Prenatal yoga helps you during birth but even more so before and after birth. During pregnancy, the breathing and body awareness help you stay connected to your changing body. The gentle stretches and poses develop strength and readiness for giving birth as well as improving your current physical health. Finally, the relaxation is so needed in our harried and stressful world.

Since so many changes are taking place in your body during pregnancy, prenatal yoga is a time to slow down and connect with the baby growing inside you. Yoga encourages you to be fully present and in the moment, a skill you will need as a parent as well.

Prenatal yoga also encourages you to tune into your body and really listen to what's going on, to accept the changes as positive growth. It helps to be surrounded by other women also going through pregnancy, to learn and to share with them.

Breathing for birthing
Yoga is a true complement to the birth process. A birthing woman has the choice to either fight her surges or to relax into them, to go with the flow of her body, letting it do its work. The task of yoga is similar in that while your body is working, you learn to relax into a pose, to find the peace that the pose offers.

Easier post-partum recovery
After you have given birth, yoga remains a gentle exercise that is also beneficial for calming your mind. Practicing the poses you learned in prenatal yoga helps you gain back muscle tone and flexibility. Additionally, doing yoga post-partum keeps you in tune with your body as it once again goes through some radical changes.

Even if you're planning a cesarean, prenatal yoga can help you connect with your baby, keep muscle tone and manage pain during recovery from major abdominal surgery.