Table of Contents
5 Health benefits of prenatal yoga for expecting mothers
1. Reduces stress and anxiety
Prenatal yoga is known for mindful breathing patterns which help the body to relax and discharge tension. One can not avoid all stress but the key is, how to manage it effectively. Practising slow deep breathing helps to reduce mental stress and anxiety by allowing us to distract and disengage from our disturbing thoughts. This helps more oxygen to enter the body, releasing the tension in your muscles, helping to lower heart rate and stabilize blood pressure.
2. Improves sleep
Insomnia or disturbed sleep is a very common issue during pregnancy. Evidence strongly suggests that yoga effectively affects the quality of sleep of pregnant women by increasing melatonin levels, reducing the melting of the mind and calming emotional health. Practising yoga on a regular basis definitely improves aspects of sleep.
3. Promotes connection with the baby
Deep guided relaxation, positive affirmations and visualization practices of prenatal yoga allow the mother to bond with her unborn child. It provides a very calm and serene environment for both mom and baby and it is one of the effective tools to manage labour as well.
4. Prenatal yoga relieves physical discomfort
As the pregnancy grows, the body’s centre of gravity shifts forward, spinal curvature changes, and the growing uterus pushes the rib cage and puts lots of pressure on the pelvic area. All these physical changes add stress on spinal and pelvic muscles and may result in back pain, rib pain, difficulty in walking or pain in the pelvic region. By practising regular back and pelvic strengthening exercises during pregnancy, these symptoms can be controlled up to a great extent.
5. Better preparation for labour and birth
During labour, a mom needs to be physically fit and mentally relaxed. Prenatal yoga practice makes the body strong and flexible and at the same time, deep breathing practices prepare the mother to cope with the labour stress and anxiety and help her to trust her body.
Last but not least it also helps a mother to recover fast in her postpartum period, reducing chances of postpartum depression and anxiety. Overall, yoga is a healthy practice for each of us but extremely important during pregnancy.
