We always hear about the importance of physical exercise for our health and how beneficial it is during pregnancy, but what about yoga for pregnant women—what are the benefits, and why is it currently attracting so many women to this ancient practice?

First, let’s learn more about this practice, which originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. According to its specialists, yoga is much more than physical exercise; it is a philosophy and a new way of living. The most common definition heard in the world of yoga is that yoga is the union of body and mind, of the mind with the soul, the union of being with the divine, with the goal of freeing oneself from physical conditioning, suffering, pain, and prejudices.

During pregnancy, it’s a great time to reconnect with your body, with new feelings and sensations, and yoga for pregnant women is recommended precisely to assist in this new phase, helping to manage body changes, physical transformations, and to learn emotional self-control, as well as prepare women for a healthy birth.

What Are the Benefits of Yoga During Pregnancy?

In addition to what we have already mentioned above, yoga during pregnancy helps manage many common discomforts that occur during pregnancy and that are frequent complaints from us women at this stage. Yoga brings the following benefits:

  • Strengthens the pelvic muscles
  • Relieves and prevents back pain and joint pain
  • Controls swelling in the legs and edema
  • Relieves constipation
  • Reduces anxiety
  • Improves breathing, leading to better oxygenation for both mother and baby

Besides helping with childbirth preparation, self-knowledge of your body, and increasing the bond between mother and baby, yoga during pregnancy helps women accept each transformation of their body—which are, after all, numerous. The practice of yoga in pregnancy can be started as early as the first weeks of pregnancy and continued until the end of the pregnancy, as long as there are no medical contraindications and that, of course, the classes are specialized for pregnant women.

After birth, women can return to their yoga practice as usual, since in addition to helping restore her body—helping the uterus return to its natural size even faster and helping the internal organs reposition themselves, thus regaining her figure faster than expected—yoga will also help with emotional control to cope with the physical exhaustion after delivery, so she can take care of her baby as calmly as possible.

Exercise During Pregnancy

The practice of physical exercise is recommended by all doctors, and for gynecologists, exercise during pregnancy is more than requested—it’s essential for improving and preserving both the mother’s and baby’s health, as well as preparing the body better for a natural delivery. It doesn’t matter which sport or activity you choose; what matters is that you exercise regularly during pregnancy to experience the benefits. Blood circulation improves, muscles get stronger, posture improves—especially as the belly grows so quickly—and it helps prevent excessive weight gain, which can pose serious risks and complications for both mother and baby.

Besides yoga, the practice of water aerobics, walking, and stretching is also recommended. Of course, any exercise should be approved by the OB-GYN responsible for your prenatal care, and every precaution should be taken—especially in the first months—and only practiced with the guidance of professionals who specialize in exercises for pregnant women.

There are gyms and studios specializing in classes with instructors trained to guide and accompany pregnant women and recommend appropriate exercises for this period, so ask for recommendations and only sign up for any type of exercise if you’re sure of the competence of the professionals who will be supporting you.

See also: Sex and Pregnancy – No Taboos and Without Fear

Photo: Jaybird