Yoga not only benefits the mother, it also has positive benefits for the baby because during Yoga exercises, the baby receives higher levels of oxygen and endorphins. Yoga for pregnant woman helps improve circulation and fluid retention in the body. Asanas also help in relieving the aches and pains of pregnancy as a result of the growing weight of your baby.
I personally love to watch babies move. They roll, reach, and giggle at accomplishing what might seem to us like small goals. Sometimes they fall, struggle to get to where they want to be, and cry for a caregiver’s help. They are learning their bodies, ways to solve problems, how others react to their reactions, and what it is like for them to experience all of that in body and mind. All of those elements are the beginnings of the achievements, challenges, and inner/outer experiences that we all encounter throughout the lifespan. While the natures of those encounters differ for each individual, and notable exceptions do exist, there is a generalized sequential pattern of movement milestones that individuals achieve in the early years of life. Dance/movement therapy and other somatic disciplines rely upon this universal pattern to guide individuals to optimal holistic health. While yoga instructors and practitioners already (seemingly naturally) connect with this developmental somatic knowledge, we can even further utilize it in how we practice and guide others in practice.