An Introduction to Yoga for Pregnancy
posted by Jayne Hill |
- Yoga -
Pregnancy is a joyful time of life, full of change and anticipation and many expectant mums glow with health and vitality. But what if your pregnancy is feeling exhausting rather than exciting? The changes happening in your body and life to accommodate a growing baby can make you uncomfortable and stressed, and yoga can give you space to relax and prepare your body and mind for the labour and birth ahead of you
Lining Up for a Comfortable Birth
Practical, simple movements and postures help to coax baby into the best position for birthing. A long, lifted spine, with knees lower than you hips when you’re sitting down (notice - how are you sitting now?) will encourage baby’s head to nestle down into mum’s hips, and spending time releasing and stretching on all fours, allows baby’s spine to slide to the front across mum’s tummy. A baby in a good position is much easier, and more comfortable to birth.
Balance Your Hormones
Oestrogen levels soar in pregnancy, swinging your emotions from fabulous surges of happiness to sobbing over TV adverts. Many mums are working through pregnancy, struggling to continue as if nothing has changed, adding stress onto their emotional rollercoaster. Gentle exercise like yoga, and also swimming and walking, stimulate endorphin production, your own natural feel-good hormones. By joining together these activities with other mums-to-be you can also share with people who really understand what you’re going through building a valuable support network of friends.
Relaxin’ with Relaxin
Relaxin is another hormone produced during pregnancy. It gently softens your cartilage and smooth (involuntary) muscles to release the pelvis, making space to ease baby’s passage through the birth canal. As a result, all your ligaments release and lengthen – so be careful not to overstretch during your yoga practice. This is one reason why it’s important to spend some time with a teacher rather than learn from a dvd or book. At this time your back, shoulders and knees in particular are vulnerable to injury. You may also notice your shoe size grows at this time too, make sure your shoes offer good support and leave high heels till after baby is born. Relaxin also slows down your digestion – great as you can draw all the available nutrition from your food, but also making you more likely to get constipated. Gentle twists in yoga can help to stimulate the movement of food through your colon. Remember you need plenty of water to ease your digestion too.
Going With the Flow
You may also find that fluids feel ‘stuck’ and as the vessels they travel through also ‘relax’ and are less toned, leading to swollen feet and ankles. The gentle movements of yoga can encourage the flow to be more efficient. If swelling appears suddenly, or is concentrated in the upper body, get your midwife to check your blood pressure to ensure that it is not a sign of pre-eclampsia. Always double check any symptoms – not just swelling - that concern you, just in case.
The way you move, breathe and balance changes as your baby grows and it’s important to learn how to adapt the way that you move around to protect your body. Yoga techniques help you moving from floor to kneeling and standing while protecting your back. It’s a valuable skill while you’re pregnant, but an even more important habit when you are struggling with a little one, change bag, car seat and car keys. You also may feel ‘tight’ and short of space or breathless. Gentle twists stretch the muscles between the ribs and help you to deepen your breathing and breathing practices help you to make the most of your breathing capacity.
Float away
Rest is essential during pregnancy, but especially in the final trimester. Mums find it more difficult to be comfortable in bed and yoga’s deep relaxation techniques can provide deep rest and help you to float off, or back, to sleep. Short breaks to practice yoga breathing can help to re-energise and stabilise your hormones during the day when taking a nap isn’t an option.
Practical Notes
You can start practicing yoga for pregnancy from about 14-16 weeks, after you’ve had your first scan and chatted to your midwife to check how your pregnancy is progressing, and you can continue your practice right the way through until your baby is born. Before 14 weeks your pregnancy is less stable and your body’s instincts to rest and relax through nausea and feeling tired, are exactly what you need. Of course, there are some situations when physical yoga postures aren’t appropriate and your midwife or yoga teacher can give you personal advice. If that is the case, you can still continue your relaxation, visualisation and gentle breathing practices.
Find a yoga teacher that is properly qualified to teach yoga for pregnancy. While many parts of a regular yoga class will be beneficial, there are lots of postures that will need to be adapted for you and some, like deep twists, lower backbends and lying on your back, are not advised at all during pregnancy. Yoga teachers will be pleased to share their qualifications and experience to put your mind at ease.
Jane Hill can be reach here http://www.uktherapy.info/Jayne_Hill-(ref-14325).ashx
or at her own website www.http://shantispirit.co.uk/
