Prenatal Yoga
Updated: Apr 9, 2021
One way to maintain strength and relieve some aches and pains during pregnancy is prenatal yoga. Prenatal yoga classes are specifically designed for pregnant women and incorporate poses that are pregnancy-appropriate. During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin and can lead to overextension of ligaments which is why practicing yoga that is specifically geared towards pregnant women can help avoid injury.
Some benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy are:
better sleep
calming effect on body and soul
improves flexibility, strength, and endurance of muscles
lessens lower back pain, muscle discomfort, headaches, and even shortness of breath!
Guidelines for Practicing Yoga During Pregnancy
If you haven't practiced yoga before getting pregnant, start out slow and take classes with an instructor who can help you learn correct posture, positioning, and breathing. Discuss exercise with your healthcare provider before getting started.
While exercising, be gentle and don't push yourself too hard. Stay hydrated and remember you can stop if you find something is uncomfortable or too much. Pregnancy may not be the time to push physical boundaries in exercise.
Simple Poses for Pregnancy
If you already know a little about yoga, a few poses to get you started are the Simple Pose, Wide Knee Child's Pose, Cat Cow Pose, Easy Pose, and the Standing Side Stretch.
The Simple Pose will get your yoga practice started by calming your mind and opening your hips. This pose is great for relieving lower back pain and centering yourself.
The Standing Side Stretch targets your shoulders and upper back. This pose will relieve tension.
Cat Cow Pose is commonly recommended during pregnancy because it is simple and effective. This pose is especially effective for discomfort relief during the third trimester when you may be feeling belly heavy. It opens your hips, relieves shoulder and back pain, and reduces pressure in your belly.
Wide Knee Child's Pose can wrap up your short yoga practice. It is known to relieve pressure in your belly and pain in your back. Your hips will gently open during this pose and it can calm your mind as you stay in it.
Prenatal Yoga in Madrid
If you're looking for a prenatal yoga class in Madrid, Yolanda Caballero from LuzNatal offers courses. Classes are currently online. She speaks English and Spanish. Get in touch with her directly to learn more:
http://www.luznatal.com/contacto
You can also find online prenatal yoga classes with Maria at MaxiFisio:
https://maxifisio.com/en/prenatal-yoga
Free Prenatal Yoga Online
If you'd like to do yoga, but prefer to catch some free videos, you can give these a try:
A 20-minute yoga practice with celebrity coach Kristin McGee.
Yoga With Adrienne offers a 28-minute video focusing on 5 yoga poses for all trimesters.
BodyFit by Amy has a 20-minute prenatal yoga and stretch video.
Resources and Links:
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