Prenatal Yoga
Last week I spoke about how yoga helped me after having Kairo and how postpartum yoga is a great tool for mothers soon after having their baby. This week, I’m talking about prenatal yoga or doing yoga while pregnant and the amazing benefits associated with it.
I practiced prenatal yoga from the time I was 3 months pregnant until I was 8 months pregnant. While it’s totally ok to continue with a regular yoga practice, I knew prenatal yoga was especially designed to help expecting mamas, so I decided to give it a try. The poses are modified to accommodate growing bellies, the teachers give cues that only someone carrying a baby can relate to, and there are plenty of props involved to ensure comfort and ease. Prenatal yoga is also good for providing support. Being surrounded by other pregnant people was really comforting and surprisingly communal like. It was nice to see the same women over the course of a couple months. We were going through the bodily changes together and had people to complain/vent/celebrate with. The teacher was also very good at providing the emotional support we needed. Many prenatal yoga teachers double as doulas or other birth workers, so they have a true passion for supporting birthing people.
I tell my prenatal clients that prenatal yoga will give them the tools to prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally for birth and help them find comfort and presence in their bodies. In my opinion, learning to use your breath to manage discomfort is the most important aspect of prenatal yoga. This proves to be important time and time again, from pregnancy to motherhood. Some of the other benefits of practicing prenatal yoga include:
1. An Intimate Connection to Baby on a Spiritual Level
2. A Break for Mama
3. A Strong Pelvic Floor- Contributing to an Easier Delivery
4. Mental Endurance
5. Build Muscle Tone and Strength
6. Ease Aches and Pains
7. Improve Mental Health
Through yoga you learn how to weather the discomforts of life and create more blissful experiences. My 1:1 prenatal yoga classes generally begin with a check in, a 5 minute journal activity, a breathwork exercise, sitting standing and balancing postures, restorative poses, and a final relaxation asana. I always announce the theme, set an intention and make a declaration at the beginning of class. And I end my class with a 10 minute meditation followed by another 5 minute journal activity. My goal is to provide a space for mamas-to-be to acknowledge and bring awareness to anything they’re feeling, escape the stresses of life temporarily, relax and release, and gain clarity. I create a safe space and provide any emotional support needed. It’s an honor to be involved in the preparation process of an expecting mama and I take the privilege seriously. I try to provide something that I wish I had access to when I was pregnant.
If you are an expecting mama, I strongly encourage you to develop a consistent prenatal yoga practice. Once a week (or more) is great! If for nothing else, do it for the peace of mind and second to yourself.
A registration link for my prenatal yoga classes will be on my website soon. In the meantime, feel free to inquire about them via email (viktorious.mama.ka@gmail.com) or Instagram (@Viktorious.mama).
Take good care of yourself!
Sending love,
From one ViKtorious Mama to another!
