Prenatal Yoga is More than Classes for Pregnant Yoga Students

Lately, Prenatal Yoga classes have been catching on, within some hospitals, clinics, and Yoga studios, but there are a surprising number of Yoga teachers and students, who take risks due to a lack of awareness about potential hazards.

With what we now know about contraindications for postures during each trimester a pregnant Yoga student should not be practicing Yoga, without the guidance of a qualified Prenatal Yoga instructor. How can a Yoga teacher expect to address the needs of each student and then customize the lesson plan for a pregnant student's particular trimester?

Pregnant students should be in a specialized Prenatal Yoga class, with a competent Prenatal Yoga teacher, and have their doctor's permission to be in the class. Why should Yoga teachers be so cautious? As a Yoga instructor, your number one priority is student safety and you could set yourself up for a negligence lawsuit, if you do not have Prenatal Yoga teacher training.

Last year, we had a potential Yoga student, who had two previous miscarriages and wanted to practice Yoga. She had become pregnant again and decided to try Vinyasa Yoga during her first trimester. Upon asking her a few questions, it was discovered that both of her two previous miscarriages occurred during the first trimester.

Do you see any "red flags" with this situation? I hope so. Firstly, she should not think about participating in a Vinyasa style Yoga class, with her past medical history, but any jumping movements could possibly dislodge an embryo from her uterus. We did manage to place her in a Prenatal Yoga class, with her doctor's permission, and later she did have a healthy baby.

Supervised Prenatal Yoga is a very good thing for expectant mothers, but many people are under the mistaken impression that because Hatha Yoga is a "low impact exercise class" in comparison to other forms of fitness; there is no risk.

Currently, there is some open debate as to whether a pregnant mother should be lying on her back during, and after, the second trimester. Compression on the inferior vena cava can slow the flow of blood to the uterus. Therefore, it would be prudent to use props in order to avoid conventional supine Yoga postures.

Am I too cautious? Maybe, but I would like a guarantee that the fetus is getting good blood circulation, if a pregnant Yoga student is lying in a supine asana. A few blankets, pillows, and bolsters will help insure safety in this case.

Lastly, I do not want to sound any false alarms, but it is wise for expectant mothers to seek out certified prenatal Yoga teachers and it is wise for Yoga teachers to know their "boundaries."

When you are not sure, refer a student to a Yoga teacher who is.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Benefits of Yoga For Pregnant Women

Yoga can not only help you stay fit through a pregnancy, but also boost mind and body, helping to keep your pregnancy hassle-free. As an ancient Indian practice, tracing its roots back almost 5000 years, yoga is a tried and true means of dealing with your overall well-being, both mind and body. Each yoga pose, or asana, is tied to breathing techniques, or pranayamas, and focuses on specific parts of the body to ensure a complete body effort. Specific to pregnant women, yoga asanas helps to open muscles of the pelvis, reducing pressure on ligaments and easing lower-back pain. Additionally, it promotes flexibility, strength and stamina, as it focuses the entire body on releasing and relaxing. No activity does better at centering the mind and relieving stress, while gently toning the body. Not only does the mother benefit from yoga, but the baby does as well by receiving increased levels of oxygen and endorphins. The benefits of yoga for pregnant women are described in detail below.

One of the most common benefits of yoga for pregnant women is to help stay in shape throughout the pregnancy. Regardless of your fitness level or skill level, yoga is a gentle, but highly effective way of toning the muscles throughout the pregnancy. Additionally, many yoga instructors are trained and certified in yoga for pre-natal women and can help to customize your yoga workout to ensure the greatest level of safely and the most effective workout possible. Yoga can help to target specific trouble areas for pregnant women during pregnancy, such as helping to strengthens abdomen muscles and pelvic floor.

One of the benefits of yoga for pregnant women is that it can help to boost circulation and help with fluid retention. This is extremely important as you are doing the work for two during pregnancy. Additionally, asanas help to relieve aches and pains. Working with your instructor, you can tailor your workout to focus on specific areas of pain and discomfort. As many asanas focus on proper alignment of the body, yoga will help to improve posture, helping to ease back pain, which is common in pregnant women.

Another one of the benefits of yoga for pregnant women, and for people in general, is that spending time focusing on the combination of body position and breathing, you begin to obtain an increased awareness of your body. Through this greater awareness, you are able to better understand what is happening to your body throughout pregnancy. Some aspects of pregnancy, such as weight gain, morning sickness and decreased sexuality, can bring about feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Yoga can help deal with these feelings by allowing you to refocus and balance your energy, helping to shift into a positive mindset.

As a safety precaution when starting yoga, always remember to check with your doctor if you are unsure of a safe level of physical exertion for yourself during the pregnancy. When looking for the right class, make sure to take both the style of yoga and instructor into consideration. Certain styles of yoga are better for pregnant women, such as Ananda, Hatha, Kundalini, and Iyengar, are better for pregnant women as they are more focused on proper alignment of the body and breathing than on a high intensity workout such as Power or Bikram yoga. If you are unfamiliar with yoga or the specific style of yoga you will be taking, make sure to take a supervised class, at least initially. Good instructors will be able to help you customize your workout to meet your unique needs. Additionally, make sure your instructor is certified in prenatal yoga though an accredited yoga institute.

Regardless of your skill level, make sure to start slow to best understand your bodies capability during this time of change. The best rule to follow when practicing yoga is, if it doesn't feel good, don't do it. As you get comfortable with the asanas, feel free to practice on your own, but again, talk to your instructor to discuss poses that will provide the greatest benefit and that are safe to practice alone. Many yoga books and videos are also available that are focused specifically for pregnant women.

Avoid strong back bends or asanas requiring strong use of stomach muscles as this can cause undo stress on the body. Use your best judgment when doing balancing poses, especially those done on one foot. If you want to perform these poses, make sure to use a chair, wall or another individual for support. Make sure to not to overstretch the body as the ligaments around the joints become loose and soft during pregnancy. Be care not to overheat when practicing yoga as it can be harmful to the fetus. For this reason forms of yoga that involve turning up the heat in the room should be avoided; this includes both Hot and Bikram Yoga. As stated above, make sure to listen to your body and stop if you begin to feel the slightest bit of pain or discomfort. A gentle approach over time yields the best results.

Outside of the workout element, one of the benefits of yoga for pregnant women is social atmosphere it provides for pregnant women. In yoga classes specifically tailored to pregnant women, mothers-to-be are able to share stories and discuss issues and concerns. Often, the relationships built during these yoga classes, build into playgroups for the children after birth and long term social groups.

Yoga can be practiced until late in the pregnancy. As your body changes, make sure to modify your workout to ensure personal comfort. Yoga can provide benefits even during labor. The focus and relaxation achieved during a yoga session can be mimicked during labor by using pranayama techniques to center yourself and helping to open musculature and quiet the mind. After child birth, yoga can help to maintain a proper body shape, as well as strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. Additionally, the focusing techniques in yoga can be helpful for those facing post-partum depression. You can start practicing yoga six to seven weeks after delivering delivery.

With both physical and mental benefits that can last throughout the pregnancy, yoga can prove to be a valuable tool to pregnant mothers.

For more information visit GetIntoYoga.com [http://www.getintoyoga.com/].

Get Into Yoga is aimed at people who are looking to take the first step to learning about the world of yoga. This goal of this site is to provide an introduction to yoga and break down those barriers that stop people from getting into yoga. The pages and links in the site help to provide readers obtain with a complete picture of the world of yoga as well as the necessary information and tools to start right now. To visit the site go to: [http://www.getintoyoga.com/]

Trying to Get Pregnant - A Miracle Comes From Fertility Yoga

You want to have a baby but you can not conceive in spite of trying many different methods. You may feel so disappointed and tired after wasting a lot of time and money without any results. You need another new method which can be more useful for both your trying to get pregnant and your relaxation to reduce the stress during this period: fertility yoga. The below article will provide you a lot of interesting information about this unique method.

Fertility yoga developed from the basic principles and traditional postures of yoga. It can help you increase the rate of conception by improving your physical and mental health through reducing the effects of stress and feeling less being out of control. Scientists have proved that with the possibility of enhancing the strength of your overall body, improving breathing and blood circulation, yoga is one of the most wonderful treatments for infertility. You will feel the first physiological benefits of yoga immediately after the first time you practice. And you can do yoga 2-3 times a week to stimulate ovulation and increase the chance of getting pregnant.

If you are planning of taking up yoga, you should also notice to choose the suitable types of yoga which can give good effect for your fertility. You should choose one from these types: hatha yoga, kripalu yoga and couples yoga which focus on gentle posture, meditation and breathing technique to create the balance between mind and body. Especially, yoga will also help you improve the emotional connection and intimacy with your partner.

If you get accustomed to doing exercise or some other activities before starting doing yoga, you will not have any difficulties. But if you haven't exercise regularly, you need the advices from your doctor first. You can begin slowly with a few minutes per day and then increase the time of practicing and the level of difficulty of this sport gradually. You may prepare with the gently movements before yoga exercise to avoid soreness. If you are patient enough to practice yoga each day, you will feel more relaxed and comfortable while trying to get pregnant.

You will learn how to control your stress and gain the balance in your mind by doing yoga regularly. You can combine fertility yoga with a nutritious diet, good lifestyle and other relaxation techniques to achieve the best result for trying to get pregnant.

You can find more interesting and useful information about getting pregnant through the website: [http://easypregnant.info]