Sahasra's Hope
Come and join a yoga class to revitalize your body and mind
  • home
  • Certifications
  • Gallery
  • Prices
  • Contact Me
  • The Chakras
    • The Chakras: traditional vs new age
    • Vrittis and the Chakras
    • Muladhara Chakra
    • Svadhisthana Chakra
    • Manipura Chakra
    • Anahata Chakra
    • Vishuddha Chakra
    • Ajna Chakra
    • Sahasrara Chakra
    • Bija mantras
  • Massage
  • Sarah's Travels
    • Tropical North Queensland
    • Tasmanian Weekend
    • Dangar Island Retreat
    • Weekend Retreat at Elizabeth Beach
    • Egypt 2019 >
      • Egypt Chapters
      • The Pyramids of Giza
    • India 2019 >
      • The Story of the Bicycle in India
    • Vietnam and Thailand May 2019
    • European Tour 2018
    • After The Tour
    • Tour to South East Asia
    • Thailand teacher training 2017
    • Cambodia for my birthday 2017
    • Sarah's Travels Chiang Mai-2016
    • Sarah's Travels Rishikesh, India2016
    • Italy, Greece and Tunisia 2016
    • Okinawa Japan 2015
    • Italy 2014
    • Italy 2012
    • Uluru 2012
  • My Fabulous Students
  • Meditation
  • The Yoga Sutras
  • The Eight Limbs of Yoga
  • Samskaras
  • The Koshas
  • Prana and the 5 Vayus
  • Positive and negative Ions
  • The 5 Kleshas
  • Teacher Training
    • Beginner asanas list
    • Body Systems
    • The Neck
    • Asanas
    • Drishti
    • Mudras
  • Come With Me To Tassie
  • Blog
  • Art Gallery

Pregnancy yoga works wonders for your mind & body

13/9/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
I began my yoga journey when I was pregnant with my first child, Matilda, 22 years ago. The benefits are enormous and for me it began a lifelong passion. It brings out that natural inner glow of pregnant mothers who are happy and waiting for a wonderful event. Pregnancy is a time of fluctuating hormones and moods, Yoga releases endorphins, ‘feel good’ chemicals in our brain that make us feel happy and energetic.

Yoga postures are called asanas, each posture works on different sets of muscles, the nervous system and our internal organs, making the body strong, healthy, relaxed and calming the mind. For pregnancy the postures can be modified to make them safe and easier to practice using props such as blankets, straps, blocks and bolsters. By doing slight variations it is possible to make a growing body more comfortable by making room for the growing baby inside. Pregnancy postures focus on strengthening pelvic floor muscles that are needed during the birthing process.

Prenatal yoga boosts circulation and helps balance; reduces shortness of breath, fluid retention and swollen ankles, it can help lower blood pressure, improve digestion and helps expel toxins from the body. Standing postures, like Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose), can increase your leg strength and also generate courage and confidence in the body’s ability to do its job during pregnancy and labour. Modified Cat-Cow, on hands and knees rounding the back up toward the ceiling can help a woman rehearse tilting her pelvis to facilitate the baby's delivery. Sitting in Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), with the soles of your feet together and the knees towards the floor, and doing modified squats can increase blood circulation to the pelvic floor 

Most women begin their prenatal practice during the second trimester. Yoga helps prepare your body for the birthing process; it stretches and strengthens muscles to make the delivery easier. Labor is one of the most physically challenging feats a woman will perform and like any feat of endurance, such as running a marathon it is important to prepare your body.  In yoga class a woman learns to tune in and respond to her body's needs, to trust the wisdom of her body. Deeper intimacy with the body allows pregnant women to rely less on rational thinking and more on intuitive wisdom so that during her labor, when rational thought may be suspended, she'll be able to identify and ask for what she wants.

During pregnancy your body produces a hormone called relaxin which makes ligaments more elastic, softening connective tissue to allow the pelvic joints to become more flexible while the uterus expands, this can lead to lower back pain, and sciatica. By improving posture, yoga relieves these problems. Sleep can be difficult during pregnancy because your body feels different, you may have aches and pains or not be able to lie comfortably. Yoga teaches your body to relax and it sleeps better, it relieves aches and pains making your pregnancy a much more comfortable experience.  

Yoga also teaches you how to control your breath, which comes in very handy when giving birth, it teaches you how to relax and not to stress. When you're in pain or afraid, your body produces adrenalin and may produce less oxytocin, a hormone that makes labor progress. A regular yoga and meditation practice will help you fight the urge to tighten up when you feel pain, and teach you how to relax and help manage the pain of contractions. Stretching improves flexibility, enabling use of various positions in labor to ease pain and facilitate delivery.

Yoga will also help you get your pre-pregnancy shape back faster!

1 Comment
yoga course in rishikesh link
17/4/2017 05:38:16 pm

thanks for nice blog post.i am a very happy read this article. i have learn more thing about yoga pregnancy.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am an artist, yoga master & karate shodan and meditator in search of enlightenment

    Archives

    April 2022
    August 2019
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    January 2017
    May 2016
    May 2015
    December 2014
    July 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Sign up and get information about the latest news and events.

Subscribe to Newsletter
Copyright © Sarah Sahasra Hope 2012-22