Yoga Plays A Very Important Role In Pregnancy

Whether you're a yoga beginner, or a fan who wants to adapt familiar exercises to suit your pregnancy, we have all you need to know. Find out about the different yoga styles that are safe for you to practise - as well as which styles aren't safe. We have advice on how to learn relaxation techniques, and on how to focus your mind so you can do yoga meditation. Breathing exercises, along with yoga postures, will benefit the health of you and your growing baby.

Yoga and pregnancy

Yoga can help women get through their pregnancy with minimal discomfort. It also helps the birth and post-delivery stages.

Independent midwife Manijeh Nedas says: 'In my experience, I believe that yoga plays a very important role in pregnancy. Generally, pregnant mums who do yoga exercises appear healthier, both in mind and body. Their bodies are more flexible, which enables them to adapt to various positions when in labour and the ligaments are more elastic, which in turn can help to reduce labour pain.'

Andrea Fox, an antenatal yoga teacher in Sommerset, says that yoga classes help to boost circulation and also help with fluid retention. The stretching exercises relieve aches and pains.

Posture is also improved by yoga and this can help ease back problems, which are common in pregnant women. She adds: 'Yoga helps to prepare for the birth - it encourages breath and body awareness, reduces worry and teaches women to adapt to new situations.'

And yoga continues to have benefits after pregnancy, too. Postnatal yoga, which can be started about six weeks after the birth, strengthens abdominal muscles and your pelvic floor. It also helps you to get back to your pre-pregnancy shape faster.

A mother's experience

Heather Elliot had already tried a few yoga classes before she decided to start a family. But when she became pregnant with her first child, nearly 18 months ago, she decided to take up yoga regularly.

I had done yoga before, but a long time ago. So it felt like it was my first time - and I really enjoyed it! she said.

Heather says she had no problems starting yoga when pregnant. She started yoga classes when she was 13 weeks pregnant and, at first, she felt things were a bit slow: 'I was expecting more movement in the beginning, but there were lots of respiration exercises,' she said.

For her, the best thing about practising yoga while pregnant was that it made her feel mentally prepared for the birth. She also stresses the strengthening of pelvic muscles as a benefit.

Heather's baby is now three months old and she can't wait to go back to yoga: 'As soon as I find someone to mind the baby I will continue with the classes.'

Ultimately yoga teaches you to focus on the here and now and helps you to learn to relax, so you’re better equipped to deal with whatever life may throw at you. Learning the skill of living in the present will help you through labour, to breathe through your contractions and rest between them. Focusing on just this will empower you and help you to achieve a positive experience regardless of the type of delivery you have.

And don’t forget, yoga is a skill you can return to once your baby is born to regain your shape and for every day life.