I could hardly move during the first trimester of my pregnancy with my first child. It took all of my efforts to manage my morning sickness and weariness while working all day. But as I entered my second trimester, I gradually (very gradually) started to feel like myself again, and prenatal yoga started to become a regular part of my exercise regimen.
Prenatal yoga is a great method to stay active while pregnant and be ready for labor both physically and mentally. One of yoga’s numerous advantages is that it strengthens your bond with your body, according to Brihony Smyth, certified yoga instructor and creator of the Alo Moves Prenatal Glow program. Pregnant women can benefit from yoga since it helps with relaxation, stress release, and blood flow.
Certain yoga poses might help prepare your body for the big day as you enter the third trimester and begin to consider labor. Steph Ball-Mitchell, a certified prenatal yoga instructor and the founder and head trainer of Online Yoga School, explains that yoga aids in the production of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone that is naturally released from our pituitary glands. She also adds that the hormone involved in labor contractions is called oxytocin.
Do yoga positions help you get pregnant? Not quite, although they can be useful. They won’t cause labor if the cervix hasn’t softened or if the baby isn’t in the proper position, according to Kate Lombardo, yoga director at Yoga Renew Teacher Training (and mom-to-be). They will only function if it is time to go. that allows you to safely employ these poses throughout your pregnancy. But once you’ve reached full-term, at 37 weeks? These poses are certainly worth a try to get things going.
One thing to note: As with starting any new exercise regimen during pregnancy, be sure you’re cleared by your doctor or midwife before beginning.
