Did you know that with just 30 minutes of keeping active everyday during pregnancy, which includes Prenatal Yoga, can maximize your chances of having a healthy and safe pregnancy journey and ensure a smooth delivery?

You might never have done yoga before in your life, but with your baby coming, you want to bring about several lifestyle changes, to keep yourself and your little one in the pink of health. Pregnancy is a myriad of internal and external changes (both physical and hormonal). These changes are not within your control, however you can control certain aspects of the symptoms of these changes. Prenatal yoga teaches you the best tricks to help you do that. Prenatal yoga can prepare your mind, body, and spirit for motherhood.

According to Lasater, the biggest benefit of prenatal yoga is learning how to relax. There are various stress inducing factors all throughout your pregnancy, and it doesn’t take much to get worked up at any time. Learning and knowing how to calm yourself down and relax will help you get a better grip on any situation, thus helping you make sound decisions, instead of stress induced ones. Prenatal Yoga focuses on poses and postures specifically for pregnant women, in order to increase their strength and flexibility and prepare the body for labor and delivery.

Pregnancy Support-

One of the side benefits of pregnancy or prenatal yoga is that you meet several other women in the same phase, the mums-to-be. You can discuss your experiences and learn from each other, provide and receive support or help whenever required. When you have a team, the birth process does not seem that daunting any more. It’s good to have a support system in place, and what place is better than a Prenatal yoga session!

What does a Prenatal Yoga session involve?

Not all Yoga sessions are the same. Prenatal yoga sessions consist of Pregnancy-safe yoga postures, one that won’t exert you or your baby beyond your limits. A 30 minute session per day is more than enough. 

Your yoga session will generally involve-

1. Gentle stretching to open up your hips and shoulders, to make your body more flexible. You will be instructed to stretch and exercise various parts of your body to avoid aches later.
2.  Breathing exercises- This is very important, and comes especially handy while you are in labor. Rhythmic breathing will help you calm down, and since you will focus on the breathing, you are likely to feel less pain and it will help you calm down. This also helps to keep your blood pressure under control as you will be able to calm yourself down whenever required.
3. Prenatal Yoga postures- These postures will help develop your strength, flexibility and balance. It is aimed at making you feel better about yourself, ensuring that you remain fit during pregnancy and keep prenatal weight gain in check.
4. Learning some helpful relaxation techniques, to help avoid stress and taking it easy all through your pregnancy.

Safety Precautions/Guidelines before taking up Prenatal Yoga-

Before starting Prenatal yoga, there are certain things that you should keep in mind and consult upon-

1. Consulting your doctor/ob-gyn/ health care provider– It is of utmost importance that you get the green signal from your health care provider before beginning your Yoga sessions. Every pregnancy and capacity of every mum-to-be is different. You might not be able to do prenatal yoga if you are at increased risk of preterm labor or have certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or back problems.
2. Staying Hydrated– Hydration is very important, so drink plenty of fluids (water, fruit/vegetable juices etc), especially after your sessions.
3. Staying cool– Well, all mums are cool, we mean cool in a literal way. Practice yoga in a well ventilated, and a cool room to avoid overheating.
4. Practicing under a certified yoga instructor– Make sure that you practice under supervision, so that you always have help and guidance at all points. 
5. Avoiding certain asanas– As mentioned before above, not all yoga asanas/postures are pregnancy safe. Make sure you get the clearance from your instructor before practicing a particular posture. Avoid lying on your belly or back, doing deep forward or backward bends, or doing twisting poses that put pressure on your abdomen. 
6. Use props- As your pregnancy advances, your center of gravity will shift. This has an effect on your balance. Use blocks, pillows, or straps to aid you.

7. Do not overexert yourself – It is important to recognise the signs and acknowledge when to stop. If at any point you feel overly tired, or you feel it is beyond your limits, you need to stop. Set realistic goals. You will not be achieving your goals from day one itself. Practice makes perfect, so take it slow and steady.

If you experience any pain or other red flags — such as vaginal bleeding, decreased fetal movement or contractions — during prenatal yoga, stop and contact your healthcare provider. Prenatal Yoga can be a wonderful experience for expectant mothers, making their lives a tad bit easier, so do opt for it!