Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

This past week I started teaching a prenatal yoga class in addition to the other classes that I teach. It was  a beautiful experience. There isn't anything quite like prenatal yoga. It not only is a great exercise to help pregnant women get more prepared physically and mentally for the birth of their child, but it also helps them to bond with their unborn baby.  It is so amazing to watch and facilitate women as they go through this bonding.

For anyone who is interested in starting a prenatal yoga routine here are a few (of many) benefits of doing yoga while pregnant.

•  Helps improve sleep
•  Reduces stress and anxiety
•  Increases the strength, flexibility and endurance of the muscles needed for childbirth
•  Decreases lower back pain, nausea, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, shortness of breath, and other common complaints of pregnancy
•  Decreases the risk of pre-term labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension and intrauterine growth    restriction-- a condition that slows a baby's growth
•  Balances hormones
•  Increases self-esteem and helps relax body and mind
•  Increases circulation for both mother and baby
•  Encourages bonding with unborn child

Now before you go and jump right into yoga, make sure that you find an instructor that has been trained specifically in prenatal yoga. There are several poses that should be avoided during pregnancy such as inversions, backbends and many twists unless they are supported or otherwise modified. Prenatal yoga is recommended three times weekly during pregnancy. Also, typically practice is suspended during weeks 8-12 of pregnancy because, in general pregnancy statistics, most miscarriages occur during this time frame.

For information as to when my prenatal classes (as well as other yoga classes) will be taught, see the following link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/100826750095616/

www.gobodhiyoga.com