3 Reasons “Why” Prenatal Yoga
Best place to begin is at the beginning so let’s begin with my ultimate favorite:
Empowerment! If you’re expecting you know all about the opinions of others - they’ve been shared with you, and oft not by request. As you make your way through a pregnancy, it can be challenging to feel grounded and confident- been there! As your body changes, your hormones shift things like appetite, energy level/fatigue, and circulation (not to mention growing a human is exhausting), and boy this can feel disempowering. Why? When you don’t feel like yourself, it’s easier to feel less powerful and capable, especially over a sustained period of time. My classes are designed specifically to connect you with your own sense of power, capacity, and strength; you’ve got this, mama.
Movement. Of course I’d include this, but when you look at the data, mamas who practiced prenatal yoga just had an easier time.* Decreased time spent (total) in labor, more vaginal deliveries and less caesarean sections, shorter first stage of labor, tolerance of pain was better, and improved birth weight. Postpartum, results also showed higher comfort.3
Peace. Connection with (one) self is one of the most powerful relationships we can cultivate. When we are nonstop moving forward in life without checking in every so often, I believe true contentment will always elude us. In order to feel at peace (and whatever that may mean for us individually), we need to have a relationship with ourselves that looks like listening, reflecting, and releasing. Think of the fact that we carry emotions and memories in our bodies from birth and possibly from others in our family tree (a nod to epigenetics). When we choose to practice through an inherently balancing and peaceful activity including yoga, meditation, and community, we are building a strong reserve for developing as a parent-to-be, as well as caring for ourselves thus caring for the little one on the way. Set the stage, prep the environment, practice. <3
Sign up for prenatal yoga here, it starts 11/8 and goes until 12/13 (Tuesdays from 6-7:15pm).
*of course this statement is super subjective. what I mean here is that research tells us participants/pregnant people were more comfortable during pregnancy (less pain!), spent a shorter amount of time in labor, and that participating in a class weekly decreased the likelihood of more invasive interventions during labor and delivery.
Rakhshani A, Maharana S, Raghuram N, Nagendra HR, Venkatram P. Effects of integrated yoga on quality of life and interpersonal relationship of pregnant women. Qual Life Res. 2010;19(10):1447-1455. doi:10.1007/s11136-010-9709-2
2. Chuntharapat S, Petpichetchian W, Hatthakit U. Yoga during pregnancy: effects on maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2008;14(2):105-115. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2007.12.007
3. Bolanthakodi C, Raghunandan C, Saili A, Mondal S, Saxena P. Prenatal Yoga: Effects on Alleviation of Labor Pain and Birth Outcomes. J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(12):1181-1188. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0079
