What Is Yoga?

Yoga is a system of techniques for balancing the body, mind and spirit through relaxation, exercises, postures, breathing, and meditation.

As well as these four basic areas, yoga also addresses lifestyle issues such as diet, home and work environments, and relationships.

Yoga teaches the importance of awareness and self-understanding through developing sensitivity to the subtle forces within ourselves and the world.

This can help to bring out a new strength and calm – which will definitely be needed as you face the many challenges of motherhood!

When Is The Best Time To Start Prenatal Yoga Classes?

It doesn’t matter what stage of pregnancy or level of fitness you are at, every woman can gain from the simple yoga techniques. You can start training yoga, whenever you feel like it. The sooner is probably the better here. Although don’t force yourself as long as you experience morning sickness. Normally you should be good to go, as the second trimester begins.

4 Amazing Benefits Of Prenatal Yoga During Pregnancy

Getting in touch with your baby (through relaxation, visualization, and meditation) as early in the pregnancy as possible helps to develop a closeness for life.
These techniques can also help to resolve past traumas which block many women’s ability to conceive and labor easily.
Labour complications can be greatly reduced by increasing your flexibility, strength, and stamina, combined with an ability to relax during the roller coaster experience of birth. Pregnancy yoga is so beneficial for expectant mothers!
Yoga is also very beneficial to help break habits which are harmful to our babies such as bad diet, smoking, insomnia, and the effects of everyday stress.

Can Prenatal Yoga Help Maintain Energy Balance During Pregnancy?

Pregnant women are always complaining about having their energy messed with by the baby! Sure, but what about the poor baby having its energy messed with by you! Energy always cuts both ways.

I can’t help thinking of this poor sensitive little bundle of cells, clinging on for dear life while you:

indelicately climb off the bed every morning after a rotten night’s sleep, make breakfast, vomit it up, climb into the car, drop the kids at the bus and hubby at the station, play a game of tennis with some friends, scoff down a few cream buns with a coffee for morning tea, vomit it up, climb into the car, drive home, wash the dog….

…carry the washing out and hang it up on the line, make a quick sandwich for lunch, vomit it up, climb into the car, go out to a school meeting, pick up the kids, push the trolley round and round the supermarket aisles and then out to the carpark…

…climb into the car, go home, go for a bike ride with the kids, make dinner, vomit it up, put on another load of washing, read a few bedtime stories, vacuum the house, have a quick cold shower because all the hot water’s run out, fold up the washing…

…remake the bed, make a cup of tea, climb onto the bed with nice book, phone rings, climb into the car, pick up hubby from station because there’s no taxis, come home again, climb onto the bed, try to drink the cold tea, vomit it up, lie down, try to sleep…

What a life for the little bugger. No wonder he can’t sleep at night!

Regular Practice Will Create Symbiosis Between You And The Little One

Wouldn’t the best idea be some sort of partnership?

“You let me sleep for 8 hours and then I’ll take for a walk for an hour – deal? But even better still would be a natural harmony – an unspoken in-tune-ness where there is no clash. How could such a utopian ideal ever be brought about?

Well, first you’ve got to give some serious thought as to whose needs are the greatest at any particular time. I know, you thought I was going to say that you are the boss and the baby follows your lead. But no such luck.

Sure, it’s not a matter of everything going the baby’s way, you have a life to lead after all, but surely a certain amount of lifestyle compromise from his point of view would be nice.

Why Prenatal Yoga Is A Good Exercise For You?

Looking after yourself is equally as important as looking after your baby – you are a team, a partnership, a symbiotic organism of shared energy. In different trimesters you will need different areas of energy management and so will the baby.

Since the physicality of pregnancy is focused mainly in the lower body, with a bunch of side effects in a few other places, I think this is why so many women do not understand the importance for an expecting mother to have a balance in her life regarding all areas of her energy. Ideally, one needs to balance both the inputs and outputs of energy in all of the areas of yourself as the pregnancy progresses.

Opening Your Chakras Will Bring You Peace and Inner Strength

Think about all the different ways we commonly describe our energy.

High energy, low energy, scattered energy, focussed energy, a loving energy, a sexual energy, an angry energy, nervous energy, a stable energy, a peaceful energy, a mental energy, a physical energy, an emotional energy, psychic energy, a cruising energy, a manic energy, an intense energy, a weak energy a strong energy, a happy energy, depressed energy, a crazy energy.

Sounds like the average pregnant woman’s weekly diary!

All those terms are simply the manifestations of our body, our moods, or our minds at any particular moment. Please don’t just think that it’s “just the hormones”, “par for the course” and that there’s nothing you can do about that.

If you want to change the quantity or nature your own energy any at any particular time then, hey presto, there’s a way. According to yoga, each of those expressions of energy is related to one of the chakras and its corresponding pranic system and its interconnections with your body, emotions, and thoughts.

What do you do in prenatal yoga? Through practice, you can learn to have immediate control of your energy. Gentle yoga stretches can effect a gradual change in your constitutional and habitual energy patterns.

Is Yoga An Art?

We can learn to managing all forms of energy through yoga postures, breathing, relaxation, meditation or even by simple creation. It’s not only a training for your body. Yoga studios give you a lot of space for creativity too.

Yoga sequences can take so many different forms. Many different types of yoga classes make it suitable for almost everyone. Individual character of every yogi is be expressed by a unique sequence of moves or in the form of yoga art.

Some yoga teachers have flashes of inspiration during their practice and they like to create yoga artworks.

Therapeutic Benefits For Women

To conclude: Art, just like yoga, is a way of beautiful, effective therapy. Taking time for your passion is another recommended action you can take during pregnancy to help yourself achieve inner balance and happiness.

Whether you consider taking yoga classes or you prefer enjoying therapeutic qualities of art during your pregnancy – this Youtube video connects both:

Say stop to hormonal fluctuations by taking “pregnant yoga classes” or relax your mind by appreciating yoga art, available online and created by artists & yogis.

How Often Should I Practice?

Some yoga class routines should be repeated at least once a week before (and after) childbirth and last 1 hour. Our dedication can also affect the way your baby’s energy is working. Keep in mind that you can effectively program a lot of how your baby’s energy system if formed in-utero.

Where to find prenatal yoga for pregnancy?

You should definitely ask in your local yoga studio. Typing “prenatal yoga studio” in Google should show you the way to the closest one (mine shows a map!). Yoga classes for pregnant are very popular and there will be some nice yoga studios nearby for sure.

On the other hand, if you are a typical home-bird and your yoga studio is your lounge room, then you may enjoy Youtube yoga videos more. Please make sure to consult your physician, before jumping on the mat.