Pre-Natal (Pregnancy) Yoga
Joyful Moments…
Precious moments to bond with the foetus and advocating a healthy lifestyle while you go through this journey together – a sensational journey no tour agents can offer!
Enjoy a joyful and harmonious passage to Motherhood through:
- Yoga movements that gently tone, increase flexibility & balance the hormones
- Deep relaxation for calmness and inner balance
- Breathing exercises for inner peace
- Specialised practices for the different stages of pregnancy
- Take this opportunity to establish the connection between you and your foetus.
Weekly: 60 minutes
Click here to view class schedule
Why Pre-Natal (Pregnancy) Yoga?
Strengthens the Body
Yoga gives the body the much needed overall strength for the mother. Mom-to-be will need the strength especially in her lower body to carry the added pregnancy weight and helps her adjust to the changes in balance and center of gravity. Strength is also needed during childbirth.
Reduces Back Pain
Yoga can help women who experience back pain, a common pregnancy complaint. With yoga practices, the muscles which support the pregnancy weight are strengthened assisting in taking the pressure off the lower back.
Calming and Centering
Breathing exercises are essentially helpful during pregnancy. It maximises oxygen flow and regulates the hormones and emotions, maintaining a peaceful and serene pregnancy. Breath control also plays an important role in pain management during childbirth.
Opens the Hips for Childbirth
Squats and other hip-opening yoga poses can help to prepare the body and the baby for delivery. It’s important for the mom-to-be to stretch and release tight muscles without overworking them.
Helps You Bond with Your Baby
The awareness practices serve as an important gateway for pre-natal bonding. It allows the mom-to-be a special moment to connect with the experience of being pregnant and to simply enjoy being pregnant.
Encourages Confidence
Being in a class with other pregnant ladies provides comfort and positive reinforcement when met with unfamiliar feelings. The supportive environment naturally celebrates pregnancy and the amount of support a woman receives during pregnancy is vital for the mother’s and baby’s well-being.
Students' words....
“I was going through a 'difficult' time as I was mostly unwell and trying to adjust to all the changes taking place in my life during my first pregnancy. Having practised yoga in the past, I found it to be very calming and grounding and had been reading a lot that yoga benefits the mother and baby in many ways. I was eager to give it a try. I was not disappointed.
I looked forward to Pregnancy Yoga classes every week. More so during my second pregnancy when the demands on my time and attention was more than before - it was special quiet time for just me and 'baby' - an 'escape' if I may say so.
Practising asanas made me feel physically fit and flexible even as I grew rounder. The visualisation and yoga nidra (deep relaxation) sessions were especially enjoyable. I felt calmer, more centred and confident of myself. Practising prenatal yoga also placed a lot of emphasis on connecting with my unborn baby in a positive way which I feel is sometimes missed in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Pregnancy Yoga to all expectant mothers out there though - try it, it is something you will love and look forward to for sure."
- Dr Sumathi Raju, currently in training to be a physician
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“Many women discover yoga when they are pregnant. I started yoga when I was 5 months pregnant with my first son 7 years ago. Since I was new to yoga, it only took simple asanas, pranayama and meditation to feel completely relaxed and calm.
It was yoga all the way for me thereafter. So when I was expecting my second son, it was only natural for me to dwell deeper into the works of pre-natal yoga. I felt this intense need to learn and teach pregnancy yoga. And what better way to experience it than when I am pregnant.
Pregnancy is a very important and delicate time for expectant mothers, Pre-natal yoga is not only about fitness but guiding and caring for expectant mothers through 3 trimesters in a positive and loving environment. Hence allowing mother and baby to feel calm, centred, relaxed, cheerful and great looking!”
- Subashini Nair, writer and part time yoga instructor
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“Realising our tight schedule I took up in MAYI Pregnancy Yoga classes. The classes were really interesting as the instructor would give each student personal attention and we were encouraged to do the asanas according to our own personal capacity. The stretches and asanas helped a lot in easing body aches and cramps. While the breathing exercises and Yoga Nidra helped in re-energising my body and attaining deep relaxation.
I remembered my yoga instructor’s advice to keep breathing in all stages of labour and the 5 step breathing technique we learnt in class.
As I started concentrating on the breathing I realised the intensity of pain reduced (mentally) and I could concentrate on the delivery. I was less tensed and was able to cooperate with the medical staff. When I saw our baby’s face for the first time, words just cannot describe how thankful we were for all the motivation and positive thoughts we received in the class. This encouraged me to take up pregnancy yoga again for my second baby."
- Meyyammai Swaminathan, Research Associate of University of Malaya
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