6 Prenatal Yoga Tips that Prepare You for Labor

YogaI've often said that prenatal yoga was the most important preparation I had for labor.

The breathing techniques, meditative exercises, overall body awareness - not to mention the actual physical strengthening.

I'm not the only one who knows that yoga and labor can go hand-in-hand. Sarah Longacre is a founder of Blooma yoga and educational centers, and she's also a doula who assisted in over 550 births.

We asked her for her best prenatal yoga tips, and how they translate to labor:



Related: 10 "unhealthy" things I did while pregnant...and still had a healthy baby




Strike a poseStrike Goddess Pose
"This pose allows moms-to-be to go deeper with their inner goddess and baby. It also strengthens legs and opens hips, so it's an ideal pose to practice in preparation for childbirth."







Goddess PoseStrike Goddess Pose
"Hold for 3-4 minutes while listening to an elevating and empowering song. This helps you build up endurance that will help you for your child's birthday and echo in to motherhood."













Be OpenBe Open
"Open up with poses such as Tabletop to Cat and Warrior 2. And then open your mind to what your birth experience might be like. There are hundreds of different ways your birth might go, do your research but then let go and be open to where your birth takes you."








Related: 8 ways to sneak in exercise during a busy day


SquatSink Into Yoga Squats
"This position is an optimum way to allow gravity to help out the birthing process. Practice this yoga pose throughout pregnancy to strengthen your legs, open hips, build pelvic floor muscles and gain comfort in a position that could help you out during delivery."









BreathePractice Vocal Breathing and a Loose Jaw
"Exhaling audibly and relaxing the jaw helps ease pregnancy tension and keep your body relaxed. The yoga instructors at Blooma find that practicing this deep register for breathing and release is also incredibly helpful during birth, making it easier to stay calm and keep muscles loose as contractions progress."





CommunityBuild Your Community
"Blooma starts each yoga session with introductions from other moms, including guess date, where they're birthing, and question of the day. This builds connections and allows women to share what they've learned about potential birthing sites, midwives, OB-GYN's and more. Build your community of other expectant moms, practice yoga together, and share the journey!"







-By Michelle Horton
Follow Michelle on Babble



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