Endeavours

Pregnancy is a whole body-mind experience. It is a time in a woman�s life when it is particularly beneficial if the aspects of her being are in harmony, or at least that she is consciously working toward harmony. When a woman gifts herself with the regular practice of yoga, including breathing techniques, she is choosing to promote optimal health of body and mind, both for herself and for the unborn child she nurtures within her own body.

Yoga asanas (postures), together with breathing and relaxation techniques, provide a woman with physical strength, flexibility and subtle endurance.  Breathing techniques aid relaxation and a sense of well-being, bring vitality to her body and facilitates the essential process of oxygen & carbon dioxide exchange for both herself and her growing child.

Meditation techniques, practiced regularly, promote a calm mind and ease anxieties that may be created by fear of childbirth or unresolved conflict.  Cultivating a serene demeanour will increase a woman�s enjoyment of her pregnancy, enhance her connection and communication with her unborn child and bring about a relaxed and open-minded approach toward the childbirth experience. When a woman�s body and mind are relaxed and her attitude is one of enjoyment, the beneficial hormonal responses of her body systems will support the healthy development of her pregnancy and facilitate the natural process of childbirth.

Mantra or vocalizations can also be of great benefit. The repetition of certain sounds has been shown to calm one�s mind, releasing �feel-good� hormones that bring about a sense of well being, facilitate a sense of bonding, and enhance the neural development of the unborn child.  Modern perinatal psychology research suggests that the emotional and spiritual state of the mother strongly influences the neural pathways in the developing fetus, and the emotional development and later disposition of her child.

If possible, regular yoga practice should begin preconception to prepare a woman�s body and mind for conception, pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood.  However, yoga will benefit a woman and her fetus at any point in her pregnancy.

The practice of yoga by both parents is ideal.  Yoga facilitates self-awareness, physical fitness and calm disposition.  Becoming parents is a life-long undertaking that will make great demands on both a mother and father. The practice of yoga will help the parents to prepare for this journey and to provide a loving, conscious environment of health and well being for the fetus and child.

Yoga in pregnancy focuses on the abdominal and back muscles, spine and pelvis. Strength in the abdominal muscles assist a woman to maintain excellent posture, avoid back ache, aid development of the fetus and facilitate optimal fetal position for childbirth. During labour, a strong abdomen aids the woman to work in harmony with the expulsive contractions of her uterus and effectively bring her child into the world.

A strong, supple spine is essential for general flexibility and toning, aids the healthy functioning of the woman�s nervous and digestive systems, and facilitates the healthy blood supply to the placenta, essential for its optimal functioning and vital role in the development of a healthy infant. A resilient spine will prevent the shoulders from dropping, which often occurs during pregnancy, owing to the extra weight the woman is carrying. This extra weight can put a great strain on the muscles of the back. Regular yoga practice will definitely strengthen this area, alleviating the discomfort of backache and reducing the risk of misalignment of the spine or pelvis late in pregnancy.

Deep yogic breathing is particularly useful in both pregnancy and childbirth. The growth of the baby requires greater and greater amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide exhange through the woman�s body.  Pregnancy and the growing womb affect a change in the physical orientation of a woman�s diaphragm, pushing it upwards and the two lungs expand outwards.  Shortness of breath is a common discomfort of pregnancy. There are specific breathing techniques in yoga that will ease this natural change in a woman�s body and facilitate the optimal exchange of vital oxygen and nutrients to her unborn child.

Yoga can also aid in relieving the discomforts of nausea, lethargy and loss of appetite.  After the birth of the baby, certain yoga practices can aid the transition of a woman�s body, facilitating the natural changes that occur within the endocrine system, help to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and decrease the risk of postpartum depression.

Yoga nidra, a progressive system of deep relaxation using visualization techniques, is one of the most powerful practices used during pregnancy.  Through visualization, the woman can increase her sense of connection and bonding with her child, imagining a healthy strong body and a good and loving character.  Our growing knowledge of DNA suggests that thought forms of the mother can change and enhance the DNA structure of her unborn child.  Visualizations and positive affirmations are used in yoga nidra to assist the growth of a physical and emotionally healthy child, as well as preparing the mother and child for an empowering and positive birth experience.

~ Yemaya (inspired by the works of Swami Sivamurti Saraswati).