Prenatal yoga is an ideal exercise for pregnant women - and for women who are trying to conceive and postpartum women.
This exercise is gentle on your body. It encourages you to get to know your own body, which will help during labor or delivery.
It helps you gradually increase your flexibility and the tone of your muscles. It's also very relaxing for you and can help you cope with some common pregnancy discomforts.
In addition to prenatal yoga you may want to add regular and brisk walking into to your prenatal workout routine. Swimming is also an excellent exercise to do in the prenatal period.
These activities will get your blood pumping and help to keep your body fluids circulating. They are ideal because, like yoga, they are relatively gentle on your body.
Please consult your midwife, doctor, and your own common sense when doing any kind of exercise during pregnancy. Now is the time to truly listen to your body and do not push yourself too far.
Though some women continue to cycle, run, and horseback ride throughout pregnancy, it is generally not the best time to engage in these exercises. Contact sports should be avoided.
Prenatal yoga is a gentle practice that will help you prepare for birth. In addition to helping tone your muscles gently, prenatal yoga will also increase your flexibility and help you master your breathing.
Prenatal yoga focuses on stretching and breathing. You'll be able to observe and learn about your own body as you do your daily routine. It is a chance to practice controlled breathing and movement.
Though yoga does not have to have a spiritual aspect - it can simply be an exercise routine - you may find that you enjoy taking part of your routine to pray and focus on the upcoming birth. It gives you a time daily to center yourself, talk with your baby, and pray for your child.
Yoga will also keep your body systems functioning smoothly. Your circulation will increase and as you learn to breathe with your yoga routine you will take in more oxygen. This will benefit you and your baby. Prenatal yoga also reduces fatigue and can help prevent depression.
Prenatal yoga does not guarantee a pain-free labor and birth, but it will help you during labor and birth. Your familiarity with your own body will be vital. Your breathing will come naturally to you during labor, because you have breathed through your exercise day after day.
You will find that you are able to recover from childbirth more quickly. Prenatal yoga strengthens and tones your body so that you are able to work your way back into shape more easily.
There are many, many prenatal yoga books and videos
to help you get started with your routine. You'll be able to choose whichever suits you the most. Personally I have used, and highly recommend, the late Jeannine Parvati Baker's Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth - this excellent book has a gentle, wonderful prenatal yoga routine. It also includes Jeannine's enchanting birth stories.
Swimming is an excellent prenatal exercise. The water will support your body and give you a delightful, weightless feeling. You are able to move easily and enjoy yourself completely in the water.
If you're just starting to swim then take it slowly and work your way up to a good routine. You'll be working many large muscle groups and getting a lot of toning in. Swimming, like prenatal yoga, also helps improve your circulation and reduces fatigue.
Swimming may also help to ease your pregnancy aches and pains. Water can also help your during labor and birth. You can read about water birth to learn more.
Walking is a basic exercise that almost anyone can do! It has many of the same benefits as other good prenatal exercises. It can be done just about anywhere and with little preparation.
You may want to carry a water bottle with you when you go walking. Also make sure that you are wearing comfy shoes and breathable clothing fabrics. If you're planning to walk on uneven ground (such as a nature trail) you may want to take a walking stick along with you.
Enjoy walking around your neighborhood and local parks. You may especially enjoy being close to nature as you prepare for your child's arrival. If it's raining outside many shopping malls allow walking before and after shopping hours.
You can choose whichever kind of exercise appeals most to you, be it prenatal yoga, swimming, walking, or any other exercise. You should try and make sure that you have picked some sort of exercise to do throughout pregnancy (unless your care provider has advised against it).
You'll enjoy being able to move and keep your body in shape, and it will give you a greater respect for the beauty of your pregnancy shape. And of course it will help you prepare for birth and give you a head start on postpartum fitness.
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