
Nowadays yoga is a mainstream pursuit of those with the desire for health of both body and mind, and is being embraced by expectant mothers worldwide in the quest for a more natural birth with less intervention and less pain.
Often it is not the complete removal of the pain of childbirth that results in a more satisfying birth experience, but having effective tools for working with the pain. Such tools include yoga and breathing and relaxation techniques, with research now showing that these may have a role in reducing pain and increasing overall satisfaction with the birth experience.
Yoga doesn’t just help to manage the strong physical sensations of childbirth. Labour is both a psychological and physical event and as the due date approaches many women, particularly first time mums, experience feelings of fear and apprehension about what their labour will be like. This fear and anxiety in turn can result in an increased perception of pain. Yoga as a mind-body practice can be useful in relaxing the mind and the body during the contractions of childbirth.
Practicing yoga throughout pregnancy can also help women become familiar with the natural, instinctive positions often preferred during the different stages of labour. According to one research paper, yoga gives women an opportunity to explore their responses to pain and develop relaxation and coping strategies when pain exceeds their usual pain threshold. The study found that 30 minutes of yoga practice at least three times a week for 10 weeks during pregnancy improved the comfort level of women and decreased the pain during active labour and just after delivery. The women who engaged in yoga also had a shorter labour time. The authors suggest that this finding was due to the state of deep relaxation that yoga and breath awareness causes which in turn allows the women to feel more in control and comfortable.
Yoga may help women manage childbirth pain more effectively, shorten the duration of labour, help calm and relax the mind and body during labour, and empower the woman in labour to trust their ability to birth naturally. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it? But what exactly does yoga in pregnancy and birth involve?
The yoga toolkit for a natural birth
If a natural, empowered, satisfying experience of childbirth is what you are hoping for, consider seeking out a qualified prenatal yoga teacher during your pregnancy. The tools you will learn will help you, at the very least, to remain calm and empowered through the intense experience of childbirth.
References available on request