... to my Yoga for Pregnancy page.

Prenatal Yoga

Many women decide to start yoga when they become pregnant. In general it is not recommended to start a new exercise regime during pregnancy (unless you are already a practicing Yogini), since being pregnant is already a form of light aerobics, your heart having to work harder to pump the increased blood volume through the body and to physically endure your growing baby. Prenatal Yoga is an exception. It is important to differentiate between the more vigorous forms of yoga and a plan specifically designed to help you during your pregnancy. The former not being suitable; it is the latter I am referring to.

In Prenatal Yoga classes:

We practice body awareness. With gentle movements you build on your existing strength. You are able to decide how far to stretch and which positions are comfortable for you and which are not. This already is preparation for labor, where your body will tell you what to do. The more you learn to listen to your body now, the more you can be in tune with yourself during birth. This does not mean that there is one right way of having your baby. Every birth is different! However your approach and your attitude have an important part in making this birth into a fulfilling and empowering experience.

We practice breathing. This is often taken for granted in most cultures, but it takes quite a bit of listening to our body first to identify and then try to influence your breathing. Focusing on the breath during labor is for many women the best way to cope. Breathing is linked to feeling, the calmer the breathing the calmer your mind and this helps you to surrender to the birth process.

We practice relaxation. This is a skill everybody needs in stressful times and having a baby is wonderful but, like all big life events, it can be stressful. The good thing is that, like body awareness and breathing, relaxation can be learned.

Many women who have practiced yoga during pregnancy have found that it enables them to approach birth with calmness and to experience it as a most profound, life-changing event, in tune with themselves and with life.

For more information, contact Rodney via E-mail.