Prenatal Yoga Use of Birth Balls in Pregnancy and Labor

Prenatal Yoga use of Birth Balls in Pregnancy and during Labor.

Here are some excellent resources for you to have on hand and to practice while pregnant, and to use in easing your labor pains.

Birth Balls. Use of Physical Therapy Balls in Maternity Care by Paulina G. (Polly) Perez, R.N.

Great Expectations Pregnancy Program with FitBall by Lisa Westlake (1/2 price on VHS tapes right now), Mother of two, Physiotherapist and Australian Fitness Leader

Carolyne Anthony's Childbearing series - Using the ball during pregnancy DVD

Exercising during pregnancy with the "Gymnic-Plus" ball. (in Italian and English)

I used these resource to help supplement my prenatal yoga practice, and the prenatal yoga classes that I taught, during my fourth pregnancy in my late forties. Also used the yoga poses on the ball and otherwise during labor to help me through my induced contractions. It works!

Any Questions? Please post a comment!

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Prenatal Yoga in Port Arthur, Beaumont, Nederland Texas

Prenatal Yoga is pretty non-existant in the Beaumont, Port Arthur and Nederland Texas area.

I teach a gentle beginning yoga class at Wesley United Methodist Church, in Nederland, Texas on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m.  I can give the alternate poses that ones does while pregnant in this class.  While not a prenatal yoga class (cause in a true prenatal class, you go into doing "kegals", relaxation pose to help you in your labor, and other poses good for while in labor), the gentle yoga class and prenatal class are very similar, so I can give you good modifications to do while others are doing the gentle version of the class.

I've had two moms this month, come to my beginning yoga class that I teach at the Port Arthur YMCA on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. and I've been giving them the prenatal modifications.

Most important thing, is that you do not lie on your back after 12-14 weeks, for any great length of time, and of course, no ab, or lying on the stomach poses (also avoiding, deep, deep twists).

I took the YogaFit Pre/Post Natal training, and right before and during my fourth pregnancy, I taught prenatal yoga, when I lived in Victoria, Texas.

So, if you are interested in attending, call, or just show up for class.  Be sure to tell me that you are pregnant, and how far along.  It would also be good, if you tell your OB/GYN that you are taking yoga.  Most OB/GYN's applaud the benefits of a yoga class.

My OB/GYN also told me that taking water classes, at a lower end of activity was wonderful for my health, and to continue to do my walking.

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Prenatal Yoga on the Ball with Sara Varona

I loved doing prenatal yoga on the ball with my last pregnancy.  Helps with those pregnancy aches and pains, and helps you to prepare your body for childbirth! (On the left hand side of this blog, you see me sitting on the resist-a-ball or birthball, doing hip circles to try to open up my pelvis even more, for an easier birth.)

RestoraFlow Yoga Creator, Sara Varona demonstrates in her later stages of pregnancy, prenatal yoga that can be done with the resist-a-ball, with one never having to get up off the floor. Sara is a very generous yoga teacher, in that she and Harlan Kilstein created a website Build Your Yoga Business, to help yoga instructors become financially independent in the teaching of yoga.  So get out your resist-a-ball/fitball and try out these sets of prenatal instructions! 


Sara Varona Introduction To Pre-Natal Yoga Videos Pre Natal Yoga Fitness



Prenatal Yoga Volume 1 on the Ball with Sara Varona



Prenatal Yoga Volume 2 on the Ball with Sara Varona



Prenatal Yoga Volume 3 on the Ball with Sara Varona



Prenatal Yoga Volume 4 on the Ball with Sara Varona

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Prenatal Yoga DVD Review site

I just found this website, where there are reviews and links to prenatal yoga dvds.  I did a few reviews myself, and list my favorites on my blog and website, but this site has reviewed quite a bit more than I have.

Thought you might like to look at their site, to find some more recommended prenatal yoga DVDs.

Clink on over to:
http://pregnancyyogadvd.net/

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Good book to have if you are pregnant and want to keep exercising!

Exercising Through Your Pregnancy, by James Clapp, MD.  This is a must have book if you exercise prior to pregnancy and want to keep up your efforts.  A book to take to your OBGYN, cause some of those guys are still on the bandwagon of "don't let your heart rate go above 140!".

 

Here is the Amazon Link.  http://www.amazon.com/Exercising-Through-Pregnancy-James-Clapp/dp/1886039593  

Lots of good scientific evidence about continuing to exercise, and starting to exercise while pregnant.

(Plus don't forget about your prenatal yoga!)

Gaileee

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One of the best things to progress your labor....your yoga breath and walk.

One of the best things to progress your labor, is to get upright, and let gravity help.

Slow meditative walk, using the relaxed inhale and exhale breath, really helps. As a contraction comes along lean against your birth partner, wall, relax the abdominals, listen to your breath, allow your body to do the work that it needs to do to progress your labor. If you tighten up during labor contractions, you are fighting against your body, and your reserves of strength.

These ideals can be found in the Husband Coached Childbirth - The Bradley Method book, and Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. A lot of the concepts in these books, and in the Bradley Childbirth classes are based on the relaxing breath work of yoga.

I had to be induced for various reasons, so once they found out I could tolerate the pitocin well, then the docs and nurses allowed me to walk 15 minutes, then monitor for 5, and repeat this process between my checks. Using the yoga breath, the meditation walking helped me progress really well and to tolerate the pitocin being upped also. It can be done.

Check out these books from your library, or through intra-library loan, or maybe from your local La Leche League library.

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Prenatal Yoga in Mongolia

I presented a Prenatal Yoga class in Avraikheer, Mongolia, while I was visiting Amber (who is in the Peace Corps) this summer.

Mongolians have this superstition about being on the floor in public, so they laid a blanket on the floor so that I could demonstrate Cat/Cow flow.

I then proceeded to demonstrate the rest of the poses standing, with the chair, or with the wall. Talk about a change of plans! Good thing I had come up with a alternate flow for doing prenatal yoga in chairs!

Now they want me to prepare a handout, so that they can take it at home and practice at home. Amber and I are working on that information, and it will be translated into Mongolian.

I had a midwife there also, and she was supplementing the things I was trying to say, for poses that you do during labor, with her expertise too. Great presentation!

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Birth Buddies Blog - Prenatal Yoga Poses

Great site that you need to look at:

• Part One - Introduction to Pregnancy. http://birthbuddy.wordpress.com/2007/02/28/yoga-in-pregnancy-part-1-introduction/  
• Part Two- Simple Yoga Prenatal Postures. http://birthbuddy.wordpress.com/2007/03/08/yoga-in-pregnancy-part-2-simple-postures/
  
• Part Three- More Advanced Prenatal Postures. http://birthbuddy.wordpress.com/2007/03/18/practising-yoga-during-pregnancy-part-3-more-advanced-postures/
•  PDF 33 Page Hand out. http://birthbuddy.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/pregnancy_poses.pdf
  

Enjoy the site!  Updated 8/26/2009

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Prenatal Yoga presentation....in....Mongolia...

I'm scheduled to present a prenatal yoga class in Mongolia. Amber works for the local Chamber of Commerce through the Peace Corps, and her organization is having a two day workshop with prenatal health issues. I'll be one of the presenters for that workshop.

I'll have an interpreter, so I won't have to learn the language. This will be interesting to say the least. I pulled out my prenatal yoga lesson plans, and the documents about the benefits of prenatal yoga. Amber will have the benefits translated into Mongolian. I'm thinking a 45 minute class might last a bit longer, due to the translation part.

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Now that you have had your baby...

It is time to do baby yoga! My baby loved doing the little routines listed in the book, "Itsy Bitsy" Yoga.

I'd sing to her, "Pada Hasta, pada Hasta", for the pumping of the knees into the chest, to help her with her gas, and the "Corkscrew" movement, to help, again, the movement of the bowels. (Okay, sounds gross, I know, but if your baby has those issues, it is a nice way to help them out, plus they love it!)

Plus the "Kissy feet, kissy feet, toes to the nose"!

Curious? You can check out the book from the local library, or request it from IntraLibrary loan, or check out Helen's http://www.itsybitsyyoga.com/ website. Lots of good information there! Or find a local teacher

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