Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal yoga can be an answer to the challenges of pregnancy, both for women new to yoga and for those who've practiced before. As it goes through the transformations that are part of bringing a baby into the world, your body may begin to seem a stranger to you. Yoga helps you to exert control over how you move and breathe. Your body feels better, stronger yet more relaxed, and this strong and relaxed effect carries over to your mental state as well.
Good moods are enhanced by the practice of yoga, and you need good moods more than ever while pregnant. What is more, the focus you gain from prenatal yoga, and the breathing and relaxation techniques you derive from it, will be of help during labor. They'll allow you to be and to feel more in charge of your body and mind during the stress of delivering your baby.
The poses you'll be able to do will change even as your body changes. For this reason it is essential that you let your teacher know that you are pregnant, even from the earliest stages. An experienced teacher will have the skill to guide you in the practice of safe prenatal yoga throughout your pregnancy.
Prenatal yoga practice adapts the poses of ordinary practice to make them safe and beneficial for you and your baby. You will stretch, but the stretches are modified: because the hormone relaxin is preparing your body to give birth, your flexibility is different while pregnant. Very deep stretches that could cause strain are not advised. During your second and third trimesters, you'll avoid poses that involve lying on your back in order to allow optimal blood flow to the uterus. Additional physical support to aid your pregnancy-altered balance (such as, for instance, using a chair to help with standing poses) will allow you the benefits of yoga without risking injury.
You should of course consult with your doctor before undertaking any exercise regime during your pregnancy. But it is wise to go to the doctor informed, for not every doctor is familiar with the benefits of prenatal yoga. If you can describe the poses to your doctor, explain that your body will endure no undue stress, and that the physical and mental gains will help ease delivery, then even a doctor new to the idea of prenatal yoga is likely to support your choice.