I have been looking for a comprehensive article on prenatal yoga practice, and I found a great one, with lots of pregnancy-safe poses, and clear descriptions and photos of each posture. I think yoga is one of the best ways for a pre- or post-natal mommy to keep in touch with her changing body. The important thing is to be accepting and non-judgmental of yourself as you gain weight and change shape. You’ll find you are more flexible during pregnancy, so don’t overstretch, but enjoy that openness in your joints and muscles.
Benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy
Yoga relies heavily on breathing techniques to make the exercise fruitful. Exhale and inhaling deeply provides oxygen to the whole body, something we desperately need during pregnancy. The fetus stands to gain the benefit of this charged blood pumping in. While doing the exercise, breathing and moving the body sets the pace, and each is incomplete without the other. The results of this coordinated activity are phenomenal.
Yoga exercises also help in pre and postnatal depression, basically by relaxing the mind and putting a lot of fears at rest. The primary advantage of practicing Yoga is that the essential breathing exercises provide a mental calmness to the would-be Mom. This peace descends to her baby, and also helps her to take the crucial time of childbirth in her stride.
Physically speaking, the mild yogic exercises help maintain muscle tone, especially for the back and pelvic muscles that take such a tremendous beating during the nine months of pregnancy and about a year thereafter, till the baby is a toddler.
Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep) also relaxes the mind and body to such an extent that in many cases it even helps during the trauma of childbirth. The gentle toning and stretching exercises do wonders for preparing the body for caring the baby as well a delivering it.
Read more at Fitness Articles: Practicing Yoga during pregnancy.
