Prenatal Yoga

Baby Florio is here!  Arianna Jade was born on 2/9/16 at 2:19pm, weighing 8lbs and 10oz and measuring 20 1/4 inches long.  We have been getting used to our new life as a family of four, and loving all of her baby coos and smells.  In a future blog post, I will recap her birth story.  

Reflecting back on my pregnancy, one of the things that helped me the most was my prenatal yoga practice.  In addition to getting pregnant while finishing my 200hr RYT program, the practice helped me cope with a lot of the side effects of pregnancy.  I would highly recommend for anyone to take part in yoga during their pregnancy.  There are so many benefits to prenatal yoga, I wanted to share a few of them with you all.  

1.  Connection with mommy and baby - The practice allows for dedicated time each week for mommy to bond with her unborn child in her womb.  It allows for loving connection between mommy and baby to be built before the baby is even born.  

2.  Calming - Through connection with the breath, yoga allows for the mind to find a calm space, resulting in relaxation.  There are so many natural stressors that come along with bringing a child into the world, that devoting time to your practice not only allows you to relax, but also often helps you sleep better too!

3.  Balance - Growing another human can cause the body to feel off balance, carrying around extra weight and fluids to nurture the baby.  Practicing yoga allows for the body to focus on balance through each pose focusing on the proper alignment and our breath.  

4.  Build strength and stamina - Yoga is also a great workout!  Yoga poses strengthen our bodies to be able to carry our babies around.  Some of the poses assist the body in finding extra space and relieving some of the pains of pregnancy in our low-back and hips.  

5.  Community - The women that participate in a prenatal practice are going through the same thing that you are.  Its a great way to have a sense of community and bounce questions about things you may be experiencing in a safe environment.  

6.  Practice breathing - Yoga helps you prepare for childbirth.  The breath practice is a great tool for labor during contractions.  The focus that you have on each pose during your practice can be easily translated to the delivery room.  As you inhale, you acknowledge the tension that you may be feeling, as you exhale you let go more with each breath.  

Check out the local studios near you to see if they offer a prenatal practice.  I promise, you won't be sorry that you did!

Namaste!

XO
Shari