Yoga For Pregnant Women

When paired with a cardiovascular exercise such as walking, yoga can be an ideal way to stay in shape during your pregnancy. This age-old practice keeps you limber, tones your muscles, and improves your balance and circulation, with little, if any, impact on your joints.

Yoga is also beneficial because it helps you learn to breathe deeply and relax, which will come in handy as you face the physical demands of labor, birth, and motherhood. In fact, one of the first things you learn in a yoga class is how to breathe fully.

When you’re in pain or afraid, your body produces Adrenalin and may produce less Oxycontin, a hormone that makes labor progress. A regular yoga practice will help you fight the urge to tighten up when you feel pain, and show you how to relax instead.

Yoga helps the body deal with stress by slowing heart and breathing rates and lowering blood pressure — which can benefit new moms after the baby’s born, too.

The benefits of yoga aren’t limited to your physical well-being. “Taking a prenatal yoga class is a great way to meet other pregnant women — to become part of a community”. Being in a positive, supportive environment with others like you can give you a regular emotional boost and keep you motivated to continue exercising.