There are few things more profoundly life changing for a woman than giving birth. It is one of the few times in her life when she reverts to her primal state, listening to her body as it guides her through one of nature’s amazing miracles. Birthing in all its natural glory should be a calm and beautiful experience for mother and baby.
Prenatal yoga has been shown to bring tremendous benefits to both mother and baby by teaching techniques that promote a calm and peaceful birth. By focusing on breathing and poses that encourage opening up and alignment of the pelvis, prenatal yoga helps prime the mother for the physical and psychological demands of birthing. Research backs up this claim. A study in Thailand of 74 first time moms found that those who did prenatal yoga experienced less discomfort and shorter labours.*
One of the key benefits of prenatal yoga is that it teaches moms-to-be how to breathe deeply and fully, allowing them to stay calm at the most critical points of the birthing process. In a scenario where the birthing mom is anxious, her body releases adrenalin, redirecting blood flow away from the uterus to the “fight and flight” mechanisms of the body. This can cause a tightening of the pelvic area, stalling the labour process and creating a vicious cycle of pain and anxiety. Deep and full breathing centres and relaxes the birthing mom so that her body can flow through the very natural process for which it was designed.
Another fantastic benefit of prenatal yoga is that moms-to-be are taught specific poses that promote strength, balance and opening up of the pelvic area. As pregnancy progresses and a woman’s body changes, she may experience back pain. Prenatal yoga strengthens the muscles that support the weight of the growing uterus and help take pressure off the lower back. As moms near their due date, classes can focus on hip-opening poses that serve a dual purpose – they help get baby into position and keep the pelvic area open and unrestrictive during the first stage of labour to allow the baby to make the journey through the birth canal and into mom’s loving arms.
Finally, prenatal yoga surrounds mom with other moms experiencing the same pregnancy ups and downs. Women surrounded by other supportive females during pregnancy have been shown to have lower stress levels and generally healthier pregnancies.**
Yoga 4 Youth warmly welcomes moms-to-be to our prenatal yoga classes on Mondays from 5.30pm to 6:45pm. We look forward to sharing this life changing journey with you.
For more information please call (868) 678-1996.
Sources:
*http://www.fitpregnancy.com
**Ox, Mehmet C. M.D. & Roizen, Michael F. M.D; You Having a Baby – The Owner’s Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy; 2009
http://www.babycenter.com
http://www.babble.com
Prenatal yoga has been shown to bring tremendous benefits to both mother and baby by teaching techniques that promote a calm and peaceful birth. By focusing on breathing and poses that encourage opening up and alignment of the pelvis, prenatal yoga helps prime the mother for the physical and psychological demands of birthing. Research backs up this claim. A study in Thailand of 74 first time moms found that those who did prenatal yoga experienced less discomfort and shorter labours.*
One of the key benefits of prenatal yoga is that it teaches moms-to-be how to breathe deeply and fully, allowing them to stay calm at the most critical points of the birthing process. In a scenario where the birthing mom is anxious, her body releases adrenalin, redirecting blood flow away from the uterus to the “fight and flight” mechanisms of the body. This can cause a tightening of the pelvic area, stalling the labour process and creating a vicious cycle of pain and anxiety. Deep and full breathing centres and relaxes the birthing mom so that her body can flow through the very natural process for which it was designed.
Another fantastic benefit of prenatal yoga is that moms-to-be are taught specific poses that promote strength, balance and opening up of the pelvic area. As pregnancy progresses and a woman’s body changes, she may experience back pain. Prenatal yoga strengthens the muscles that support the weight of the growing uterus and help take pressure off the lower back. As moms near their due date, classes can focus on hip-opening poses that serve a dual purpose – they help get baby into position and keep the pelvic area open and unrestrictive during the first stage of labour to allow the baby to make the journey through the birth canal and into mom’s loving arms.
Finally, prenatal yoga surrounds mom with other moms experiencing the same pregnancy ups and downs. Women surrounded by other supportive females during pregnancy have been shown to have lower stress levels and generally healthier pregnancies.**
Yoga 4 Youth warmly welcomes moms-to-be to our prenatal yoga classes on Mondays from 5.30pm to 6:45pm. We look forward to sharing this life changing journey with you.
For more information please call (868) 678-1996.
Sources:
*http://www.fitpregnancy.com
**Ox, Mehmet C. M.D. & Roizen, Michael F. M.D; You Having a Baby – The Owner’s Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy; 2009
http://www.babycenter.com
http://www.babble.com
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