Starting prenatal yoga in Paramatta: If you’ve never done yoga before you may be a bit sceptical before you start any prenatal yoga class. If you have any preconceived ideas of what yoga is and what you will be doing then you can rest at ease.
Prenatal yoga is very different from any other form of yoga. It is specifically designed to be very safe and very gentle.
It is important that you do get the ‘all clear’ from your obstetrician, midwife or GP before you start any form of yoga while pregnant. In most cases there won’t be any issues but if you do have any complications with your pregnancy you will need to discuss it with your doctor before you start any classes.
Prenatal yoga classes can be joined at any time during your pregnancy but if you are completely new to yoga its a good idea to start with classes that have an introductory approach.
The most popular times for prenatal yoga classes in Parramatta are in the second and third trimester but towards the end of the third trimester you might not feel like it at all.
Prenatal yoga is widely considered as one of the safest forms of exercise for pregnant women. Many obstetricians recommend it as it helps with both your physical and mental well being.
What is Prenatal Yoga?
It is a form of yoga that is specifically designed for pregnancy. It consists of a series of exercises, breathing and meditations to help connect mind and body.
Traditional yoga can be quite strenuous with a lot of stretches and even active poses. None of these are present in prenatal yoga and that makes it safe.
With the focus on breathing, meditation and gentle movement it helps pregnant women to connect with their own bodies and their babies.
Why Prenatal Yoga?
During your pregnancy there will be a lot of pesky niggles and symptoms like back pain, bloating, swelling and fatigue. These are all very normal and most women suffer from at least one of these.
Gentle exercise can be a great way to help alleviate these symptoms. As you approach labour, you tend to become less mobile and staying active can become harder and harder.
Prenatal yoga is a great option to stay active in a safe and very gentle way. Keeping your body moving without attempting traditional exercises is invaluable.
Prenatal yoga is also heavily focused on preparing you for labour. Breathing exercises and learning to focus your thoughts can help you immensely when the big day arrives.
When you attend prenatal classes in Parramatta you will also meet a lot of like minded moms. It can be a great bonding experience and a lot of new moms make ‘yoga friends’ for life.
What To Expect In A Prenatal Yoga Class
There are a few variations of how these classes are run as each yoga instructor have their own approach. The basics are quite similar though and the classes usually follow this basic structure.
Introduction – where everyone introduces themselves and you get a chance to meet the other moms and your instructor. Your instructor will also give you a brief overview of the class and some key points about being safe.
- Relaxation – the class will start with some gentle relaxation exercises to help you breathe fully and focus inwards.
- Warmup – a short warmup is designed to get you moving and activate your muscles. This is usually followed by some gentle stretches to help with the warmup.
- Standing vinyasa flow – these are poses to help with abdominal toning and pelvic floor movements. This is then followed by chest opening poses to help with deep diaphragmatic breathing.
- Stretching – the vinyasa flow is followed by some gentle stretching that is designed to place no strain on the pelvic area.
- Savasana – this modified form of savasana is designed to ‘chill you out’. You will be on your back and depending on your stage of pregnancy you will have your back lifted or on your side. This is a really peaceful pose and will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed.
During your prenatal yoga class in Parramatta we strongly encourage you to remain safe at all times. If you start feeling dizzy or unwell at any stage you need to alert your instructor.
If any of the poses make you feel uncomfortable, don’t do it. In the end you know your own body and you know when to stop.
The recommended session time is about 30 minutes. Exercising for longer than that during your second and third trimester is not recommended and if you have a yoga session, don’t try and combine this with more exercise later in the day. More is not always better.
We would be happy to have you at prenatal yoga Parramatta where you can join a bustling group of moms-to-be.