Class Theme: Oh, Baby, Baby! Shared by student B.H.

Class Intro:

In pregnancy, it seems like your body is changing every day.  Many of those changes are exciting, and some make us feel like we are a different person altogether.  Yoga can help you support these changes. Your body is busy with vital work.  Let’s help by focusing on each posture and finding the place that feels right for you today.

Beginning of pranayama:

Breath is essential to life – for both mom and baby!  Learning to calm yourself with your breath comes in handy as you go through pregnancy and childbirth. It can be a useful tool as a parent – especially when the only words they seem to know are “I do it” and “No!”  Allow it to be your anchor in yoga practice as well after class.

At the end of the pranayama exercise:

By the end of the first month, your baby will have completed a period of growth that is the greatest in size and physical change that a human will ever experience.  After 28 days, it will be 10,000 times larger than the fertilized egg.  If it grew at the same rate after birth, it would be 15 feet long by the end of the first month!

All of this rapid growth can wear you down and make you feel more tired than usual.  So REST!  Try not to push yourself – including during yoga class.  Take breaks throughout the day and give your body the relaxation it needs to continue supporting the unique human being inside of you.

Following Sun Salutation:

The hormone relaxin is being released in your body to prepare you for pregnancy and the birthing process.  This hormone is designed to allow your body to stretch more and may make you feel like you can go deep into a pose – but don’t overstretch.  Ease into a pose and only go to the point that feels safe.  Remember that right now, you share your body with someone else, so don’t push too far.

During a transition:

Until about week 25, your baby is very lean, with only about 1% body fat.  This begins to change at this point in the pregnancy as it begins to accumulate fat that becomes food reserves it can draw on after birth.  The additional fat will start to smooth out their wrinkly skin and make their skin less transparent, giving them that healthy baby look.  The need for those other fat stores can cause you to have some pretty odd cravings.  But continue to monitor your food intake, focusing on nutritional, natural foods that are healthy.

During any pose:

Yoga helps make space for the baby in both your body and your mind.  If you haven’t already begun preparing for the baby’s arrival, you will soon.  That may mean feeling like you have to create the perfect room or have the best furniture.  Remember that an essential thing the baby needs is you.  So do things that help you stay healthy and active and help you bond with the baby.  A straightforward way to do that is to talk and read to the baby.  The ears begin to form early in the pregnancy, and the external portion is wholly formed within the first 60 days.  Your voice’s sound is amplified because of your body, so the baby hears you speak throughout the 3^rd trimester.  According to research, babies are listening, learning, and remembering during the last stages of pregnancy. Not only does talking to our babies build a foundation for language development, but it’s also a great bonding experience for mother and child.

Closing:

You have so much to look forward to with the birth of your baby.  Slow down.  Take the time to recognize and inhabit the changes pregnancy brings to your body, thoughts, and life.  Know that by taking care of yourself, you provide a healthy environment for your baby to grow.  Your adventure with parenthood awaits!  Enjoy it!  Namaste

Learn more about our Prenatal Courses.