Prenatal yoga classes are a great way to stay in shape and relax during pregnancy. In such classes, you---and in some cases, your partner---will learn stretching and breathing techniques that offer many benefits not only during pregnancy, but also during childbirth and postpartum. Arizona has a fair share of yoga studios, most of which offer prenatal classes or workshops.
History and Purpose
Yoga is believed to have originated around the year 3000 B.C., according to the ABC of Yoga. People now practice yoga for a variety of reasons, from physical to spiritual, and there are a number of different types of yoga, including prenatal. BabyCenter refers to prenatal yoga as a form of exercise that "keeps you limber, tones your muscles and improves your balance and circulation, with little, if any, impact on your joints."
Benefits
There are further benefits to prenatal yoga. Many people use yoga as a way to help them relax or unwind. Yoga teaches participants to focus on their body and what it is doing at that moment. Proper breathing techniques make up a large part of this; if you are concentrating on pulling air into your lungs, it is harder to think about what happened at work that day or the pain you experience during labor. BabyCenter points out that "learning how to do ujjayi breathing [one technique] primes you for labor and childbirth by training you to stay calm when you need it most."
Prenatal Yoga in Phoenix
Desert Song Yoga and Massage Center in Phoenix offers a workshop called Prenatal Partners Yoga and Massage. The workshop teaches breathing and massage techniques and poses that women---and their partners---can use during pregnancy and labor. The workshop is geared toward teaching tools to help manage pain during childbirth and also toward teaching poses that increase strength and flexibility. Women can continue to use such techniques postpartum.
Prenatal Yoga in Flagstaff
Yoga Experience in Flagstaff also offers prenatal classes. All classes at Yoga Experience incorporate ujjayi breathing. The prenatal class is open to any expectant woman, whether a novice or experienced yoga student. Yoga Experience classes are based in Anusara yoga, which is "grounded in the science of biomechanical alignment and a non-dual Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness," according to the studio.
Various Locations
At One Yoga has studios in Phoenix, Pima Crossing and Montelucia. The prenatal classes at At One Yoga teach expectant mothers how to relax and stretch, employing postures that encourage flexibility and strength. Gilbert Yoga in Gilbert also offers prenatal classes, as does Inner Vision Yoga, which has locations in Tempe and Chandler.
Potential
Having given birth is no reason to discontinue your yoga classes. Many yoga studios, including some of those listed here, offer "baby and me" yoga classes for mom and baby to do together. Such classes can be a fun and healthy way to bond with your new baby, while also helping you get back in shape. The relaxation techniques you learn in yoga can help take your mind off of, and better deal with, any stresses associated with being a new mom.
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