Nursing Colleges & Training Schools

Yoga for Pre and Post Natal Wellness

No doubt pregnancy is a period of intense joy and anticipation, but there are times when carrying a baby inside you takes its toll and you’re left weary and exhausted. It’s not that things get much better once your tiny tot makes his or her appearance – now that you have a demanding baby to look after all hours of the day (and night), you tend to push your needs to the backburner. As a result, you soon find yourself with less and less energy to take care of even normal tasks that you handled with ease before your pregnancy. 

Yoga offers a range of postures and breathing exercises that help maintain health and fitness before childbirth and restore them after your baby’s born. While prenatal workouts help you prepare for the birth of your baby, post natal exercises help in restoring your physical and mental health and relieving aches and pains once junior arrives. 

During pregnancy:

    * Yoga calms you down and relaxes your body. Women who are about to become mothers for the first time are normally nervous about the birth process because they don’t know what to expect.
    * It teaches you how to breathe efficiently so that you release the tension in your body during labor. Childbirth becomes easier when you’re more relaxed and breathing in and out the right way.
    * It helps you prepare mentally and physically for the process of childbirth. Your body is free of stress and your mind is ready to welcome your newborn into this world.

 After your baby is born:

    * Yoga helps strengthen your pelvic muscles which are weakened considerably after the birth of your baby. A weak pelvic floor is not conducive to a good sex life is affected and also leads to urinary incontinence when you laugh, sneeze or make other involuntary movements.
    * It helps you soothe the aches and pains in your shoulders and neck that arise from bad postures while breastfeeding your baby. If you don’t relax these muscles, your pain could become chronic.
    * It provides you with energy so that you don’t feel fatigued and worn out from taking care of your little one and running around on the minimum amount of sleep.
    * It helps you strengthen your weakened abdominal muscles which stretch as your baby grows during the pregnancy and then become lax once he or she is born.

Warning: While it’s considered safe to begin exercising 6 weeks after a normal birth and 8 weeks after a C Section, it’s best to consult your physician before you do so.