Prenatal Yoga

Alyssa Ward, one of our yoga teachers at Clayton Yoga Studio just got certified as a prenatal/postnatal yoga instructor. Here is what she thinks about yoga practice during pregnancy:

“I have recently expanded my knowledge of yoga through a weekend prenatal/postnatal certification. It was really interesting to learn about prenatal yoga more in-depth and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pass some of that knowledge on to the Clayton Yoga teachers in training last month.

As an instructor, I used to be a little concerned when a pregnant student would come to class because I didn’t know how to adjust my sequence to fit that student’s needs. Now, I feel much more comfortable working with pregnant students, and recommending adjustments to them to make them feel comfortable in their yoga practice. For example, a lot of women struggle with back pain during pregnancy, and I learned how to modify certain poses, such as a downward dog, to eliminate unnecessary tension in the back.

I feel like yoga during pregnancy can be a very rewarding experience. Yoga is very healthy for the body and soul, and a woman who takes care of her own body will most likely have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Yoga can be physically beneficial during pregnancy because it helps to strengthen the pelvic muscles and prepare for delivery. It is also beneficial for the mind, by allowing the yoga practitioner to release fear and anxiety about pregnancy and gain confidence and courage. A pranayama practice helps to relax the nerves so a pregnant woman can breathe calmly during contractions and have an easier birth.

For the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, yoga may not be ideal. It actually becomes easier to practice later in the pregnancy. At the beginning, a lot of women experience nausea and dizziness and do not feel like performing any sort of physical activity. After getting past this stage, it is definitely still important to take it easy.

Pregnancy is not the right time to advance one’s practice, but certainly it is right to continue yoga during pregnancy. It is comfortable to perform some poses all the way through pregnancy and there are even poses that are beneficial during labor.

If I ever decided to become pregnant, I would definitely look for a class that was specifically geared towards prenatal yoga in my area. I think it would be a wonderful experience to be surrounded by a lot of other moms-to-be who are experiencing the same joys and struggles that occur during pregnancy. I think that community building aspect of prenatal yoga is really rewarding. It would be possible to make new friends and get in a workout made especially for this beautiful phase in life.. However, I think it is definitely possible to continue going to regular, open-level yoga classes as well. But, as with any yoga student, a pregnant student must learn to honor her body’s needs and limitations.

Now that I have learned a little more about prenatal yoga myself, I would encourage anyone who is pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, to develop a gentle yoga practice to help them through their pregnancy. It is a wonderful way to both physically and mentally prepare for childbirth.”