Prenatal Yoga

Yoga has been shown to alleviate many conditions commonly experienced during pregnancy, such as back pain, sciatica, swelling and heartburn. Prenatal Yoga in particular focuses specifically on the pregnant woman's needs, allowing expectant mothers to learn breathing techniques and postures that help sooth the challenges of pregnancy.

By helping expectant mothers build strength, focus and flexibility through a gentle practice, Forrest Pilates' prenatal yoga classes prepare expectant mothers for both delivery and postpartum recuperation. At the same time, this serene group experience also cultivates a deeper awareness and joy at the natural changes that occur in the body during these nine months.

Designed especially for the pregnant woman, our prenatal yoga classes combine active, flowing poses with restorative poses that relax and re-energize the body, mind and spirit. Moms-to-be can interact with one another and benefit from a supportive community energy, while also being reminded to turn their attention inward and deepen their connection with their bodies during this magical time.

Whether you are a veteran yogi looking to modify your current practice or a first-timer, Forrest Pilates' prenatal yoga classes foster a sense of confidence in your body and your ability to give birth, as well as trust in the inherent wisdom of the female anatomy.

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga:

• The strength developed through yoga is needed in the lower body to carry the added weight of pregnancy. Post-pregnancy, upper body strength is required to hold and care for your baby.

• Prenatal yoga strengthens the muscles that support the weight of the uterus, taking pressure off the lower back and thereby relieving or helping you avoid pain.

• Inversion poses help create space in the pelvis, which reduces irritation of the hip joints.

• Yoga’s focus on the breath is particularly relevant during pregnancy. Regular practitioners will likely find it easier to learn Lamaze or breathing techniques, and breath control is a valuable pain reduction tool during labor.

• The balancing poses in prenatal yoga assist pregnant women in adjusting to the natural shift in their body's center of gravity.