PRENATAL Couple Yoga
Stretches, Bonding & Pelvic Floor Exercises
**This post might contain affiliate links. I am no medical professional so always consult with a qualified health professional before taking any action.
Some common side effects of pregnancy are lower back pain and cramping legs. At least that’s what I experience on a bad day.
Already before being pregnant I regularly practiced yoga, it helps me to relax and it’s a good way to stay flexible which is obviously very important for me being a dancer, but also while working as a model I realized it can be very useful since I often get booked for leggings or sportswear shoots.
Right from the beginning of my pregnancy I, therefore, made sure to keep up my yoga practice but I wanted to make sure that the poses that I’m going to do will be pregnancy-safe and won’t hurt the baby. I was astonished that there were still so many poses that I could do and basically the main DON’Ts are: deep twists and poses laying on your back. Pretty obvious I think.
Currently being in the 3rd trimester I experience that my body is getting heavier so it’s getting harder and harder to perform that famous yoga flow. Couple yoga can therefore be a very nice and fun experience to do. Your birth partner will not only be able to support you in your stretches but it gives you also the opportunity to wind down and do some bonding time together with the baby.
In this following blog post, I am sharing some fun couple yoga poses you can try with your partner, and if you like you can also check out the related YouTube video here.
Stretches
Puppy Stretch: Especially to prevent lower back pains but also in preparation for birth, it’s suggested to daily stretch your hips, thighs, and back. There are a couple of exercises that I like to do but my all times favorite and most releasing one is the supported puppy stretch. You can do it standing or on your knees. And instead of using a gym ball, chair, or the wall for support, your partner can hold you and also help you stretch further by pulling backward.
Side Stretch: These types of side bends are a great way to lengthen your spine and stretch your side abdominals. They are also great chest openers. It’s important however to slowly breathe into the stretch to prevent any over-stretch. The best way to do this is to only go deeper in the pose while breathing out. Your partner can help you in finding the right breathing rhythm which will also be a good exercise for birth preparation.
Back Bends: Another perfect way for some back pain relief. Just be careful not to go into hyperextension since abdominal muscles get much weaker during pregnancy. Always do these exercises controlled and therefore it’s best to do them with your partner’s supervision and guidance. Especially for standing backbends the support of your partner can be very helpful since balance can also become very tricky towards the late stage of pregnancy.
Hip Opener / Hip Rotation: Last but not least you always want to make sure that your hips are flexible. Hip stretches have a lot of benefits - not only to prepare for childbirth - but also to prevent a sway back (which often occurs during pregnancy because of the sudden forward weight shift of the body) and lower back, groin & knee pain.
2. Bonding
Practicing prenatal yoga with your partner offers a good oppurtunity in doing some bonding with your baby. We really like this together-time especially at night before sleeping. My husband loves talking to our baby girl through my belly and somehow she seems to recognise his voice since she usually starts moving and bouncing around like crazy.
3. Pelvic Floor Exercise
Honestly, I am not a big fan of this but I know it is extremely important, especially if you’re planning for natural birth. If you’re wondering what pelvic floor muscles are, they are the muscles that support your bladder and uterus and consequently have to go through I really hard time during pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, strengthening pelvic floor muscles not only benefits in better bladder control but also helps the body to carry the growing baby as well as to have an easier and shorter labor and a faster recovery after birth. So yes, there are enough benefits that encourage me to do those exercises. Even though I know it does not guarantee easier and shorter labor but it’s still worth a try.
That’s it for this week’s blog post. I hope you enjoyed the reading and that there are some things that you’ve learned. Throughout the last few months, I spent a lot of time in research and collecting information about the most various topics related to pregnancy. Especially due to the fact that I’m going to deliver a baby in a foreign country with a very different childbirth and healthcare culture compared to my hometown, I want to be perfectly informed and prepared for everything that is going to happen. I know every pregnancy proceeds in a very individual way and we cannot generalize anything but I see it as a big exam that I have 9 months to get ready to~❤️
If you like the yoga set that I’m wearing you can get it here. LOUISE MISCHA is a french bohemian women’s, child, and baby-wear brand which focuses on fair, eco-friendly, and ethical values in the production and distribution of their clothes.
