Your Questions Answered
What benefits can I expect from attending pregnancy Yoga classes?
Pregnancy is a miraculous journey and an enriching gift for a woman, which deepens her awareness from the inside out. In a pregnancy Yoga class, a knowledgeable instructor eases you through the changes and challenges with breathing exercises, poses, visualizations, and affirmations, adapted especially for pregnant women. In such a class, you find the nurturing time to connect with your body and to discover your inner strength. You become personally empowered and will be able to adapt to the many changes that pregnancy brings on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.
Unlike in a regular Yoga class, we pay special attention to the needs of the pregnant woman. You learn to establish a strong breathing practice, which creates centeredness and focus. Yogic breathing gives you a remarkable sense of awareness in your body. You connect with bodily sensations and will be able to release tension and anxiety. You even learn how to breathe your way into the oftentimes elusive good night’s sleep for you and your unborn child. Your breathing practice is well-established by the time you actually go into labor, so it is an invaluable resource. The appropriate breathing that you have learned instills calm, inner clarity, trust, and confidence, thus grounding and empowering yourself during labor and birth.
In the transformational time of pregnancy, Yoga poses help you adjust physically. You develop flexibility in your body. You learn to pay specific attention to standing balanced and straight in order to avoid back pain as your baby grows. Pregnancy Yoga poses improve the function of organs and glands and strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Your skillful instructor chooses poses that widen the pelvic diameter and reduce pressure on the lower spine. More specially selected poses prevent and relieve common complaints of pregnancy such as low back pain, heaviness in the uterus, varicose veins, and calf cramps. Rather than force yourself to follow sequences designed for non-pregnant bodies, you learn poses that feel most comfortable during the last trimester, labor time, and giving birth.
We tend not only to your body in these classes, but also to the emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of pregnancy. Affirmations specific to the journey of pregnancy help lift the attitude and spirits. Relaxation, visualizations, and meditations focused on mother and child enhance a woman’s mental and physical strength, trust, and confidence. Many women enjoy the group support in a Yoga class, connecting with each other before and after class, or even with partner-supported poses during class time. Often these connections endure after childbirth with support groups, postpartum activities, and play groups.
Depending on how they are practiced, many styles of Yoga are more or less suitable for pregnancy. If you already have a daily vigorous Yoga practice, you might be able to continue a strong, but not vigorous, practice during your second trimester. The first and third trimesters need special caution, because too vigorous practice can trigger early contractions and bleeding. If your body is not used to a daily workout, but only to a weekly Yoga class, or if you are new to Yoga, it is best to come to a pregnancy Yoga class where your specific needs are met, and you can be safe.
For example, for the beginner the best time to begin a pregnancy Yoga class is in the second trimester. Then, gentle Yoga practiced with deep breathing, slow movement, and restorative poses is safe and enhances your well-being. In the second trimester, adapting the poses is important to create space for your baby. You will feel more comfortable with the legs and knees wider in simple poses like standing and sitting-forward bends. Wide-angle poses stretch the inner thighs and help release the pelvis and prepare for birth. Postural awareness is important, working with gravity and using movement to help lengthen and strengthen the lower back. In the third trimester, it is best to listen to your own body’s wisdom. Spend extra time focusing on breathing and resting to prepare for birth. For swelling in the hands and feet, a daily gentle Yoga practice and walking help to move the fluids. For leg cramps, calf stretches with a partner or poses such as half Downward Dog help. There are sitting exercises to build up strength in the pelvic floor, which supports the contents of the abdomen. When digestive problems arise, standing poses, separate-leg forward bends, and gentle twists help. Also, emotions might pour through you as you contemplate birth. Relaxation techniques, guided imagery, meditation, and deep yogic breathing help you to empower yourself and build trust for your journey.
As soon as you know that you are pregnant, it is very important to tell your Yoga instructor. Is s/he sufficiently trained in this matter? It is important to know if your Yoga instructor has enough experience with pregnancy and Yoga and if s/he is certified for teaching it. Does s/he understand the important points and precautions for teaching Yoga for pregnancy? Does s/he know what dangers to avoid and what benefits to emphasize? Ask. Perhaps you can find out this information in her/his bio. You may also find information via the Yoga Alliance Web site www.Yogaalliance.org, which lists certified Yoga instructors with 200 hours of basic training, 500 hours of advanced training, and specializations. Ask others for recommendations. Try a class, listen to your intuition, and ask questions!
Keeping special needs paramount rather than secondary, pregnancy Yoga classes offer women appropriate, safe, rich, and satisfying sequences of lessons. You can expect to be guided through the transitions of pregnancy and to find the nurturing time to connect with your body and to adapt to the many changes that occupy you during your pregnancy. You can expect to develop an enhanced awareness of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. Through breathing practice and practice of Yoga poses, you can expect to build strength and confidence. You can expect joy and satisfaction when you connect with the unlimited energy within yourself. And when you connect with your baby through your more intense awareness, your bond will grow even before birth. Finally, you will carry your skills and this deepening of your pregnancy experience to the moment of birth and into your life as a strong and supportive parent.
Hannelore Moebius, from Germany, has been a practitioner of meditation for 27 years and a certified Yoga teacher for more than 15 years. She has studied Yoga and healing in Switzerland, Germany, and the U.S. At her own studio, The Prana Studio for Yoga and Health, she shares her compassionate and meditative approach in her classes and private sessions. The mother of three children, Hannelore draws on her wide-ranging skills, deep wisdom, and personal experience. In 1996, she pioneered the Pregnancy Yoga Program at Harbour Women’s Health.
For further information, please call Harbour Women’s Health to speak to Jan or to one of our other providers at 603.431.6011.