|
Page 3 of 3
Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal yoga offers a wide range of benefits for both you and your baby. Many women find their way to this beautiful dance of breath and movement when they discover they’ve been blessed with the opportunity and responsibility to birth a new life.
The physical change that takes place over the course of your pregnancy is both miraculous and humbling. Through the focus on alignment and breath, yoga can help relieve many of the mild discomforts of pregnancy, including back, hip and joint pain, swelling, nausea, breathing difficulties, fatigue and insomnia. In addition, yoga improves posture, stability, flexibility, strength, endurance and relaxation. This creates more space for your baby as you find yourself increasingly relaxed. As a result, your developing baby not only receives more oxygen but also finds himself in a cozy, safe, and nurturing environment in which he can thrive.
But the physical benefits are only one reason to practice. The emotional and spiritual benefits are just as compelling. When you practice yoga, you learn to surrender to and fully embrace your pregnancy and birth with a sense of equanimity, joy and inner strength. Most important, you learn to tune into your wisdom deep within—the mother’s wisdom that teaches you to trust your body, your heart and, above all, the connection between you and your baby.
Nina Antolino Jagetic, RYT, BE, MBA
Pilates
From the moment you learn you are pregnant, prenatal pilates will help you achieve the strength, energy and endurance to guide you through pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
Pilates is an exercise method that focuses on building strength and flexibility, as well as sharpening the mind/body connection. Key pilates principles, including breathing, concentration, whole body movement, alignment and relaxation, help facilitate a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery by making you feel strong, calm, and more in tune with your body and your baby. By activating and strengthening your core, the deep muscles that stabilize your pelvis and lower back, your everyday movements will become easier and more balanced.
Pilates is an extremely individualized form of exercise, especially during pregnancy. Movements are simple, and modifications are made throughout pregnancy to accommodate changing energy levels, a growing belly and varying levels of stability around the pelvis and spine. Exercises that focus on the arms and upper back help prepare the mother for long stretches of holding and nursing infants. Proper spine alignment and pelvic stability will cut down on common aches and pains felt as a result of loosening ligaments around your joints. Stretching and release work help to alleviate tension in the body and foster relaxation.
Prenatal pilates is a wonderful way to prepare your body and your mind for this exciting time in your life. You will be treating yourself and your baby to a truly rewarding experience with benefits that will last a lifetime.
Rachel Prior
 This article appeared in Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #24.
View Article References
To purchase this issue, Order Here.
|
Wellness Articles 
