How Pregnancy Yoga Can Help You Prepare for Birth
Preparing for birth can feel exciting, overwhelming, or a mixture of both. There is a lot of information available about birth, from different positions and breathing techniques to pain relief options and birth plans. But preparing for birth isn't just about knowing what might happen during labour. It can also be about getting to know your body, building confidence, and finding ways to stay calm and grounded when things feel intense.
Pregnancy yoga can be a lovely way to support this preparation.
Yoga can't predict how your birth will unfold, and there is no particular position, breathing technique or yoga practice that can guarantee a certain type of birth. What it can do is give you practical tools and an opportunity to practise using them before you need them.
1. Learning to work with your breath
One of the most useful things you can practise during pregnancy is your breathing.
During labour, particularly when contractions become more intense, it can be easy to tense your body or hold your breath without realising it. Learning to slow and deepen your breathing can help you stay more present and give you something simple to focus on.
Slowing down your breathing can also have a direct physiological impact on your body, by switching on your parasympathetic nervous system and moving your body and brain away from the stress response (you might know it as “fight or flight”). This is important, because we need the body to produce oxytocin for labour to progress, and if we are stuck in our sympathetic response this is impacted.
In my pregnancy yoga classes, I teach three distinct breathing techniques:
Full Yoga Breath - where we practice slowing the breath down and extending the exhale so it is longer than the inhale
Golden Thread Breath - incorporating a visualisation technique to help you feel safe
Down Breathing - a technique to use in the final stages of labour to help you birth your baby
The more you practise, the more natural it can feel to use your breath when you need it.
2. Becoming more aware of your body
Pregnancy brings enormous physical changes, and it can sometimes feel as though your body is doing things that are completely outside your control.
Yoga encourages you to pay attention to how your body feels and to move in ways that feel comfortable and supportive.
This awareness can be useful during labour too. You may find yourself naturally changing position, moving your pelvis, rocking or swaying, or choosing whatever movement feels most comfortable at the time.
Pregnancy yoga can also help you explore different positions that may feel good during pregnancy and labour, giving you and your birth partner some ideas to draw on when the time comes.
3. Practising relaxation
Relaxation is another important part of pregnancy yoga.
This doesn't mean that you need to remain completely relaxed throughout labour – labour is hard work, and your body is likely to experience a huge range of sensations and emotions.
Instead, yoga can help you practise noticing tension and finding ways to soften where you can. For labour, this might mean deliberately trying to relax and release tension between each contraction, or as you prepare to have an epidural.
You might practise relaxing your jaw, shoulders and hands, releasing unnecessary muscular tension, or using your breath to help your body feel a little more settled.
These are small skills, but having practised them during pregnancy means they may feel more familiar when you need them.
4. Building confidence in your body
It's very common to feel nervous about giving birth, particularly if it's your first baby.
You may wonder:
Will I know what to do?
What will contractions feel like?
Will I be able to cope?
What if things don't go according to plan?
Pregnancy yoga can't take those uncertainties away, but it can help you develop a greater sense of trust in your body.
Rather than focusing on achieving a particular yoga position or doing everything "right", pregnancy yoga encourages you to listen to your body and respond to what you need.
That can be a valuable mindset to take into birth: noticing what is happening, taking things one moment at a time, and remembering that you don't have to know exactly what the next few hours will bring.
5. Exploring movement and birth positions
Movement can be an important part of labour for many people.
In my pregnancy yoga classes, we explore movements such as pelvic circles, rocking, squatting, standing positions and supported stretches. These can help you become familiar with different ways of moving and finding comfortable positions.
You will also learn about positions that may be useful during labour, including ways to use a birth ball, a partner or other support.
Of course, every labour is different. You may find that the position you thought you'd love isn't comfortable when you're actually in labour – and that's absolutely fine!
The goal is to have options rather than a strict plan.
6. Preparing your mind as well as your body
Birth preparation often focuses heavily on the physical side of labour, but your emotional wellbeing matters too.
Pregnancy yoga creates space to slow down, tune into yourself and spend some time connecting with your changing body and your baby.
It can also give you an opportunity to think about what helps you feel safe and supported. Perhaps you find that certain breathing techniques help you feel calmer. Maybe movement helps you feel more in control. Or perhaps you simply benefit from having time each week where you aren't rushing from one thing to the next.
I am very lucky that many of my pregnancy yoga clients are willing to share their birth stories after their baby arrives. I read these out in class so that you can hear real-life birth stories, learning about what birth is actually like, at the places you are likely to have your baby - whether that is at home, St John’s Hospital in Livingston or the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh. The thing I love the most about sharing birth stories, is the way they illustrate that no two births are ever the same!
7. Finding a community
Pregnancy can sometimes feel surprisingly isolating, even when you are surrounded by people.
Attending a pregnancy yoga class gives you the opportunity to spend time with other pregnant women who are going through some of the same physical and emotional changes.
There can be something reassuring about being in a room where nobody is surprised by a growing bump, a new ache or a question about birth!
When you join my pregnancy class, I’ll add you to our class WhatsApp group where people share photos of their newborn babies, ask questions and swap numbers.
You don't need to prepare for a "perfect" birth
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that preparing for birth isn't about preparing for one particular outcome.
You might have a detailed birth plan and find that everything goes exactly as you'd hoped. Or your birth might look completely different from what you imagined.
Preparing with yoga isn't about controlling what happens. It's about developing skills that can support you whatever your birth looks like.
Your breath, your awareness of your body, your ability to relax and your confidence in asking for support can all be useful, whether you have a straightforward vaginal birth, an assisted birth, a caesarean birth, an epidural, or something else entirely.
There is no single "right" way to give birth.
When should you start pregnancy yoga?
You can start pregnancy yoga at different stages of pregnancy, depending on your circumstances and the type of class you choose. My only real reccomendation about when to start, is waiting until after your 12 week scan and not waiting too long to book your preferred start date! I often have to turn people away because they wait until their third trimester and my classes are fully-booked.
A pregnancy-specific class is a good option because the practice can be adapted for pregnancy and your changing body. A qualified pregnancy yoga teacher can offer modifications for common pregnancy discomforts and help you explore movement, breathing and relaxation in a safe and supportive environment.
If you have any pregnancy complications or concerns, it's always worth checking with your midwife or maternity team before starting a new exercise programme.
Pregnancy yoga in Edinburgh
I teach Pregnancy Yoga in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, with classes designed to support you throughout pregnancy and help you feel more prepared for birth.
Pregnancy Yoga with Louise Burchell - Tuesdays 6:30-7:45pm at St Anne’s Church, Kaimes Road, Edinburgh
Classes combine mindful movement, breathing, relaxation and practical birth preparation, with plenty of options to adapt movements to suit your changing body.
There is no expectation that you need to be flexible or have done yoga before. You can simply come as you are.
If you'd like to find out more about Pregnancy Yoga Edinburgh classes, including current dates and availability, you can find out more about Pregnancy Yoga here.
Please note: pregnancy yoga is not a substitute for medical advice or antenatal education. Always follow the advice of your midwife or maternity team regarding exercise during pregnancy.
