The benefits of pregnancy yoga

Abbie Harvey, founder of Lotus Health Space

Abbie has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and qualified as a yoga teacher 7 years ago with over 500 hours qualifications making her an Established Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals. Abbie has taught many pre and post natal women yoga and has experienced first hand the benefits having practiced yoga before, during and after having her 2 children. 

Yoga is a beautiful holistic practice incorporating breath work, meditation and physical poses which can help to:

• Elevate stress and tension
• Increase strength and flexibility
• Create harmony and balance
• Increase mindfulness 

Yoga can help to bring a sense of tranquility, ease and comfort throughout the various ebbs and flows of pregnancy and once baby arrives. Growing a baby and giving birth can bring on a whole host of emotions which are all completely normal, ranging from joy, bliss and excitement, to nervousness, fatigue and vulnerability. Yoga is a practice which can be used both on and off the mat to help with physical and mental health.

Yoga is so much more than just a physical practise; it helps to strengthen and stabilise the body, breath and mind to prepare you for labour and the ever evolving journey of motherhood. Specific breath work in particular is an immensely powerful tool to aid you during birth, keeping you calm and focused. 

Meditation is a vital practice for mental health and wellbeing and has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and improve sleep.

Pregnancy yoga can help you to relax into the changes occurring in your body and to yield and melt into the process the way mother nature intended. The journey of motherhood takes many turns and through meditation and breath work you can learn tools to remain calm and relaxed. Pregnancy yoga has also been shown to help with nausea and headaches.

Pregnancy yoga offers physical poses to build the strength and stamina needed for labour and has been shown to reduce back pain. Post natal yoga includes specific poses to ease any tightness and tension from nursing, carrying baby and pushing buggies. 

Each trimester and beyond brings new exciting and challenging changes. Physical poses and breath work can be adapted at each stage of the journey to increase well-being for mother and baby. 

In your yoga journey you will begin to become in tune with your body and develop an inward observation to self discovery. This is time for you to be truly at one with baby.

Enjoy this sacred journey together, namaste x

For more information, check out www.lotushealthspace.co.uk
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