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Writer's pictureKaelie Harris

What are the benefits of prenatal yoga?

Updated: Mar 1, 2019


huntsville doula yoga

Kaelie Harris, Doula • November 1, 2018

Huntsville, AL


I have been doing yoga on and off for over 10 years. It is the one form of exercise I’ve always found my way back to and I think that is because yoga calms and centers me. I like the spirituality and focus on mind and body.

When I was pregnant with my son I fell in love with yoga all over again. It gave me time to check in and connect with my baby- something I didn’t have as much time for with my second baby because I was so busy chasing my 2 year old around. I also had horrible sciatic nerve pain and I found that if I skipped yoga one day, the pain was exponentially worse the next. The stretching really helped keep me mobile and able to work out for my entire pregnancy. I also noticed that I was calmer and more content on the days I practiced yoga than the days I did not. I don’t know if it was taking that time for self care or the yoga itself, but it did help me combat those mood swings and hormones that come with pregnancy.

Over the years I considered yoga teacher training many times, but after my son was born and I started my doula business, I knew I had to commit to the training so I could help my clients and other moms see the benefits that come with practicing yoga, not only while pregnant, but to make it a part of their everyday life. From www.americanpregnancy.org, here are some listed benefits of prenatal yoga:

  • Improved sleep

  • Reduced stress

  • Increased strength, flexibility and endurance

  • Decreased lower back pain

  • Decreased nausea

  • Decreased carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Decreased headaches

  • Reduced risk of preterm labor

  • Lowered risk of intrauterine growth restriction (condition that slows the baby’s growth)

In addition to the benefits listed, studies have found there is a relationship between prenatal yoga and the reduction of hypertension-related complications, as well as improvement of fetal outcome.

If you are interested in more information about private prenatal yoga classes or setting up a group class, please contact me!

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