Birth with Intention: Benefits of Prenatal Yoga
I have to admit, I didn’t take one prenatal yoga class when I was pregnant with my first child. (I know, blasphemy.) The work/life balance had me all the way stressed and I really didn’t have an appreciation for birth preparation like I do now. I thought my body was just going to do it’s thing. And with my schedule all over the place, flying around the country for work, I could never quite commit to a regular class. I was excited about being pregnant but could never fit in a birth prep class, yoga class, or anything else that might prepare me for labor. That was pretty much how I approached my pregnancy - trying to enjoy it, but work and life always came first. The results, a surprising(ly intense) birth experience and postpartum recovery.
Fast forward to baby #2 and you would find me much more present in my pregnancy wellness. Life was different, I was running my own business (YOGAMOTIF) and I practiced yoga almost everyday. I took notes from Avivia Romm and drank raspberry leaf tea in my last month of pregnancy. I recognized how birth trauma affected my anxiety and politely gave a gentle pass to birth stories that strangers would share (like war stories) in passing. Basically, I set boundaries and took better care of myself. I was no longer at the same job, my schedule was intentionally more flexible and yoga, on and off the mat, was a daily practice.
As a result, and after teaching prenatal yoga to many parents-to-be, I’ve been committed to sharing a movement practice that has the potential to change a pregnancy and birth experience for the better. Everyone’s body and birthing circumstances are different, so always listen to your body and consult your midwife/doctor to ensure a physical yoga practice is the best fit for you. For some bodies though, here are some ways yoga can be an invitation for more ease during pregnancy and birth
1. Yoga supports body awareness during labor
Our practice is steeped in the 8-limbed path of Raja Yoga which includes, and extends beyond, the asana practice of yoga. While we’re on our mats, though, we invite our community to listen to their bodies and notice what comes up for them to develop body awareness. If it feels safe, we might pause and breathe into the spaces that are asking for more attention. When the body says move, we move. If the body says rest, we rest. Our bodies are wise and we celebrate each person’s ability to listen to that wisdom in our classes.
How does this support birth? Labor has many sensations and a body awareness practice can invite more clarity about what your body feels. It can be helpful to sit with those sensations, name what you feel ( sharpness, dullness, tingly…etc), and choose how you want to respond to them (breathe through them, change positions, drink water, humm your lips together..etc). Body awareness can allow us to be more present in our birth with less fear and feeling more in control. Knowing that everything isn’t pain and that we can relax into sensations that we can identify with ( i.e. tightness, indigestion) can allow us to invite more ease into each moment.
2. Yoga may creates muscle memory for birth positions
We include a lot of birthing positions through our yoga sequences. And whether you identify with each movement as an official “birth position” or not, the strength and flexibility that you might explore in a yoga class can create more ease as you find the perfect “birth position” throughout labor. Things like standing for long periods of time, squatting, and being on hands and knees might feel more accessible during the more focused parts of labor.
3. Yoga may support breathing for birth
Breath can be an anchor during birth. It can bring rhythm, control, and a sense of grounding. Prenatal yoga can invite practice around breathing for birth and an understanding of different breathing techniques that might help during the different phases of labor.
For example:
A calming or relaxing breath for between contractions
A belly breath for during contractions
A “J” breath for breathing your baby down during the final phases of labor
If you’re thinking about starting your prenatal yoga practice, know that a little goes a long way. 5 minutes of hip circles before or after bed might be the perfect way to invite ease into your pregnancy journey. And if you’re looking for more, check out our virtual studio for live and on demand classes that fit your schedule.
Lets approach birth like we’d prepare for any physical feat - with preparation, confidence, and lots of stretching.
Register for our upcoming Prenatal Yoga Series: Grounded Birth Preparations or purchase a monthly membership to view the class on demand.
Prenatal Yoga Series: Grounded Birth Preparations
Saturdays @10:30 in October 2021
Join Alecia Dawn during this 5-part series exploring breath, movement, and meditation techniques to ground your birth experience. Every practice isn’t for every body, so we’ll review a variety of techniques to explore the movements and visualizations that might feel good for you. Find and nurture your own rhythm and experience a joy-based practice to support your pregnancy and birthing journey.
10.2 Part 1: Labor Positions
10. 9 Part 2: Breathing for Birth
10.16 Part 3: Toning for Birth
10.23 Part 4: Toning for Postpartum
10.30 Part 5: Pelvic Floor Awareness
