Yoga for pregnant women!!

Yoga for pregnant women:

Benefits, Contraindications and Precautions:

During pregnancy, many women wonder if it is safe to continue exercising or some even wonder if perhaps they should try to stay active or perform exercises that help them cope better, thus avoiding certain discomforts and obtaining benefits for mother and baby.

Yoga is one of the most suitable exercises to do during pregnancy. That is why this time we will talk about the benefits, contraindications and precautions of practicing yoga when you are pregnant.

Benefits of yoga during pregnancy:
There are several reasons why yoga is one of the most recommended exercises for pregnant women, and that is that in addition to being a low-impact physical activity, various studies prove that it offers multiple benefits for both mother and baby .

One study claims that yoga is the best exercise for pregnancy, as it is more effective than walking or prenatal class exercises, and that it can be done safely in women suffering from depression.

In fact, it is proven that yoga can help reduce depressive symptoms during pregnancy, especially when posture exercises are accompanied by meditation and deep relaxation, making it ideal for those suffering from depression or anxiety.
Another benefit of practicing yoga during pregnancy is that it helps reduce stress and increases immune function, according to a study in which pregnant women practiced it from week 16 to 36, attending 70-minute classes twice per week.

In addition, yoga not only helps during pregnancy, but also prepares you for childbirth, as another study found that it helps reduce pain during labor and may even help reduce the likelihood of having a cesarean section.

Other benefits of yoga during pregnancy are:

Reduces back pain by improving body posture.
It helps you sleep better, as it is a relaxing activity that reduces feelings of fatigue and stress.
You form an even stronger connection with your baby, by making you focus on your breathing and thus become more aware of your body.

CONTRADICTIONS:

Although yoga is one of the best exercises to practice during pregnancy, as with any physical activity, there are certain things you should avoid to practice it safely. Among them are the following:

Avoid types of yoga that require a lot of effort like Asthana, especially if you have never practiced yoga. The best for pregnancy is hatha yoga or prenatal yoga, which offers safe postures, adapted for pregnancy.

Avoid yoga classes that are practiced in high temperatures, such as Bikram yoga. Actually, you should avoid practicing any type of physical activity if it is very hot or you do not have adequate ventilation.

When doing yoga, you should avoid doing certain postures that compress the belly or that require a lot of stretching of the abdominal area, as well as postures that require you to lie on your back. Inverted postures are also not recommended during pregnancy.

Each yoga posture should be performed comfortably and without straining the body. If you can't speak or have trouble breathing well while practicing a pose, you're trying too hard.
Whether or not you practiced yoga before your pregnancy, the ideal is that you attend a prenatal yoga class with a certified instructor, since they are trained to know which poses are safe to practice during pregnancy. In addition, during the class they will teach you to breathe correctly, which will help you relax and focus better, as well as improve your breathing, which will be very useful when you have contractions during labor.

PRECAUTIONS:

It is important to mention that before starting any exercise routine or physical activity during pregnancy, you should take certain precautions, and always consult and discuss it with your doctor, to ensure that there is no risk to you or your baby.

Similarly, you should stop exercising if you have any of the following symptoms: vaginal bleeding, difficulty or effort to breathe before exercising, headache, dizziness, muscle weakness, pain or swelling in the calves, chest discomfort, pain abdominal, contractions, reduced fetal movement, blurred vision or fluid leakage from the vagina.