Taking a 15-minute yoga break

Yoga is a spiritual and ascetic discipline, part of which includes breath control, simple meditation and body postures. It is widely practised for health and relaxation benefits. If you have never experienced yoga before then it is worth exploring how it can benefit you and your baby during pregnancy.

The hormones that maintain your pregnancy cause your muscles to become supple or flexible, this is essential to enable the uterus (which is a muscle) to stretch and grow to accommodate your growing baby. As a result of this, you may be more prone to pulling muscles and experiencing symphysis-pubic disfunction (SPD), commonly referred to a pelvic girdle pain. Stabilising your core muscles through yoga is beneficial at reducing SPD.

Yoga is also extremely focused on breath work and relaxation, both of which Birth from Within highly recommend and practise during the workshops. If you have never tried yoga or really thought about benefits of exercise during pregnancy then yoga is something we would recommend to you. It is important that you get advise from a qualified yoga instructor who has a specialist interest in pregnancy. Karen is available through Birth from Within.