If you are pregnant and looking for ways to stay active and fit, or just to relax, prenatal yoga can be a great option. Whether at a yoga studio or at home, prenatal yoga has some major benefits. But you should also be aware of just how prenatal yoga affects your body and could affect your pregnancy. That’s why we offer this list of some pros and cons of prenatal yoga.
Pros and Cons of Prenatal Yoga
Before you start practicing prenatal yoga, be aware of the possible pros and cons, and important safety tips.
What are the Pros of Prenatal Yoga?
Prenatal yoga is a source of exercise that encourages focused breathing, stretching and mental centering. This can be extremely beneficial during pregnancy as your hormones and body change. Research shows that prenatal yoga is generally safe and can have many benefits, or pros, such as:
- Improving sleep
- Reducing anxiety or stress
- Increasing strength and flexibility of muscles (these are important during childbirth)
- Decreasing headaches, lower back pain, nausea, and shortness of breath
Prenatal yoga also allows you to meet other women who are also pregnant. Often, long-term friendships are born during prenatal yoga classes.
What are the Cons of Prenatal Yoga?
There are only a few cons of prenatal yoga. Generally, there are some safety factors to consider, but these are handled case-by-case. Some of the cons that you may find directly related to prenatal yoga are:
- You may not be able to perform certain poses due to health risks
- If you are not used to yoga, you could experience some joint and muscle pain
- Due to pregnancy, you may not be able to practice, or continue practicing, Bikram or hot yoga.
Of course, the key to a successful prenatal yoga practice is finding the right instructor for your needs.
Safety Tips for Prenatal Yoga
Everyone’s health is different, and every woman’s pregnancy is different. That’s why it is so important to talk to your doctor before you start prenatal yoga. Make sure that your and the baby’s health supports an active lifestyle. If you have certain medical conditions, it may not be safe for you to practice yoga.
Additional safety tips for prenatal yoga include:
- Be realistic. As your pregnancy progresses, a safe amount of physical activity is generally around 30 minutes per day. Longer periods or more strenuous exercise may not be safe.
- Pace yourself. Start off slow and make sure you can handle the routine. If you find yourself winded or not able to speak normally, you may be pushing yourself too hard.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids throughout your workout to keep yourself well hydrated.
- Stay cool. Make sure wherever you are practicing yoga is well ventilated and is cool enough so that you don’t overheat.
- Avoid dangerous postures. As mentioned before, there are some poses that may not be safe for you. Talk to your doctor and/or yoga instructor to make sure you are only doing poses that are safe.
- Pay attention to your body. If you start to feel bad, take a break. If you experience pain or vaginal bleeding, contractions, or decreased fetal movement, talk to your doctor right away.
Ultimately, prenatal yoga can be an excellent experience. But it is important to follow your doctor’s guidelines and make sure you and your baby are safe. Consider the pros and cons of prenatal yoga and talk to your doctor and a local yoga instructor to find out if prenatal yoga is right for you.
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