mental health and pregnancy

University College and Kings College in London recently published a study in the European Eating Disorders Review. The study aimed to bring to light the prevalence of eating disorder in pregnancy.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors.

A very recent study published online in the General Hospital Psychiatry
journal claims additional services may be needed by women who are
pregnant and those who have just delivered a child.

As every mother knows, the fetus is constantly listening to the mother’s
heartbeat, the sounds of her digestive system and even the music she
plays outside the womb, but researchers believe the fetus hears more
than just physical sounds.

Prenatal Yoga is an ideal form of exercise for women during pregnancy because it includes strengthening, stretching, relaxation, and breathing practice, and can be easily adapted for each pregnancy trimester or daily energy level.

Warrior I is a strengthening, stretching, and even a bit of a balancing pose, that can inspire confidence and power in its practitioner. Practice Warrior I after warming up your body, during the higher intensity portion of your yoga workout.  

Warrior II, like Warrior I, is a challenging all-over body strengthener used in prenatal and non-prenatal yoga. Warrior II is also a deep hip and upper body opener, and has been said to alleviate backaches during pregnancy, as well as to increase fertility. 

The seated wide-legged forward fold opens the hips, and stretches the
back and thighs. The supported (restorative) version, is less intense
than a regular wide-legged forward fold, and allows pregnant women to do
the pose without having to hold up their back.

Nadi Shodhana (nah-deeh show-dah-nuh) is a yoga breathing practice which
relaxes the body and mind and is said to balance the sides of the brain
and purify the energy channels of the body. It is safe for pregnant
women and women trying to conceive.

Dirgha (deer-guh) pranayama
is a yoga breathing practice which calms the body and mind through deep,
lung-filling inhalations and exhalations. It is safe and highly
recommended for pregnant women and women trying to conceive.

Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean Sounding or Victorious Breath) breath is commonly used throughout yoga classes and practices. It is used to calm the body and mind, heat the body internally to permit fluid movement and stretching, as well as provide a meditational focal point during the practice for you and those around you.

All your prenatal questions answered. What do I need to practice yoga? Is it safe for my baby? Do I need to be flexible?

Leg’s Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) in restorative yoga is known in yoga as an ‘inversion,’ or upside-down pose where your heart
is above your head. There are many different inversions with varying
degrees of intensity that range from headstands to downward facing dog.

Breath is the most important element of a yoga practice. It allows us to move deeper into a pose, get through a difficult one, and move gracefully from one pose to another. Our breath can have this same guiding and transformative power in our daily lives.

Yoga is absolutely safe for your baby. While yoga in general can range from a gentle relaxation to a rigorous heart-pumping work out, prenatal yoga is specifically designed to feel good for mother and not harm growing baby. 

Anyone can do yoga whether they are flexible or not. The most important thing about practicing yoga is that it feels good for your individual body.

All you need to practice yoga is a little bit of floor space and a little bit of time.

At the very foundation of yoga practice are some truly transformative and
sometimes even life changing techniques that can help people maximize your physical and mental health, and reduce stress.

U.S. female veterans who become pregnant may be at increased risk for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to researchers at Yale University School of Medicine.