ACCC Blog 2024

5 benefits of prenatal yoga

Written by ACCC Team | Mar 19, 2024 1:49:59 AM
Pregnancy can be an exciting and transformative time for women, but it also comes with its own set of physical and emotional challenges that happen as your body changes preparing for labour and birth. 

As your body’s hormones change so do your brain and physiology.

Your brain goes through significant remodelling that persists for at least two years after birth! That means your whole nervous system is shifting and growing, while your connective tissue is relaxing.

Your posture changes and your hips widen, both stretching and challenging your body, you're not sleeping as well and this can affect your mood and general well-being.

To help manage these challenges, expectant mothers are increasingly turning to prenatal yoga and chiropractic care as complementary forms of care for optimal pregnancy health.

It's important to stay active during your pregnancy but must be done with care and safety to support both your body and your baby.

Here at Australian Children's Chiropractic Centre we focus on the whole woman.

Providing an opportunity for holistic care to support all areas of life. In practice, we explain to our expectant mothers how yoga can play such a pivotal role as a tool in itself but also in conjunction with chiropractic care. 

 The practice of yoga involves a combination of poses, breathing techniques, and meditation, all of which can provide numerous benefits for expectant mothers. 

...Because growing a baby is tough work! 

 Let's take a closer look at how yoga and chiropractic care can work together to enhance the pregnancy experience:

  1. Pain, stress & anxiety relief

    As your baby grows, there is additional stress on your spine. This will be reflected in your posture and may exacerbate back pain. Chiropractic care may support you to reduce back & neck pain. Meanwhile, prenatal yoga can help improve posture, reduce tension, promote relaxation and create a calmer state. Both chiropractic care and yoga can help calm the nervous system, thus helping relieves stress and anxiety. 

  2. Better alignment & posture

    Your pelvis will start to change thanks to the pregnancy hormones. Your ligaments will stretch, and you may find that you feel very different when you sit, stand, move and bend. 

    Chiropractic care helps realign the spine and pelvis, which can reduce stress on the nervous system and improve overall comfort during pregnancy. With gentle stretching, poses and holds Prenatal yoga also focuses on proper alignment and can help to maintain it. Both of these naturally focus on improving posture, which can reduce stress on the back, neck, and hips, and promote a more comfortable pregnancy.

  3. Improved sleep

    One of the top complaints in pregnancy is the lack of quality sleep. Pregnancy can have a significant impact on a woman's sleep patterns due to physical, hormonal, and emotional changes.

    Some common sleep-related issues during pregnancy including insomnia, restless leg syndrome and back pain could be relieved with either Chiropractic care or yoga. The combination of both of these practices may help to relieve tension in the spine, pelvis and neck, whilst prenatal yoga helps women to learn meditation, breathwork and stretches that can help relax, calm and relieve pain in their body, ready for a rested night's sleep.

  4. Enhanced flexibility and strength

    Prenatal yoga focuses on stretching and strengthening the muscles which can help with enhanced flexibility. Chiropractic works out strengthening our alignment and posture so that women can support both their changing body and their baby. Whilst we don't expect you to be able to do the splits after a few prenatal yoga classes - it can help maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility. This can be especially beneficial for the hips, back, and pelvic areas. 

  5. Better preparation for birth

    Both chiropractic care and prenatal yoga can help prepare the body for birth by reducing pain, improving alignment, and increasing strength and flexibility. Chiropractic care can help balance the pelvic muscles and joints, which can be beneficial for the growing uterus and baby during pregnancy. This balance can help prepare the body for a smoother and more comfortable birth.
Overall, combining chiropractic care and prenatal yoga can provide expectant mothers with a holistic approach to maintaining their physical and emotional well-being during pregnancy and that is why we are proud to offer both prenatal and postnatal yoga in our centre.
 
 
Here are a few gentle yoga poses that may help alleviate some pain and tension in your body: 

  1. Cat-Cow Pose:

    This pose is great for promoting flexibility and relaxation for both you and your baby, it involves gentle spinal stretches that can help relieve lower back pain and improve posture. 

  2. Child's Pose - Wide Knees:

    This relaxing pose can help relieve stress and tension in the belly, back and hips and can improve circulation to the uterus, its important to alter your pose with wider knees to allow the space to support your bump.

  3. Yoga Squat (Malasana) 

    This exercise can help strengthen the hips, legs, and back, and can prepare the body for labour and delivery as it can help support and open your pelvis.

  4. Seated Forward Bend 

    This stretch can help relieve tension in the lower back and hips and can improve circulation to the uterus. Remember to not bend or move in any way that is restrictive, uncomfortable or painful. 


It's important to note that pregnancy is a unique experience, and some poses may not be suitable for every expectant mother. It's best to consult with your practitioner or prenatal yoga instructor before starting a yoga practice during pregnancy.
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