Yoga birth
Pregnancy yoga aims to help women establish a strong bond with their baby. It also helps women understand the process of labour and focuses on breathing and relaxation techniques, and the use of movement and gravity assisted positions.
These help women through contractions and potentially make birth easier, faster and uncomplicated.
What pregnancy yoga can help with
Practicing yoga in pregnancy can really help you get in tune with your body and is also useful for:
- calming the mind
- easing muscular aches and pains
- stretching
- improving flexibility that will help with the birth
- confidence
- coping with anxiety and fear
- greater pelvic floor muscle control
- breathing control
It can also tone your muscles making it easier to regain your figure after the birth.
Expert opinion
YogaBirth Teachers say that using the practise of simple breath awareness, women become familiar with the natural rhythm of their breath and so increase their ability to focus inward.
This practise helps calm the busy mind, clearing the way for each woman to listen to her own intuitive voice. With greater clarity, she can realise her intentions for birth and yet remain open to the individuality of each birth.
These insights help dispel much of the fear around the birthing process so that she can approach labour with peace of mind: with trust in her body’s natural wisdom and power, and confidence in her innate ability to give birth.
When her body takes over during labour she can instinctively use her breath to soothe, steady and guide herself through the contractions.”
Pregnancy Yoga for beginners
Video from Yoga with Esther Eckart
More info
Words by Naomi Majid
