest and digest state. The parasympathetic nervous system kicks on, allowing the body to rest, digest and repair itself. When Moms are stressed and constantly on the go, your sympathetic (aka fight or flight) nervous system takes over, and your body experiences a hard time digesting and absorbing nutrients, which is essential when you are pregnant. The increase in progesterone slows your digestive system to boot. Your immune system is also weakened and you do not get as much deep rest or sleep which is necessary to repair your mind, body and spirit. During pregnancy, Moms' body has to work double time for you and your little growing baby. It is important to turn on the rest and digest nervous system so that you and your baby can be as healthy as possible as often as possible. Prenatal yoga allows you to get into this zone!

 

Prepares for labor and delivery: Working to connect with yogic methods of deep, mindful breathing can help Mom to loosen, calm down and relax, trusting that your bodies will open during labor and birth, instead of tightening up due to fear and tension. The idea of fast paced, hyperventilating breathing techniques during labor are long gone. It has been proven that calm, slow, deep breathing, increases focus and decreases pain. Moms who practice prenatal yoga form a habit of slow deep breathing to prepare for the big day. Yogic techniques of pranayama also guides on breathing during labor to promote an easy delivery.

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Improve sleep: Moms who practice prenatal yoga reduce sleep disturbances, diminish total number of awakenings at night and improve sleep efficiency. By moving through a progression of focused breathing, gentle stretching and postures to a cool down and relaxation techniques, yoga is a natural stress-reliever. By helping to reduce stress during the day, our bodies are more in sync with our natural sleep patterns. Regular yoga practice helps regulate our sleep rhythm – making it easier to go to sleep each night. Additionally, prenatal yoga also helps relieve tension from Moms' bodies – making it easier for you to stay asleep.

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Provides relief from common pregnancy complaints: Prenatal yoga may be the cure for Moms' problems if you are suffering from common pregnancy discomforts such as lower back pain, nausea insomnia, headaches and shortness of breath etc. By stretching and toning muscles, you can help blood circulation within the body in a healthy way. Deep breathing can also bring much-needed oxygen your babies and own body muscles. As your belly grows, your hips and your spine compensate. Your spine curvature increases and your hips tighten. Yoga poses will allow you to relieve some of that intense pressure by strengthening, loosening and breathing deeply into the areas of tension. The physical postures combined with the deep breathing in yoga increase your circulation. As circulation of your blood is increased, swelling and inflammation from edema is decreased. Studies also showed that mindfulness yoga which combines with physical poses can bring measurable relief to depression which might accompany the emotional journey of pregnancy. 

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Promotes connection with your babies: Going to a prenatal yoga class once or more each week is a gentle reminder for Moms to take time off your busy work schedule or home life to care and bond with your growing baby within. As pregnancy progresses, the body's different responses to yoga poses will be a reminder of other physical changes happening in your body. Some poses while practicing can become meaningful if you breathe deeply while in it. Yoga slows you down and allows you to tune into your body on a very deep level. By focusing on the breath and the postures that reach the depths of your muscles, it will allow you to focus on what is actually happening to you and your baby. In the depth of this awareness, you will be given space and opportunity to connect on a deeper level with your baby.

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Increased self love: Prenatal yoga instructors thank you for coming to your mat and giving yourself the time to focus on and pamper yourself. It is a time to decompress and destress from your busy day. It is a way to nurture yourself and promotes self-love! 

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Gives you a healthier pregnancy: Moms who regularly practice yoga during pregnancy were less likely to have preterm labor or deliver of low-birthweight baby. A healthy mom is more likely to have a healthy baby!

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What happens during a typical prenatal yoga class?

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Each session of private prenatal yoga session is 60 minutes.

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Breathing practices or pranayama: You'll be encouraged to focus on breathing in and out slowly and deeply through the nose. Prenatal yoga breathing techniques might help you reduce or manage shortness of breath during pregnancy and work through contractions during labor.

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Loosening practices or gentle stretching: You'll be encouraged to gently move different areas of your body, such as your neck and arms, through their full range of motion.

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Yoga poses: While standing, sitting or lying on the ground, you'll gently move your body into different positions aimed at developing your strength, flexibility and balance. Props — such as blankets, cushions and belts — might be used to provide support and comfort.

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Cool down and relaxation: At the end of each prenatal yoga class, you'll relax your muscles and restore your resting heart rate and breathing rhythm. You might be encouraged to listen to your own breathing, pay close attention to sensations, thoughts and emotions, or repeat a mantra or word to bring about a state of self-awareness and inner calm.

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Safety Guidelines for Prenatal Yoga Class

 

To protect Moms and babies health during prenatal yoga, follow basic safety guidelines

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Talk to your health care provider: Before you begin a prenatal yoga program, make sure you have your health care provider's OK. You might not be able to do prenatal yoga if you are at increased risk of preterm labor or have certain medical conditions, such as heart disease and vaginal bleeding etc.

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Set realistic goals: For most pregnant women, at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity is recommended on at least five, if not all, days of the week. However, even shorter or less frequent workouts can still help you stay in shape and prepare for labor.

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Pace yourself: If you can't speak normally while you're doing prenatal yoga, you're probably pushing yourself too hard.

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Stay cool and hydrated: Practice prenatal yoga in a well-ventilated or cool room to avoid overheating. Drink plenty of fluids (water) to keep yourself hydrated.

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Don't overdo it: Pay attention to your body and how you feel. Start slow and avoid positions that are beyond your level of experience or comfort. Stretch only as far as you would have before pregnancy.

If you experience any pain or other red flags — such as vaginal bleeding, decreased fetal movement or contractions — during prenatal yoga, stop and contact your health care provider.

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