In this blog post, discover prenatal yoga, a physical, bodily and breathing practice adapted to pregnant women, and which can be practiced from the 4th month of pregnancy.

Yoga, a beneficial practice from a young age

Discover the benefits of yoga for pregnant women . Are you pregnant and looking for support and guidance to strengthen your bond with your baby, relieve nausea or heavy legs, or release tension in your body?

Yoga is a discipline with many physical and spiritual benefits, which is why it has been adapted to support women during pregnancy. In this blog post, discover prenatal yoga, a physical, body, and breathing practice adapted to pregnant women, which can be practiced from the fourth month of pregnancy.

What is prenatal yoga?

Yoga for expectant mothers was developed by physician Bernadette de Gasquet in the 1980s. It allows women to give birth in a more natural and body-friendly way. Indeed, prenatal yoga has become increasingly popular over the past fifteen years, so much so that it is now recommended by medical professionals (midwives, etc.) because it promotes relaxation and helps women learn to breathe better.

The goal of this discipline is to work on pelvic movements, to perform deep muscle strengthening to help the mother-to-be support her pelvic floor... This type of yoga helps relieve pregnancy-related tension through various breathing exercises. It is comparable to Hatha Yoga, the pace is just slower and the postures are adapted to make room for the mother's belly.

A prenatal yoga session includes: conditioning exercises, breathing exercises, performing more or less dynamic asanas, and relaxation postures.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to already have a good level of yoga to practice this yoga, it is a complementary discipline to childbirth preparation classes. There are no real contraindications because each exercise can be adapted to your case, this discipline is only not recommended for women who have a too open cervix. It can be practiced from the 3rd to the 9th month.

The benefits of yoga for pregnant women

Prenatal yoga allows you to welcome the hormonal, physical, and psychological changes of your pregnancy with greater serenity. Indeed, its benefits are numerous:

• Relieves pregnancy aches and pains: backache, nausea, varicose veins, sciatica, etc.
• Brings relaxation and releases stress and tension accumulated throughout the day.
• Improves blood circulation and oxygenation of your cell tissues.
• Helps to adopt a positive mindset and improves self-confidence.
• Develops your mental strength as well as your physical endurance and circulates energy in the body.
• Prevents the development of gestational diabetes.
• Helps store endorphins and pain-relieving hormones that will be essential during childbirth.
• Tones and relaxes deep muscles, especially those of the back, which is ideal for breastfeeding.
• Allows awareness of the perineum.
• Creates and strengthens the bond between mother and baby
• Creates and strengthens the bond between mother and baby, as it provides initial contact with the baby, encourages interaction and allows for greater awareness of their feelings.

How does a session take place?

A prenatal yoga class lasts about 1.5 hours and has around fifteen participants. It generally begins with a speaking time where each person talks about the positive and negative aspects of their pregnancy so that the teacher can adapt the class to each mother.

The goal isn't to achieve technical feats or push one's limits, but simply to enter the postures (sitting, lying down, etc.) and feel the benefits. And at the end of the class, students participate in relaxation sessions.

It is recommended to practice it regularly: once or twice a week to feel the effects.

It is important to consider the role of the father in the prenatal yoga class! Indeed, the father also has a role to play in preparing for the birth of his child; it is a unique moment to experience together.

During the studio's pregnancy yoga classes, teachers answer all questions (caesarean section, epidural, etc.) and help parents understand the importance of their role on the day of delivery. They encourage expectant fathers to listen to their wives' needs, be available, and communicate.

Here are three main postures

Posture to improve blood circulation in the lower limbs:

• Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
• Raise your right leg up: above your hip, while inhaling deeply.
• Push your right heel up while blowing through your mouth.
• Hold your leg in the air while inhaling.
• Gently lower your leg back to the floor, without arching your lower back, while exhaling.
• Do the same with the left leg.
• Place your hands on your belly to be in contact with your baby.
• Repeat the exercise 3 to 5 times on each side.

Tips: Be careful not to arch your back, to support yourself on your feet and to synchronize the movement with your breathing.

The posture to open the pelvis and loosen the hips:

• Lie on your back on your yoga mat
• Place your yoga straps under your feet and grasp both ends with your hands.
• Raise your legs towards the sky, while holding the straps.
• Take a deep breath.
• Exhale while spreading your legs, which should remain straight.
• Let your feet fall gently to the sides, your hands move away from each other, and your arms spread out.
• Feel your adductors stretch and your pelvis open.
• Inhale deeply as you bend your legs, bringing your knees toward your chest to stretch your lower back.
• Take a break, place your arms at your sides and your hands on your stomach.
• Repeat this movement 3 to 5 times if necessary.

Tip: Use 2 yoga straps to avoid pulling on your lower back, listen to your feelings and don't hold your breath.

The posture to tone the thighs, buttocks and perineum: the half-bridge posture

• Lie on your back on your yoga mat, resting on your shoulder blades, shoulders down and chin tucked.
• Breathe in and out several times
• Inhale while lifting your buttocks: Lift the vertebrae of your spine off the floor one by one, starting with the tailbone, supporting yourself with your feet, shoulders and arms.
• Rest your vertebrae one by one on the floor until you reach the sacrum.
• Repeat this movement as many times as you like, depending on how you feel.

Tip: Make sure to stay for 1 to 3 breaths when your buttocks are lifted and always come back down on an exhale.

What yoga equipment should I use?

To practice prenatal yoga in the best conditions, it is essential to equip yourself with suitable yoga equipment! Indeed, there are several yoga accessories that will bring gentleness to your practice, and that will allow you to feel the benefits while respecting your physical limits.

When it comes to yoga mats, it's best to choose a comfortable, soft, and thick mat to ensure you're comfortable while practicing and protect your joints. This discipline involves gentle, slow postures, so it's not essential for the mat to be highly non-slip.

Our rubber yoga mat is perfectly suited, with its 5 mm thickness, its weight of 2.86 kg and its dimensions of 183 cm x 61 cm. It is made from natural rubber. A mat with a soft feel and an elegant, feminine marble effect design that offers good cushioning.

A yoga block improves and facilitates the execution of many asanas, it allows you to maintain balance, it acts as an extension of your body. This allows you to gain support more easily and avoid injuries if you lack flexibility. The yoga block provides comfort in complex postures to be performed, it allows you to relax but also to check your alignment on the yoga mat, and thus to progress safely.

The yoga bolster provides essential support and comfort for prenatal yoga classes. It's a cylindrical cushion that will relieve pressure on your back by placing it along your spine when you're in savasana, and on your legs by placing it under your knees.

The yoga strap allows you to perform your postures with more ease, it allows you to reach your feet more easily, especially during your last months of pregnancy.

YogaSearcher offers yoga leggings in its collection that are perfect for expectant mothers, thanks to their wide waistband for excellent belly support. Discover the MOTHER leggings , made from bamboo, right here.

Prenatal yoga is a discipline that allows pregnant women to facilitate their pregnancy by reducing the ailments associated with it: pain, nausea, etc. It also allows them to approach the day of delivery with more confidence and knowledge, because the classes are not limited to performing pranayama or asanas, the teachers truly inform future parents about everything related to pregnancy and childbirth throughout this period.

To fully enjoy the benefits of motherhood, it is best to include prenatal yoga in your daily routine: do some postures after giving birth but also pay attention to your diet.

Once you have given birth, you might want to practice other styles of yoga?

In addition, it is important to equip yourself with yoga equipment adapted to your practice, your needs and your desires to benefit from all the advantages of this discipline!