5 Reasons You Should Do Prenatal Yoga #GuestPost

I'm not pregnant, but I love yoga and know there are benefits for prenatal yoga. Our guest post today offers some insights to how prenatal yoga can benefit your pregnancy. Please read and share with other pregnant moms so they can enjoy the benefits of prenatal yoga classes.

5 Reasons You Should Do Prenatal Yoga

By Julie Schoen

When I found out I was pregnant with my son back in 2011, I remember feeling both excited and scared, as I’m sure most women do. I thought that through my yoga practice I would be able to both calm my nerves and learn some important skills that would help me during labor. Four months into the pregnancy I was surprised to discover that I felt worse, my anxiety hadn’t subsided, and I was far from the calm, centered mom I expected to be. 

Fast forward to my third trimester and I couldn’t believe how much better I felt. I was truly happy with my pregnancy. I felt great, looked great, and, most importantly, I was calm and confident heading into my labor.

The change?

I started practicing prenatal yoga. A traditional yoga practice and a prenatal yoga practice, I learned, are two very different things. When I became pregnant for the second time with my daughter I practiced prenatal yoga exclusively. Now I share prenatal yoga with women around the world, helping them create the healthy, happy pregnancy they crave.

Here are five reasons why you should try prenatal yoga now:

It’s A Safe Way To Move: A lot of women come to me with questions about what is safe to do during all trimesters. While there are mixed opinions on running, weight lifting, etc. it is unanimous that prenatal yoga is safe and beneficial. By practicing prenatal yoga you are both strengthening and stretching your body, which helps to keep you comfortable and healthy throughout the nine-month journey.

You Learn To Breathe: As anyone who has had a baby before will tell you, breathing is key when it comes to labor and delivery. Unlike popular breathing classes designed specifically for labor, which can feel forced and unnatural, learning to breathe through your yoga practice will allow you to embody a powerful, calming breath, one that feels natural and supportive.

You Adapt To Change More Easily: Prenatal yoga emphasizes embracing and honoring change. By learning to move gracefully throughout the massive changes that take place, both mentally and physically, you are given the opportunity to really enjoy pregnancy. Letting go of old habits and thought patterns and being present with what is going on today is the best way to love every day (even the hard ones) of being pregnant.

You Gain A Supportive Community: By practicing prenatal yoga you are plugging into a community of women who can understand better than anyone what pregnancy is like. This group of women, whether in your physical community or a global community created online, will help you feel supported and nurtured, an invaluable part of a positive pregnancy.

You Connect with Your Baby: When practicing prenatal yoga you are not only taking time to take care of yourself, but you are also creating an opportunity to connect with your baby on a whole new level. Moving and breathing with your baby helps to form an even stronger bond.

To learn more about Prenatal Yoga and to try a free class, visit http://yoginiology.com/prenatalyoga