“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” — Sakyong Mipham

Over the last few decades, yoga has spread like wildfire all over the globe. Owing to its myriad of benefits – both physical and mental, people are making this ancient science of life a part of their daily routine to stay afloat in a world that is submerged by stress, anxiety and tension.

Being a mother is one of the best feelings in the world and nothing can come close to it. But, in order to experience that wonderful feeling, moms-to-be have to go through a lot of discomfort and pain, that too over an extended period of time. They feel anxious, stressed out and have frequent mood swings at times as well, which makes it a really difficult period of time for them.

Yoga has what it takes to ease out the discomforts associated with pregnancy and soothe the mind and body with a calming effect. Care providers around the world are now recommending prenatal yoga to pregnant women so as to help them with their discomforts, worries and stress.

With the ever-growing popularity of prenatal yoga around the world, here’s a look at how it helps would-be mothers to approach this life-changing experience with a healthy body and a positive attitude.

Less Stress

Welcoming a new life into the world requires a lot of decisions, planning as well as preparation. Add to that the challenges of lack of sleep and physical pain, and the entire process becomes a bubble of stress. The stress is increased manifold if the person has already gone through a lost pregnancy or had trouble conceiving. So, how to manage all this with a calm and quiet mind? The answer lies in yoga.

Pranayama and meditation are ideal for pregnancy as they help to unplug and detach the mind from tension and stress. The breathing techniques associated with pranayama, the mindfulness achieved through meditation in combination with relaxing yoga poses soothes the nervous system and helps a person stay stress-free. In fact, this benefit is achieved by all who practice yoga and not just limited to pregnant women.

Relief from Aches and Pains

Aches and pains are part of the pregnancy process and at times it becomes too much to bear. Whether it is prenatal yoga classes in Rishikesh or Chicago, expecting mothers often turn up just to ease their pain and get some relief.

Majority of the yoga poses associated with prenatal yoga strengthens and stretches the muscles of the hips, hamstrings and lower back. As a result, the body feels more relaxed and at ease. Also, the yoga asanas work on the core muscles – pelvic and abdomen region. This is extremely beneficial for pregnant women helping them to deal with the labor process in a better manner.

Mental Preparation

Yoga is an art which unites the body, mind and spirit. The practice of yoga helps to cope with fear and apprehensions.

As rightly said by B. K. S. Iyengar, “Yoga does not transform the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

Yoga helps with the development of a proactive and positive approach which leads to a favorable mindset.

Prenatal yoga allows pregnant women to prepare themselves mentally and develop qualities like determination, patience and courage. They understand that in order to cherish this beautiful journey of motherhood it is important to be comfortable, even if they are not, and accept everything with a positive outlook.

More Possibilities of Natural Child Birth

The daily practice of prenatal yoga combined with the breathing exercises keeps the muscles relaxed and flexible. The abdomen muscles which play a crucial role during childbirth are also strengthened by the yogic postures. Thus, expecting mothers practicing yoga have more chances of a normal delivery than those who don’t.

Pregnant women practicing yoga tend to develop more strength and stamina over time which proves beneficial during natural childbirth.

Keeps the Body Active

Fatigue and lethargy are extremely common among moms-to-be. At times, the fatigue is so engulfing that it hardly allows pregnant women to get out of bed. But, yoga breaks this lethargy and fatigue by increasing blood circulation throughout the body.

A feeling of well-being is created by the daily practice of yoga which allows expectant mothers to nurture exuberance and happiness. This also proves to be a blessing in disguise for the baby as a happy soul has a positive impact on the baby’s growth inside the womb.

Though practicing yoga before pregnancy is highly recommended to all expectant mothers, it is crucial to continue with the practice post delivery as well. There is no end to yoga, the more it is practiced, the more a person begins to feel its positive impacts.

Namaste!!!