When it comes to staying fit and healthy during pregnancy, one of the best things you can do for yourself (and your baby!) is prenatal yoga.

I know what you’re thinking: Of course, YOU’D say that. You’re a prenatal yoga teacher, so you are more than a little bit biased.

Guilty as charged.

But like most mamas, I wear more than one hat. Did you know that I’m also a health journalist who has written pretty extensively about health and wellness during pregnancy. (Read my most recent article on ways to keep low-risk pregnancies low-risk for Lowcountry Parent magazine.)

Without prompting from me, I hear over and over again from midwives, obstetricians, chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists, birth doulas, body workers… basically, every expert who works with women, that YOGA is one of the best exercises a mama can do during her pregnancy. How that’s for validation?

If I took enough time I could probably come up with may more than the benefits of prenatal listed below… But I’m a busy mama, so the following 17 are going to have to suffice for now.

17 Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

1 – Relief for common pregnancy aches and pains

Gain flexibility where you need it and strength where you need it. Lots of mamas show up at my prenatal yoga classes at their doctor’s because they’re suffering from run-of-the-mill pregnancy aches and pains.

It’s true that yoga can help significantly reduce muscle tension, pelvis and hip pain, low back pain, carpal tunnel, and many other pregnancy problems.

In fact, this 2017 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that yoga was as effective as physical therapy at treating moderate to severe low back pain.

2 – Reduced stress

Everyone knows that yoga helps people manage stress–and managing stress is particularly important during pregnancy for the health of both mama and baby! But did you know that people who practice have measurably fewer stress hormones in their bodies right after a yoga session?

This study from 2017 found that pregnant women who practiced prenatal yoga had lower salivary cortisol than women who didn’t practice.

Interestingly, the study notes that babies born to the group of women who practiced prenatal yoga had a higher birth weight than those born to mothers who didn’t.

3- Stronger immune system

The same study found that those mamas who practice prenatal yoga had higher immunoglobulin A levels immediately after their yoga session, too. The higher immunoglobulin A levels is an indication that these mamas had higher immune function, according to researchers.

That’s a pretty big deal, especially during cold and flu season, since pregnant moms can’t take as many cold and sinus medications!

4 – Prenatal yoga prepare mama’s body & mind for birth

Trust me. There are few things that help prepare your body for birth like relaxed muscles and open hips.

Read more about how prenatal yoga can help you prepare for birth — and if you’re ready for a deep dive, check out my online course Birth Like a Boss with Prenatal Yoga.

5 – Get baby into an optimal position for birth

Yoga positions like Downward Facing Dog and Table Top positions (when you’re on hands and knees) can actually help baby move into an optimal position for birth. And those hip openers that are the focus of many prenatal yoga classes? Those can help guide baby’s head further into mama’s pelvis to help send the signal that that it’s time to soften up her cervix.

This could be the reason there’s a slightly reduced risk of cesarean sections among women who practice prenatal yoga, according to this study.

6 – Faster, less painful labor and delivery

Stress hormones are not conducive to giving birth. When mama knows how to stay calm, trust in the process (and her body), and relax during the early stages of labor, the whole process usually goes much faster.

Participants in this study who had practiced prenatal yoga reported feeling less intense labor pains than the control group that didn’t do yoga during pregnancy, and the yoga mamas had shorter labors, too.

7 – Recover faster after birth

If you’re worried about recovering well after your baby is born, prenatal yoga is your friend.

It will help you gain strength where you need it, so you’ll be stronger, healthier, and recover faster during the postpartum period.

Plus, deep breathing can help you avoid a diastasis recti (that gap between your rectus abdominis muscles that sometimes doesn’t go right back together after birth).

Not to mention, staying in shape during pregnancy helps mamas heal faster, gain their strength back faster, and get back to their previous activities faster.

8 – Improved mental health

No one will be surprised that several studies have shown that yoga during pregnancy can help you manage the myriad stresses that can come with growing a person. But it’s also pretty well documented that mamas who practice prenatal yoga experience less depression and anxiety.

My yoga practice definitely helped me handle the anxiety I had when I got pregnant with my last baby after experiencing a traumatic miscarriage.

9 – Better Sleep

When you’re pregnant there are plenty of barriers to good sleep–babies like to kick all night long, settle in on your bladder, and cause all kinds of physical discomforts that make it hard for mama to get her beauty sleep, too.

This small pilot study found that pregnant women who practiced mindful yoga had fewer awakenings at night and improved sleep efficiency.

See also 7 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep

10 – Strengthen your core and your pelvic floor

Prenatal Yoga: Because nobody likes to pee their pants every time they sneeze or jump on a trampoline.  I mean, seriously.

11 – Focus on breathing to calm your body and mind

Learning to breathe properly will help you soften and relax during pregnancy, labor, and those first trying, sleep-deprived weeks of having a newborn.

The more you take time to practice those belly breaths, the better.

12 – Learn how to relax

Our culture is all busy, busy, busy, all the time. We all have a difficult time backing off and doing less.

Growing a person from scratch is pretty exhausting work for a mama’s body. Pregnancy is a great time to slow down a little bit and work on taking extra great care of yourself.

Plus, knowing how to relax is a skill that every mama needs!

13 – Practice not competing with other mamas

Mothering in the age of social media often feels like one big, exhausting race that you have no chance of winning. So why even worry about competing with the Pinterest queens?

Yoga’s philosophy that we’re all better off when we stop competing and just embrace what’s right for us as individuals as parents has been a lifesaver for me. A prenatal yoga class where everyone is at different places in their pregnancies and dealing with different challenges is a great reminder to put on your blinders and worry about works best in your own body and for your own life, both now and after the baby is born!

14 – Hone your intuition

Honestly, I feel like tapping into that mother’s intuition is one of the best benefits that prenatal has to offer.

Here’s why: The second you let people know you’re expecting it feels like everyone comes running to tell you what to do and what NOT to do. The worst part about this is that it sends such a message to moms that they NEED ADVICE. You know, that they would never be able to keep this precious being growing inside of them without a team of doctors, nurses, nosy neighbors, and random people at the grocery store telling them how.

Prenatal yoga class is not just a refuge from the know-it-alls of the world, but it’s also a chance to really reveal all that you, your amazing body, and your instincts know about being carrying a baby without ever asking anyone for advice or reading a single blog post.

15 – Boost your confidence

With that realization that you have this innate ability to care for yourself and your growing family comes confidence. First-time mamas, in particular, often need to be reminded that they have everything they need to birth and care for their babies and their families.

This can start on the yoga mat with lots of gentle reminders that you are stronger and more capable than you might have known before.

Ready to reap all the benefits!? My yoga class schedule Prenatal Yoga classes in Charleston SC and surrounding areas is available here.

16 – Bond with baby

Pregnancy was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. You know you’re growing a person you’re going to love more than you can even imagine… but, also, this baby is kind of a total stranger. It’s weird and magical and wonderful and scary and beautiful all at the same time.

Spending time every day–just you, your breath, and your baby–on your yoga mat is a great way to help you connect on a much deeper level with your baby.

See also 5 Ways to Bond with Baby in Prenatal Yoga

17 – Build your mama tribe

It is SO important to have a strong community of mama friends during pregnancy. If you have a prenatal yoga class close by (check out my classes if you’re in Charleston, SC area!) make sure you take a few minutes before and after class to connect with other pregnant mamas and make a few friends–especially if this is your first baby.

You’ll likely have a ton to talk about between the pregnancy and your common interests (yoga!).

Don’t have a local group? Join the Yoga Mamas with Spoiled Yogi Facebook page. We’ll be happy to swap parenting war stories, answer your questions, and give you lots of non-judgmental support and encouragement.