Congratulations! Your Bulldog community couldn’t be happier for you.
Your family is growing and so is your belly. This is the part where you have to learn how to actually be pregnant. Now, it’s time to figure out your food cravings and food aversions, your most comfortable sleeping position, and the TV show that makes you feel good when your hormones are a little out of whack. And, how about some facts about prenatal yoga online and how it can help you feel your best!
We happen to think prenatal yoga online classes are a fun, effective alternative.
Here are 11 things you should know about this workout routine as you decide how to integrate it into your life as an expectant mom.
1) It’s important to stay active while you’re pregnant
According to the American Pregnancy Association,
“Exercise is safe during most pregnancies.”
Women who were physically active before getting pregnant should be that much more intentional about maintaining a fitness routine while they’re expecting. Your body is used to that activity level and will probably crave it, even if you do have a baby on board.
As a rule of thumb, the APA recommends that pregnant women exercise for about 30 minutes on most or all days. It’s all about getting your blood flowing so you can reap the health benefits of movement (more on that later!), so even a walk can do the trick.
2) You should check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen.
There are exceptions to every rule, and before you start any kind of workout routine while you’re pregnant, you should talk with your doctor about how exercise might affect your unique pregnancy. Every case is different!
Women with high-risk pregnancies, in particular, are often told to keep their activity level on the lower side. It’s important to stay on top of any potential risks so you can take good care of yourself and your kiddo, even if it means taking a break from fitness.
It’s not about making workout excuses — it’s about choosing your priorities and being safe!
3) Prenatal is a low-impact, safer alternative to other workouts you might do while you’re expecting.
We believe that yoga is for everyone (obviously), but that doesn’t mean that all yoga is created equal. Prenatal yoga classes are designed with expectant mommies in mind, so they’re a great choice for experienced yogis and yoga rookies.
It will be up to you to figure out what seems to work best for your body as you go through your pregnancy, but since prenatal yoga is low-impact and geared only toward pregnant women, you might find that it feels better to you than other workouts. If nothing else, it might be an activity you feel comfortable with even as others become less appealing!
4) You may recover more quickly after giving birth if you’ve dabbled in prenatal yoga.
We won’t get into the messy details, but giving birth is no joke. You moms are total badasses!
One way to help ensure that your post-birth experience goes as smoothly as possible is to stay active during pregnancy.
A study from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists confirms:
Women who exercised while they were expecting experienced shorter postpartum recovery times.
When you and your bump hit the mat on the reg, you’ll (hopefully) have a speedier recovery so you can enjoy time with your family that much faster.
5) A prenatal online yoga class is all about modifying poses.
Anyone who leads a prenatal yoga class has been trained in the specific ways that pregnancy affects a woman’s bod, which means they’re fully qualified to help ensure that their guests modify poses accordingly. Every pregnancy is different and every individual woman feels different from week to week as they get closer to meeting their little one. A good prenatal yoga teacher understands that and can help you tailor your practice to your specific needs.
6) A regular prenatal yoga practice will help ease some of those annoying pregnancy symptoms.
Pregnancy is an exciting time, but let’s be real… it’s not all fun and games. Carrying another human is challenging and exhausting and overwhelming and comes with its fair share of icky symptoms.
Enter prenatal yoga!
According to the Mayo Clinic,
“Prenatal yoga can help pregnant women sleep better and reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with expecting a baby.”
It also helps to maintain strength, flexibility, and muscle endurance and can ease lower back pain, nausea, headaches, and shortness of breath.
7) Prenatal yoga can even help in the actual process of giving birth!
Like other types of yoga, prenatal yoga places an emphasis on breathing techniques as you move through your poses. That breathing will help you in your workout, of course, but it might even come in handy later on!
Per the Mayo Clinic,
“Prenatal yoga breathing techniques can often be useful for working through contractions while you’re in labor.”
Some women in labor also find themselves experimenting with different prenatal yoga poses!
8) A prenatal yoga class might give you the mommy community you’ve been looking for.
Every mom needs a group of mom friends, and you might just find those friends in a yoga class.
According to the National Association of Complementary and Alternative Medicines, these classes can be a
“Community-building activity, where mothers can meet to share their experiences and concerns.”
And if you don’t live close to a yoga studio you love or can’t find room in the budget for regular classes IRL, don’t panic! You can still build those mommy friendships online… with an online yoga community like ours.
9) You’ll need to be more tuned in to your body than ever as you develop a pregnancy workout routine.
Even seasoned yogis might find themselves feeling slightly less able to move through their usual yoga practice as they get further into their pregnancy. And guess what? That’s okay! You’re quite literally growing another human being. Cut yourself some slack.
As you develop a routine with prenatal yoga, we encourage you to pay close attention to what your body is telling you so you know when to adapt or stop your movements. Be prepared to change your routine from day to day, week to week, and month to month. Trust your body — and your yoga leader! — to help you figure it out.
10) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
The American Pregnancy Association recommends:
Pregnant women drink at least eight to 12 glasses of water per day… even if you’re not exercising!
Obviously, if you’re planning to be more active, you should increase your water intake, too.
Keep a water bottle next to your mat during class so you remind to hydrate. And if you’re a fan of hot yoga, we regret to inform you that it’s time to turn down the heat. Dehydration is very dangerous during pregnancy, so you should avoid sweaty hot yoga sessions until after your baby is born.
11) The only thing better for a mom-to-be than a prenatal yoga class? A prenatal yoga class at home!
If you’re dealing with morning sickness and other yucky pregnancy symptoms, you might not feel so motivated to get in the car and drive to a prenatal yoga class. And we can’t really blame you.
The good news is that prenatal online yoga classes are available literally anywhere you are — and we even offer prenatal yoga classes through Bulldog Online! Pull out your mat and cue up a class next time you’re feeling a burst of energy. You won’t even have to leave the house to get that bumpin’ workout in. Learn more with our prenatal yoga guide!
