Pregnancy Yoga comes to Alton

I now run a popular pregnancy yoga class on Tuesday evenings from 19:15 – 20:30 at The Assembly Room in Alton. You may have heard of yoga and know that everyone from Madonna to Victoria Beckham practices it. But you may not know why it is particularly beneficial during pregnancy and birth.

Your body is undergoing major change

Pregnancy is a time when you are undergoing tremendous change. As hormone levels rise you may feel fatigued, sick, emotional, dizzy and irritable. As the baby grows you may experience back ache or swollen ankles. The gentle poses combined with rhythmic breathing taught in pregnancy yoga classes can help alleviate many of these symptoms.

Preparation for Birth

As well as keeping you physically healthy pregnancy yoga classes will prepare you for the birth. I teach specific movements to help you cope with the strong sensations of your birthing muscles during labour and breathing techniques to help you stay calm and focused. 

I strongly believe the birth process is much more than just a bodily process; it is also a psychological one. If you stay connected to your breath during the birth you can stay focused and relaxed. By practising these techniques in a weekly yoga class they become second nature to you, so you will automatically begin to use them when you need them. When in labour, by staying calm and relaxed you will activate all the helpful birthing hormones that encourage the body to open and help to alleviate pain.

Although taking yoga classes will not guarantee you an easy, pain free birth, all the techniques you practise whilst pregnant will help you during the birth by enabling you to stay calm and relaxed whatever happens. As a result you will be better able to release tension and trust your own instincts and if everything does not go according to plan you will be able to adapt with confidence and flexibility.

Explore the changes happening to you... with support

The relaxed space created in your yoga class also provides a place for you to explore how you feel about the birth and the changes becoming a mother will make to your life. It is a safe place to process the many diverse emotions that women feel during pregnancy, making you better prepared for birth and for being a mother. It is also a wonderful way to make friends with other pregnant mums and many women have said to me that once their babies are born the friends they made in their pregnancy yoga classes have been a great source of support.

Visualisation techniques

We also practise visualisation techniques in pregnancy yoga to help create a positive picture of how your birth will be. In a world where many of us only ever see women giving birth in films and on TV, where the onus is on creating drama, and where we are bombarded with horror stories from our friends and families, it is easy to forget that women have given birth for centuries and that many women have births that whilst they might be intense, are calm and empowering. The more positive stories we can share and positive pictures we can create the more you will be able to enjoy your pregnancy and birth.

Pregnancy Yoga - Good for baby too!

As scientists continue to discover more about life in the womb it is becoming clearer that what we experience in the first months of life has an important influence on our future health and happiness. In light of this pregnancy yoga is a powerful tool for both the mother and the unborn child. The relaxation and feelings of joy, bliss and contentment that are experienced in your yoga class are not just good for you, they are good for your baby too.

Personal experience

I can say, as the Mother of three children, that yoga helped me enormously. I practised yoga throughout my three pregnancies and adapted the classical poses as my body changed. I had three very different but positive birth experiences and used many of the techniques I now pass on to women in my classes, so I know they work. I continue to draw strength from my daily yoga practice which provides both support and inspiration to me as a mother. 

If you are interested in joining my classes please contact me on 07929 185057 or bex.yoga@gmail.com.