How Can Yoga Benefit You During Your Pregnancy

Many pregnant women are discovering that prenatal yoga provides a safe, empowering environment where they can prepare for childbirth and motherhood. If you’re concerned about the health risks of performing yoga while pregnant, a trained instructor can show you the safest stretches for you and your baby. 

Physicians for Women in Madison, Wisconsin offers more than just medical care. Our experienced team provides a variety of services for expecting mothers, including prenatal care, information about pregnancy, and the Yogamoms program. Yogamoms makes accommodations for pregnant women that a traditional class might overlook, and allows new mothers to forge lasting friendships in this new chapter of their lives. 

The basics of prenatal yoga 

Prenatal yoga is exactly what the name implies: yoga for pregnant women. This is a safe, guided form of yoga that focuses on  stretches and positions that are beneficiall for the mother and baby. Most of the yoga stretches used are meant to relax you, flex your muscles, and provide pain relief. 

Many expecting mothers stop attending yoga sessions after getting pregnant. Their classes might not feel welcoming enough for a woman with limited mobility, or they might be worried about harming their baby during the stretches. Yogamoms solves this problem by being a group designed for new and expecting mothers. 

Our instructor, one of our Certified Nurse Midwives, knows what’s safe and what isn’t, and she can help suggest poses that will alleviate common aches and pains you might be experiencing. Your yoga routine can be adapted and customized as your pregnancy advances to keep you safe and comfortable.

The benefits of prenatal yoga

Connecting with other mothers and de-stressing using yoga is a great way to center yourself and relax. In addition, yoga can help you learn to breathe intentionally, which can be invaluable as you get ready for your child’s birth. Many moms say yoga helped them with their birthing experience, especially when attempting a natural birth. 

Prenatal yoga provides many benefits, including: 

• Maintaining blood pressure
• Relieving morning sickness
• Learning breath control
• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving sleep
• Increasing strength and flexibility for childbirth
• Alleviating back pain

It’s typically recommended that you perform advanced yoga in the presence of an instructor who can help guide you through the stretches safely. However, you can perform some light routines at home, so you can ground yourself and relax while not in class. 

Interested in learning more about Yogamoms? Get in touch with the team at Physicians for Women by calling 608-218-4835, or by booking a consultation online.