The Benefits of Prenatal Yoga
Posted by Sarah Kent
The human body undergoes rapid and magical changes during pregnancy to accommodate the growing life inside. With these changes, there can also be physical and mental symptoms that occur. Prenatal yoga can help to:P
- align the pelvis
- provide ease and create space in areas of discomfort such as in the hips, shoulders, and the lumbopelvic region
- teach supported labour positions, breath-work as well as stress reduction techniques to utilize during labour and delivery
- provide support and community among other expectant parents
Research
A 2014 article reviewed and summarized the results of ten studies on the health effects of yoga during pregnancy (Jiang, 2014). The results found that prenatal yoga lowered stress and pain, specifically lumbopelvic pain, showed a decrease in prenatal disorders and highlighted benefits for mother-child relationships (Jiang, 2014). Prenatal yoga was also shown to be helpful for expectant moms who have depression or are high-risk (Jiang, 2014). People who practiced yoga regularly were less likely to develop preeclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension than those who did not practice yoga (Jiang, 2014).
The article concluded that for pregnant people, prenatal yoga proved to be more beneficial than other forms of exercise such as walking or general stretching (Jiang, 2014).
Whole Family Health YogaPuncture
Whole Family Health’s upcoming Prenatal Yogapuncture series will be gentle and relaxing, with acupuncture points offered during the final resting pose. It will allow you space and time to nourish the growing baby inside you and provide ease to your own body, while you share in the experience with other expectant moms.
References
Jiang, Qinxian & Wu, Zhengguo & Zhou, Li & Dunlop, Jenae & Chen, Peijie. (2014). Effects of Yoga Intervention during Pregnancy: A Review for Current Status. American journal of perinatology. 32. 10.1055/s-0034-1396701.
