7 Reasons Why You Should Try Prenatal Yoga Now
Nurture your mind, body, and growing baby with prenatal yoga.
It reduces stress and anxiety; improves sleep; decreases lower back pain, nausea, headaches and shortness of breath; increases flexibility and endurance needed for childbirth; and bolsters mental and emotional well-being.
“Typical prenatal yoga classes start with a meditation. The hope is that one of the meditations resonates with each woman, and she can use it as a skill during labor and delivery,” said Patti Schmidt, a prenatal yoga instructor with Allegheny Health Network. “Then we do some standing poses, which are strength and balance based, and then we come back down to the floor to do some cool downs,” she said.
We practice focusing and breathing for two minutes and not opting out—because when you have a contraction, you don’t get to opt out.
“We also do something called a keep up, and it’s basically contraction practice. We do it for two minutes, and it’s, ‘Can you focus and breathe for two minutes and not opt out?,’ because when you have a contraction, you don’t get to opt out,” said Schmidt.
Prenatal yoga classes also give women the opportunity to bond with each other, and to prepare for the journey of being a new parent together.
To find out more on why you should try prenatal yoga, read below.
- It can create a healthier pregnancy, including making you less likely to go into preterm labor or have a low-weight baby, according to one study.
- It firms up key muscles for childbirth. Yoga poses like lunges and backbends strengthen important muscle groups in labor and delivery, particularly the pelvic floor, hips, and abdominal core.
- It also readies you emotionally and mentally for birthing. The meditation and mindful breathing in yoga helps you to relax into the right frame of mind when the time comes, which permits your body to dilate more easily.
- It alleviates uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms such as lower back pain, headaches, shortness of breath, nausea, insomnia, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The mindfulness of yoga, along with the stretching and strengthening, can also help lessen the emotional side effects that can come with pregnancy.
- It supports your developing pregnant body. Prenatal yoga provides a safe way to stretch and strengthen yourself, especially your lower back, which bears the brunt of your growing belly weight.
- It allows you to bond with your growing baby. Setting aside time each week to think about your baby helps foster an early connection. As a bonus, the breathing in yoga brings a great flow of oxygen to the little one growing in you.
- It helps you create a support network of other women. “It is one of the most beautiful and wonderful times in someone’s life. And so, for the women to get to be a part of that for each other, and for me, too, is quite special,” said Schmidt. “Getting the emails after they’ve delivered, and pictures of their babies, and them telling me how their labor and deliveries went and how they think yoga helped them with delivery, I think I enjoy that really the most.”
AHN offers prenatal yoga classes led by an instructor trained in teaching patients throughout all stages of their pregnancy. Classes are held the first four Tuesdays of each month. The cost is $40 for a 4-week session. Fees may be prorated at a cost of $10 per session. Call 412-578-7030 for more information or complete registration online.