Pre-Natal Yoga
Pregnancy is a beautiful time when a woman glows, and her body miraculously develops new life. This gift of life is an exciting time for expectant mothers, but it is both hectic and challenging. As conception occurs, a woman’s body begins transformation to sustain life by providing a nurturing environment for the fetus to thrive for the next 40 weeks; in addition, labor, delivery, and milk production are also intelligently in preparation. The heart, lungs, brain, adrenals, and the endocrine system are hard at work, supporting the uterus, making space by shifting bones, increasing blood supplies, and raising hormone levels to grow the fetus. The women’s body begins to take on a new shape, and things become quite unusual. Nausea, fatigue, mood swings, and aches and pains associated with body changes are common symptoms of early pregnancy.
In a quest for a beautiful pregnancy and natural relief to the common symptoms, prenatal yoga is taking the lead in a holistic approach to healthier benefits, for both mother and baby. Deepak Chopra director of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing and esteemed yoga author, offers pregnant women and healthcare provider’s innovative ways of thinking about pregnancy and childbirth. Chopra states, “The months during which a women carries a child are a naturally introspective period and provide an ideal opportunity to cultivate awareness of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states.” Yoga can help physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is a time in life when mothers should be fit on all levels to develop a healthy baby, prepare for labor and delivery, and quicker post-natal recovery. Research suggests, Yoga in essence provides a more comfortable, healthier pregnancy and protects against many obstetrical complications.
The physical benefits: Yoga poses or asanas keep the body strong and flexible in order to address additional weight gain and hyperactive hormones. Specific poses can counteract fatigue, headache, backache, digestive disorders, inflammation, and increase space in the abdominal cavity. In addition to the reproductive organs, all major systems of the body respond to a pregnancy, the endocrine, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, circulatory, and digestive systems are affected; however, by performing a daily practice these systems are strengthened and balanced.
Yoga can alleviate the discomforts associated with the lack of space as the placenta grows. The discomforts can include the lungs and shorten breath as the baby reaches the lower rib cage and diaphragm. The weight of the placenta applies added pressure to vital organs, such as the bladder causing frequent urination and the intestines causing constipation. Gravity, the natural force of nature can also take its toll in agitating the weight of the uterus on the pelvic floor and intensifies swollen legs and feet during the third trimester. Yoga offers poses to combat these issues by elevating the feet higher than the heart, easing water retention and relaxing veins of the legs, which carry an increased flow of blood and nutrients to the fetus. Space is created while lengthening the muscles and areas of the upper body that contribute to constricting this space, allowing a fuller range of freedom and mobility to mom. Breathing exercises calm stress and ease the anxieties of pregnancy and the childbirth journey ahead.
Back pain a common complaint among pregnant women, including sciatica, is reduced by practicing specific poses that encourage core stability and support the pelvis. As the body, changes so does the center of gravity and the pressures applied to these regions causing tightness and less mobility.
The meditation and bonding: Meditation is integral to creating focus and concentration in the practice of yoga and in life. Practicing meditation can enhance the emotional well-being of the mother, alleviating anxieties and provide a calm scene of tranquility to manage stress. Another advantage is quietness, a chance to tune into the body with awareness and bond spiritually with the baby. This deep internal connection will provide peace and happiness, opening the doors to a woman’s own intuitive maternal wisdom.
Labor and Delivery: Yoga builds the strength and stamina needed for delivery and opens the body and the birth passage.” (Christie Matheson) A prenatal yoga practice prepares mothers and their bodies for the strain of the birth process. Women find that mediation and the fundamentals of yogic breath work are both equally helpful during labor.
A Healthier Baby: The effects of prenatal yoga and its correlation on pregnancy indicate a healthier baby. Yoga can help to increase the birth weight of babies and effect the gestational age at delivery. This can correspond to an increase in blood supply to the fetus. Obstetrical complications such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, and pre-term labor are improved.