Prenatal Yoga
What is Prenatal Yoga?
During pregnancy, you want to stay in shape and do what is best for your baby-to-be. Prenatal yoga is a wonderful way to do both. Whether you are new to yoga or already an experienced practitioner, you can enjoy the benefits of a prenatal yoga class. Yoga classes are a great way to prepare yourself for the birthing process as well as enjoy the company of other pregnant women.
When can I start?
Once you enter your second trimester, anytime after 14 weeks and you can continue right up to the birth of your baby. During pregnancy, many changes occur, physically and emotionally, for the expectant mother. The aim of prenatal yoga is to help you with these changes, to minimise the stress on the body and mind that comes naturally with pregnancy, and to prepare you for a safe, healthy birth.
While prenatal yoga is still, in essence, a practice of postures and breath, there are differences from a regular yoga class that meet the specific needs of prenatal yogis.
Prenatal yoga is adapted to create a practice that is safe for mother and baby, with gentle postures that work on strengthening and relaxing specific areas of the body that endure extra tension during pregnancy.
While the prenatal classes run on a drop-in basis, in the Ranelagh studio, they do follow a recurring, 6-week course cycle. With this in mind, it is required that you attend an initial 6-week block, and once complete you can drop in to any of the other prenatal classes.
It is recommended that you begin prenatal classes at the beginning of the second trimester, around 14 weeks, and no earlier as your body is still adjusting to the changes that are occurring.
Below are the dates for the start of the next 6-week cycles with Lou in Ranelagh:
Download and print it off Prenatal Yoga Cycles and info with Lou 2012
Mondays Ranelagh 20:00- 21:15 11th June
Tuesdays Ranelagh 20:00-21:15 22nd May
Thursdays Ranelagh 10:00-11:15 24th May
Thursdays Ranelagh 18:00-19:15 24th May
Week 1 Yoga asana (posture) and breath work.
Week 2 Yoga asana, breath work and understanding the connection of
breathing with the body to affect the state of mind.
Week 3 Yoga asana, breath work and the pelivic floor. Understanding
how to tone for pregnancy and how to relax for birth.
Week 4 Yoga asana, breath work and positions for labour.
Week 5 Yoga asana, breath work and positions for birth.
Week 6 Yoga asana, breath work and the hormones of labour and birth.
The vast majority of women will attend at least 2/3 blocks of classes throughout their pregnancy. The above topics are a guideline of class content, each class is always a reflection of the needs of the students attending. No two classes are the same even if you’ve been to the “Pelvic Floor” class several times there will always be something new to learn, a new perspective offered. Needless to say
every class will address deep relaxation and time for you to connect with your baby.
Testimonials for Lou’s classes available here.
Other Classes in Ranelagh
Saturdays Classes with Lydia are ongoing
Classes in Dundrum
Saturdays Classes with Olwyn are ongoing
Wednesdays Classes with Hazel are ongoing
Classes in Rathfarnham
Thursdays Classes with Michelle E are ongoing
Benefits of Prenatal Yoga
The classes are an opportunity to:
Relax the mind at what can be a stressful time
Prepare for birth
Booking is essential for prenatal classes. Please book in online or contact the studio.
Active Birthing Workshops for Partners
Active Birth workshops, taught by Lou Horgan, are designed to inform and empower both mom and birth partner throughout the labour and birth process. The areas covered during the 3 and a half hour workshop include:
The postures and breathing techniques of an active labour
- How to maximise your time labouring at home before transferring to hospital (which will decrease the likelihood of intervention)
- The hormones of labour and how to keep them flowing
- Delivery postures to minimise intervention
- Connecting with baby
- The different stages of labor
- Breathing, relaxation and massage methods that help during labour
- The role of the partner
- Benefits and risks of medivcal interventions
- How to stay active at home and in hospital
- How to create a calm and stress free environment in the hospital
- Postnatal tips and lots more
“Active birth is nothing new. It is simply a convienient way of describing normal labour and birth and the way that a woman behaves when she is following her own instincts and the physiological logic in her body” Janet Balaskas
Price: €100 per couple
It is recommended to book your place on the workshop as close to the due date as possible.
