A few people in my life are pregnant and having been there recently (little Gussie is 18 months now) I’m encouraging all that will listen to go to Prenatal Yoga classes. Here’s why:

1. Hip openers (and shoulders too). Your body does crazy things when you’re pregnant, growing your little peanut into a person is just the beginning. When your muscles get tight and your joints start loosening yoga gives you the tools to do something about it. Pigeon pose becomes your savor. Eagle Arms are the only thing that tackle those tight muscles in your back. You have tools you can use instead of suffering and feeling powerless about it.

2. Being around other pregnant people. Lots have people have been there and god help me if I heard one more unrequested gory birthing story. It’s a relief to be around other women going through it now. Watching their bodies change from week to week, cheering on the woman who makes it to class when it’s past her due date, sharing coping strategies - it’s all good stuff that helps you feel this is normal and safe and OK.

3. Squatting. Hopefully your teacher will have you squat. If not, do it at home. It’s a good stretch and a great strengthener for your legs which can be handy on the big day. To practice - get into a squat, spread those knees with your elbows, put your hands in prayer position at your chest and relax your hips. If you’re not sure about holding your weight, rest your bottom on a foam block or two. Then breath. Work up to 10 minutes. It’s a great way to practice zoning out and relaxing while you feel uncomfortable, get it? ;-)

4. Take time for yourself. You need to practice this skill while you can and yoga class is a great opportunity. And while we’re at it, here’s an aside about ‘Sleep When the Baby Sleeps’. Alot of people say it and it probably doesn’t make sense to you yet so here’s an explanation.

‘Sleep‘ in this context means taking time for yourself - if it’s not napping it can be drinking tea, bathing, calling a friend, staring out the window. But the thing is, you need to take the time because there’s two realities at work here - “the Murphy’s Law of Babies” and Hormones. The Hormones coursing through your body make you feel like you need to make everything ‘perfect’. This seems to be a crazy evolutionary thing and I’m sure it’s good for babies but it’s a little nuts for Mom (and Dad). I consider myself a pretty laid back person - but after I gave birth? I thought someone had injected me with a good dose of OCD. The fact is, you need to take a break from rearranging baby’s sleepers by color.

The other factor goes like this. Just when you think ‘yeah i’m exhausted but i’m going to do 9 loads of laundry instead of rest cause that’s really important and it’s no biggie, i’ll rest during the baby’s next nap’ - there won’t be a next nap.

That will be the day that your little bundle of Sunshine will decide that napping sucks and being awake is cool and it’s going to take every ounce of your patience, creativity and general positiveness to see that kid through til his/her next nap. *That’s* why you take time for yourself when the baby sleeps. Face it, if you were working at a “Job” you’d take a break so what’s the problem? And even if you were on the “Job” working flat out on a deadline you could tell everyone around you to bugger off and you just can’t say that to your baby. You’re too busy color coding her sleepers - so take a break.

5. Breathing, Savasana and Impermanence. Yoga is perfectly designed for training to give birth. You learn how to breath and relax even when you’re having 1,000 sometimes scary thoughts. You do Mula Bandha, which is just a Kegel exercise. And best yet, you learn that regardless of what’s going on - this too shall pass. It’s the mantra of motherhood.

So get to a Prenatal Yoga class - your baby will thank you.