Getting Comfortable with Prenatal Yoga
Introducing our yoga and wellness expert: As part of our new Tranquil Maternity & Nursing Low Impact Sports Bra launch, we’ve connected with Latham Thomas, a yogi and expert on all things wellness, and a lover of our new Tranquil Maternity & Nursing Low Impact Sports Bra, our newest and most flattering fit for any active mom – expectant or new.
Prenatal yoga is a wonderful training ground for birth, breastfeeding and parenting. Why? Yoga helps cultivate a sense of peace and an approach to calm in your daily actions. The techniques you learn can be applied both on and off the mat. A fruitful yoga practice will foster awareness of the connection between mind, body and spirit. Honoring the inner resources and the innate wisdom of the body and mind is especially important as you prepare for labor and new mothering. A dynamic prenatal yoga practice will support your health and well-being throughout pregnancy—as well as prepare you mentally, emotionally and physically for childbirth. And perhaps most importantly, it helps keep you comfortable.
When I was pregnant with my son, my yoga practice was my saving grace. I remember searching for a place to practice yoga where I felt empowered. I was active and athletic so I could go to a regular class but I wanted to be with other pregnant moms. I developed my own prenatal practice that made me feel strong and capable. I learned how to tune in to what was happening in my body and ease my mind through meditation and deep breathing. Yoga also informed my birth ritual from beginning to end. I was able to relax into my breathing techniques at the onset of contractions, and I visualized the baby moving farther down the birth canal during each contraction. I knew that every sensation was taking me closer to bringing the baby into the world. I could find comfort in trusting my body.
Every mother’s experience of birth is unique. Much like the practice of yoga, pregnancy involves a union of mind, body, and spirit. The beauty of yoga is that you can practice it anytime and anywhere. Plus, it offers all kinds of health benefits, including improved circulation and lymphatic flow, firming of the skin, strengthening of the muscles and connective tissue, reduction in stress and an increased sense of well-being.
My Top 5 postures and affirmations for pregnancy and new motherhood
Reclined Cobbler’s Pose (Restore):
Reclined cobbler’s pose is a restorative posture that supports the spine and opens the chest and heart area. This is especially comforting for nursing moms who often suffer mid back and shoulder pain from hunching forward and flexing shoulders with little or improper cushion support when breastfeeding.
Affirmation: I am taking the best care of myself and my baby.
Goddess Squat Series
Strength in birthing squats is key. It helps to have strong legs during pregnancy and postpartum. This series gets your legs ready for the final part of labor (the pushing phase) and gets your hips ready to deliver.
Affirmation: I am strong and capable of motherhood.
Low Crescent Lunge
This pose stretches the thighs and groin. It also helps with the tight hips and tired mid-back that come from sedentary living, so it’s ideal if you spend long hours sitting at a desk and or on the couch breastfeeding.
Pigeon (or Dove Pose)
If you have low back pain, tight hips or sciatica, this is a great pose. It helps lengthen the hip flexors and stretches the groin, thighs, chest, shoulders and neck.
Affirmation: I listen to the wisdom of my body.
Leg Drain
I call this the great mother of all restorative yoga postures. It combines the benefits of Corpse Pose with the gifts of a gentle inversion. This posture promotes rest. It will help drain any blood or lymphatic fluid that has pooled in your legs, ankles and feet, and gently lengthens the hamstrings.
Affirmation: I surrender to this moment of peace from within.
Yoga promotes peace of mind, helping ground us in the present. It helps us connect with our higher self. Mama Glow Prenatal Yoga is a sequence of postures designed to develop strength and flexibility in the body as well as awareness and openness on a mental and spiritual level. It employs principles such as mindfulness, gratitude, turning inward and opening. Yoga’s cultivation of mindfulness and awareness in the moment is the perfect way to begin preparing for this exciting life transformation.
