In my work as a doula and a prenatal yoga instructor over the last 8 years, 300+ births, and thousands of prenatal yoga students, I have noticed a trend.

Most women who regularly attend yoga classes while pregnant, have faster and less painful birth experiences.

Of course there have been many exceptions and circumstances that increase length and intensity of labor, but the correlation is too great to ignore or write off as just coincidence.

Because I don’t have all of my birth statistics organized, I could never make the statement that “doing prenatal yoga regularly during pregnancy greatly contributes to shorter and easier labor and childbirth” even though time and time again I would see that to be case.

I was thrilled when a study from Thailand was released confirming my theory.

Here is a summary of the findings of the Thailand Study:
To see the entire study (may require subscription) click here

This study examined the effects of a yoga program during pregnancy, on maternal comfort, labor pain, and birth outcomes. A randomized trial was conducted using 74-primigravid Thai women who were equally divided into two groups (experimental and control). The yoga program involved six, 1-h sessions at prescribed weeks of gestation. A variety of instruments were used to assess maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes. The experimental group was found to have higher levels of maternal comfort during labor and 2 h post-labor, and experienced less subject evaluated labor pain than the control group. In each group, pain increased and maternal comfort decreased as labor progressed. No differences were found, between the groups, regarding pethidine usage, labor augmentation or newborn Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min. The experimental group was found to have a shorter duration of the first stage of labor, as well as the total time of labor.

I believe there are several reasons for the outcomes observed in Thailand.

1. The focus and connection with the breath allows a woman to tap into the rhythm of their bodies and work with them instead of fighting them.
2. Yoga can increase lung capacity allowing the woman to take deeper, longer breaths, which bring oxygen to the baby and mom, making contractions feel shorter and more manageable. A woman in a yoga class is encouraged not to hold her breath and tense up but to breathe deeply and right into the tension. When a woman is tense the contractions can feel much more intense.
3. Women who do prenatal yoga tend to have more stamina (especially when practicing styles such as Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga which builds strength and flexibility while staying focused on the breath and on releasing tension); therefore they can go a longer time without pain medication. Typically getting pain medication slows down labor.
4. Prenatal yoga releases endorphins, or “feel good” hormones, which she becomes accustomed to feeling while practicing yoga. These same hormones are released in labor and are much more identifiable to women who have been practicing yoga.
5. Practicing a relaxation at the end of class helps women to get familiar with what their bodies feel like when they are comfortable and free of tension. It also gives them a practice of staying in the moment and focused.

The practice of prenatal yoga provides women with many physical and mental advantages when it comes time for them to give birth. My own experience has paralleled the Thailand study, which has concluded that in many circumstances, women who regularly practice prenatal yoga have shorter and more manageable births.

Image above is a clip from Jennifer Wolfe’s Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga ~Short Forms DVD and can be purchased directly from her website www.jenniferwolfeyoga.com

Q: Any suggestions for relieving tail bone pain? My coccyx curves sideways and is really acting up now that I am pregnant.

A: Tailbone pain unfortunately is not uncommon. There are several things that can help to ease it. Sitting on a birth or exercise ball can be helpful, the cat pose is always good and some massage on the area while in the cat pose can sometimes help (massage sometimes doesn’t feel good so listen to your body.) The pelvic tilt in the cat pose can help get the baby into a more comfortable position and off of the tail bone, though that is not usually the cause of tail bone pain, it can help alleviate some stress in the area and generally feels good.  (Practice Prenatal yoga with Jennifer Wolfe’s Prenatal Yoga DVD) Also sitting on softer surfaces maybe even a coccyx pillow can help.

See Cat Pose Post here

by Jennifer Wolfe

Although prenatal yoga is a safe form of pregnancy exercise for pregnant women, every woman’s body is different and requires attention and awareness during any exercise to ensure the body’s well being. Please obtain permission from your doctor, midwife or health provider before doing any prenatal exercise and most important, listen to your body. If you begin to feel over heated or fatigued, stop and rest in child’s pose and resume your practice once you have cooled down or your body has recovered.

When you are pregnant your body changes every day. Some days a certain pose may feel wonderful and other days the same pose may not feel good at all. The most important guideline for prenatal yoga is one that is practiced in all yoga– non-violence to yourself. This means allowing and embracing the limitations that pregnancy puts on your body and only doing poses that feel good. This is especially important for pregnant women because as the baby grows he or she changes positions often and there are times a certain pose may not be conducive to the position of the baby. Forcing positions because you have always been able to do them or because you were able to do them one way or not the other is inappropriate and may cause injury.

When you become pregnant your body releases a hormone called relaxin which lubricates the joints and softens connective tissue allowing the pelvis to open up to accommodate the baby. However, this hormone is not specific to the pelvis; it affects every other joint as well and can create instability in the joints, this is why you hear many pregnant women complaining of carpel tunnel syndrome. Therefore, you need to take care not to overstretch.
Being pregnant is an amazing time in your life. Prenatal Yoga offers you the ability to maintain or achieve a strong, flexible and centered- body, mind and spirit in an ever changing physical form.

Pregnancy is composed of three trimesters each about three months long. In each trimester there are specific poses that are beneficial for the pregnant body; some of these poses help with discomforts in the body, and others help to strengthen the body in preparation for labor and childbirth.
Many prenatal yoga poses can be modified for you while you are pregnant. You will want to separate your legs when doing any forward bending leaving enough room for your belly to easily fit between your legs. You should avoid lying on your belly throughout pregnancy (this will be very uncomfortable anyway).

With the appropriate modifications prenatal yoga can be practiced right up to labor and delivery. Prenatal Yoga can be started anytime in pregnancy even in the last month as long as you listen to your body, only do poses that feel good, and practice with someone knowledgeable in prenatal yoga.

Also, if you feel any pain in your back, knees or abdominal area you should come out of the pose you are in. And if you feel any menstrual-like cramping at any time, you should stop and rest.
Typically before doing prenatal yoga it is best to abstain from eating for at least two hours. When you are pregnant that might not be possible. Since the stomach has less room and you are “eating for two,” you may need to have a light snack or a juice or smoothie an hour before practicing.