Prenatal yoga at ArtiZen good for moms-to-be
By Martha McDuff | Yoga is being practiced by some 37 million people in the United States according to a study done by Yoga Alliance. This means about one in ten people practice which is very exciting. People flock to classes for various reasons from stress release to gaining balance, strength, and flexibility.
Women, during pregnancy, can especially benefit from being on their mats. A woman’s body goes through many changes during the nine months which can create stress both mental and physical.
Yoga can help.
ArtiZen Yoga is now offering prenatal classes every first Tuesday of the month at 5:45 to 7 PM. One class costs $20 or a 5 class pass can be purchased for $80. This class is taught by Samantha Moloney, 200 RYT.
What exactly can yoga do for an expectant mother? Yoga can improve quality of sleep, reduce stress and anxiety and can help decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches, and shortness of breath. According to the Mayo Clinic, Yoga can reduce the risk of preterm labor and hypertension-related complications. More importantly, yoga can help an expectant mother connect to her baby through meditation and bond with other mothers to be. Being able to connect with other women going through the same changes can help ease stress and anxiety. Prenatal yoga is not only a great way to stay fit and relaxed, but also helps you prepare for labor and is good for the baby’s health.
ArtiZen’s prenatal class includes meditation, breathing exercises, a warm up of side stretches and neck release moves, strengthening (modified sun salutations and squats), and restorative poses (supported childs pose, pigeon, and legs up a wall).
Before coming to class, students should consult with their doctors. Students should bring a water bottle to class and a yoga mat if they have one. If not, ArtiZen has mats for rent (though mat is free for the first visit). Through Samantha’s training, she knows what poses pregnant women should avoid and which poses best benefit them. She wants her students to have fun, feel safe, and smile.
The first class took place back in May. “Class went beautifully,” she said. “The room was filled with amazing vibes. Teaching the prenatal class was a different experience from other yoga classes and I am super excited to continue.”
Participants told Samantha that the class was a great balance- not too easy and not too hard.
If you’re an expectant mother in Beaufort and want to do something amazing not only for your health, but also for your baby’s, join Samantha at ArtiZen for prenatal yoga.
