Pregnancy Yoga
How will pregnancy yoga help me?
Pregnancy yoga classes can help you during your pregnancy, by allowing you to relax, release tension in your body, connect with your baby, maintain your strength and fitness, and also help with pregnancy related conditions such as heartburn, nausea, leg cramps and so on.
Pregnancy yoga classes help to ensure that your baby adopts the best position in the weeks leading up to birth. Practising yoga has been known to help turn breech or back-to-back babies.
Classes also focus on preparing you for giving birth, by teaching you breathing techniques to help you stay calm and focused, and positions and movements that will help you during labour.
If you’re planning to have a caesarean section, yoga classes can help to nurture the special relationship between mother and baby in the weeks prior to meeting one another at the birth.
At what stage of my pregnancy should I start doing yoga?
If you don't have any health problems, then you can start at any point in your pregnancy. Many women don’t want anyone else to know that they are pregnant until they’ve had their twelve week scan, and you may also feel like you have more energy in your second trimester. You may hear advice that you should wait until you are 14 weeks' pregnant, but this refers to attending dynamic yoga classes rather than a specialist pregnancy class. Regular attendance at class is strongly encouraged so you get the full benefit.
Photograph by Neil Sampson Photography www.neilsampson.com
How is a pregnancy yoga class different to a general class?
Each pregnancy yoga class is designed so that it is safe for pregnant women to take part in, and pregnancy yoga teachers have completed additional specialist training. Pregnancy yoga classes also give you an opportunity to meet other pregnant women and build up a network of support.
Teachers of general Hatha Yoga are likely to advise you not to attending their classes if you are pregnant and you have never done any yoga before. But even if you are an experienced yogi and have been attending the same general Hatha Yoga class for years with a teacher you know and trust, you may find it frustrating having everything modified for you once you are pregnant, and may prefer to attend a class where you can safely participate in everything.
Can I attend a pregnancy yoga class if I’ve never done any yoga before?
Yes! Because the class is designed for pregnant women, it’s perfectly safe to attend a pregnancy yoga class, even if you’re completely new to yoga.
Yoga is non-competitive, and everyone is encouraged to work with their body as it is, and to creative a supportive environment for each other.
