Yoga and Pregnancy, by Claudia Gutierrez

When you begin to practise yoga regularly, you have taken a very important step towards positive living. This is especially helpful when you are pregnant as your body is providing the very first surrounding for your baby.

Honour your pregnancy and the essential work you are doing by giving yourself and your baby the time and attention you both need, practising a  little yoga every day. 

When you practise yoga in pregnancy you bring awareness to your body and the inner connection with your child, helping to focus on your pregnancy in a deeper way. This will help you to feel more in touch with you inner self and discovering and accept the power to give birth and to nurture your baby lies within yourself.

Yoga teaches you to breathe naturally and normally becoming aware of your own rhythm and helping to centre yourself and feel grounded even in the intensity of the sensations when you are in labour.

Yoga is ideal as exercise for the childbearing year as it in encourages relaxation, flexibility and strength in a completely gentle way.
Yoga can help you to release tiredness, back pain, nausea, anxiety, headaches and many other common complaints of pregnancy.


Many of yoga positions we use in class are very similar to positions women instinctively assume in labour: Opening and releasing
pelvis, pelvic exercises, squatting, kneeling.  Yoga prepares you physically and psychologically to open and release while you are giving birth. 
 
To sum up the many benefits of yoga: 
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Yoga improves the blood circulation and minimizes the problems of water retention and oedema.
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Yoga reduces the anxiety and stress and induces a relaxing sleep. It helps women adapt to the new situations.
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It successfully expels toxins from the body and improves digestion.
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Yoga is a safe way for  strengthening muscles and joints.
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It regulates blood  pressure and sugar levels in body and thus helps in preventing the risk of getting diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy.
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Yoga stimulates the nerves and calms the body and mind. Breathing exercises regulate the hormones and emotions.
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Yoga improves the posture and thus helps in easing back problems which are common in most of the pregnant women.
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Regular practice of yoga stretches many ligaments throughout the pelvic, hip and leg areas, which eases labour pain.
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Breathing exercises reduce mood swings, nausea and morning sickness.
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Yoga strengthens the abdominal muscles which take part in pushing the baby through the birth canal