Contents:
- Medical Video: Preparing for Childbirth: Exercises for Circulation, Pain Relief and Strength
- What is prenatal yoga?
- When should pregnant women start prenatal yoga?
- Where should pregnant women practice prenatal yoga?
- How often should prenatal yoga be done by pregnant women?
Medical Video: Preparing for Childbirth: Exercises for Circulation, Pain Relief and Strength
Have you just seen a positive sign on your pregnancy test kit? Wow, congratulations on this good news! Even though it's wonderful, but on the other hand you feel uncomfortable because it's hard to get up in the morning or even feel sick all day long? Or suddenly feel dizzy without a cause and it feels like you just want to lie down all day because of a weak body? Or is there not one food that you can absorb? That means you are experiencing what is usually called "Morning sickness" due to changes in your body's hormones.
These things happen naturally in the first trimester of pregnancy, and this may be the main reason you are lazy to exercise. However, you can make this opportunity to glance at prenatal yoga, which is yoga that is specifically for those of you who are in twins.
What is prenatal yoga?
Prenatal yoga or yoga pregnant is a type of yoga that is specifically designed for pregnancy. This type of yoga can help prospective mothers physically and mentally. Usually, prenatal yoga or yoga pregnant focus on breathing training, exercises for the hip area, and restoration poses that are useful to restore energy when feeling tired due to hormonal changes in the body. For those of you who are pregnant, routine practice of this type of yoga will make you feel stronger, stay active during pregnancy, and benefit the baby.
When should pregnant women start prenatal yoga?
Actually, you can practice prenatal yoga from the moment you know that you are pregnant, especially if you have been exercising regularly or practicing yoga before pregnancy. But you should first consult with your doctor, because most new doctors give a green light to pregnant women to start exercising in the second trimester, which is after the age of pregnancy above 12 weeks, where usually morning sickness you no longer feel that you can be active again without obstruction.
Where should pregnant women practice prenatal yoga?
Come specifically to a yoga studio or practice at home, as well. But for the first time, it is strongly recommended that you come to the yoga studio first to recognize the yoga movements that are right for the condition of your pregnancy, then you can continue to practice alone at home.
If you have never done yoga at all, visiting a yoga studio to start prenatal yoga feels more appropriate. For those of you who have been accustomed to practicing yoga regularly before before becoming pregnant, often in a state of pregnancy some non-prenatal yoga postures are not right for you to do. Or maybe you are worried whether the type of yoga you usually do is safe or not for your pregnancy.
Practicing at the yoga studio also provides more benefits because you can meet and get acquainted with other participants, as well as exchange info about pregnancy. If you want to practice at home, you can look for pregnant yoga videos online or maybe apply some postures from the yoga prenatal class that you attended before.
How often should prenatal yoga be done by pregnant women?
You can practice 1-2 times a week in a yoga studio, where usually the duration of each session is 60-75 minutes. Or, if you practice at home, you can practice every day for 30 minutes on a regular basis, maybe starting with 15-minute breathing techniques and yoga poses that focus on the hip, arm, and stretching for 15 minutes. Prenatal yoga can also be combined with other sports such as swimming and walking to always be active and healthy during pregnancy.
Look forward to my next article about the benefits of prenatal yoga and poses that you can use to practice regularly at home.
See you later!
** Dian Sonnerstedt is a professional yoga instructor who actively teaches various types of yoga from Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Prenatal Yoga both for private classes, offices, and at Ubud Yoga Center, Bali. Dian is currently registered with YogaAlliance.org and can be contacted directly through her Instagram account, @diansonnerstedt.
