Yoga is a fabulous exercise for mums to be

As part of your pregnancy wellbeing plan, Pregnancy Yoga can help you to prepare and support your body and mind for the many physical and emotional changes that you can expect through pregnancy, labour and beyond into motherhood, helping you to develop inner confidence and strength, both physically and emotionally, as you prepare to be a Mum.

Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth

– Rumi

Through the practice of Yoga, Breathing and Meditation techniques chosen for pregnancy, you’ll be able to bring your body and mind into balance.

The physical practice helps to strengthen and tone your body, as well as creating openness and flexibility, with the breathing practice helping to develop an awareness of the power of your breath and creating a connection between your body and your baby. Meditation, visualisation and relaxation help you relax and soothe away any anxieties when thoughts or fears arise.

Why do Pregnancy Yoga?

The baby can feel when we’re really taking care of ourselves and are really at ease. It happens as a chemical experience for the baby

There are many benefits of Pregnancy Yoga, but here are five good reasons to give it a try:

1. Yoga keeps your stress levels in check.

When we practice when we’re pregnant, it makes a space in our bodies that we need … for the baby and for ourselves – Brower

2. It can help to keep mum and baby healthy. Research published in the medical journal Preventive Medicine showed that pregnant women who practiced yoga for one hour, three times each week, were less likely to have low birth weight babies, pregnancy-related diabetes and high blood pressure.

3. It can help mums-to-be prepare both body and mind for labour

Labour is one of the most physical things you’ll ever do. You would not run a marathon without preparation: Why would you go into labour without preparing for it? – Pre-natal instructor Angela Gallagher in Yoga Journal

4. It can help keep you in shape. allwoman offers classes that provide exercises to build both strength and stamina and invite spaciousness, rest and relaxation.

5. It can help you tune into your body’s needs.

Carving out time for self-care through Yoga can help women stay in tune with their body’s needs and bond with their babies – Brower

Manchester Yoga teacher Janine Hurley recently worked with researchers to conduct a study that showed that Yoga during pregnancy is beneficial for women and their babies.

Findings showed that stress during pregnancy are linked to premature birth, low birth weight and increased developmental and behavioural problems in children and that high levels of anxiety during pregnancy is linked to postnatal depression, which can result in mental health problems. The study found that one session of yoga reduced anxiety by one third and stress hormone levels by 14% … So imagine what regular classes each week could do!

Read the full article

Support for pregnancy, labour and birth.

allwoman offers one to one programmes online to support you both pre and postnatally. We also offer regular weekly Pregnancy Yoga classes, Birth Preparation Workshops for couples and HypnoYoga for Birth services that can be provided for couples as part of a Birth Preparation package, individually on a one to one basis to support pregnancy as well as labour or via dedicated workshops and classes.

The beauty of HypnoYoga for Birth is that the hynotherapeutic content in a one to one or couples setting can be tailored to your own unique needs. It’s not a one size fits all approach.